Hacking the Spaces
Michael Zeltner
hacklab, for that matter)"
http://www.monochrom.at/hacking-the-spaces/
This is a great read, at least for those that are interested in the
history and socio-political construct that you're getting yourself
into by running/visiting a hackerspace. There's some quite harsh words
in there, addressing the current situation of most spaces these days,
including what is going to be the one here in London. It's good
advice, very good advice in fact, and I hope its Viennese style of
complaining that rests at the base of this text doesn't spoil the
message for anyone.
If you are unfamiliar with monochrom, they're most commonly described
as an art-technology-philosophy group. They're closely associated with
hacker culture, they run Dorkbot in Vienna, and were instrumental in
bringing up the Viennese Metalab and the current rise of hackerspaces
in the US, most notably of NYC Resistor and NoiseBridge.
I'd be very interested in your thoughts.
Michael
--
http://niij.org/
Russ Garrett
> "A critical acclaim of what was, is and could be a hackerspace (or
> hacklab, for that matter)"
>
> http://www.monochrom.at/hacking-the-spaces/
I don't buy it. Although some hacker spaces have certainly been involved
in counter-culture/hippie politics, that's a side-effect rather than the
point.
Hacker spaces should be politically neutral - they should be about
making things - hacking, not antagonist politics or anything else.
I think if this article was just about how geeks are standing by while
society is being fucked up by the government, it would resonate more
with me. But I really don't see how this has anything to do with hacker
spaces.
People should get involved in politics and social change because they
want to, not accidentally when they wanted to do something else.
Russ
Michael Zeltner
> I don't buy it. Although some hacker spaces have certainly been involved
> in counter-culture/hippie politics, that's a side-effect rather than the
> point.
The non-commercial (autodidact) appropriation and exchange of
knowledge outside of the regular framework of society, to create a
space, metaphysical or physical, is in and of itself a political act.
You are right, it isn't the point, but it is nonetheless not to be
left out of consideration.
An from my point of view good analogy would be the creation of the web
by TimBL, which greatly enhanced the internet, and his following
support for network neutrality. You don't have to take it so literal
as if everyone around it would have to start calling themselves
activists. But to a certain extend, everyone already is by
contributing alone. The whole text is a call to consciousness, not a
call to arms.
> Hacker spaces should be politically neutral - they should be about
> making things - hacking, not antagonist politics or anything else.
There was no specific political agenda brought up by monochrom in any
way - you are right, hackerspaces are about hacking, but don't break
that down to a purely technical thing. Hackerspaces are a social
beast, and I know you're aware that you will have to deal with a lot
more than just "the soldering iron that doesn't work anymore! :("
To quote the text, "Theory is a toolkit to analyze and deconstruct the
world." Call it the philosophers/theoreticians gdb if you want. What
they try to advocate is hacking on a mental level that hackerspaces
are already contributing to, and recognising this too.
Don't get hung up on monchroms leftist stance, their message is a
message of inclusion.
Michael
--
http://niij.org/
fossboxcoop
(I'm queer, and have also been involved in promoting women's involvement
in FLOSS too) - I'm busy so if this is the wrong kind of group for me
I'll butt out.
It's hard to imagine how anything to do with information technology
could be politically neutral, especially at the moment?
Paula
Russ Garrett
article seems to say that hacker spaces should be doing this, but I don't
agree. Obviously there's always politics attached to everything, but I think
it's important to keep it to a minimum.
(I'm involved in a lot of tech activism in London too, so I'm not averse to
politics, I just don't think it belongs here.)
Russ
fossboxcoop
Paula
Adam McGreggor
> (I'm involved in a lot of tech activism in London too, so I'm not averse to
> politics, I just don't think it belongs here.)
<disclaimer>Hum, i lost interest in the initial post, and the
URI.</disclaimer> (too many words. not enough "white"-space[0].)
And yes, i have been "doing" internet-activism (and also the odd faray
into internet and politik) since ~1996.
[0] well, black-space really, as i use white text on a black background.
But still...
--
``Any person who knowingly causes a nuclear weapon test explosion
or any other nuclear explosion is guilty of an offence....''
(Nuclear Explosions Act, 1998)
Adam L
actual member now and entitled to my 2p of opinion.
I'm contributing for the following reasons:
1. I'd like access to some space where I can build some 'stuff'
2. I'd like the opportunity to show off said stuff and collaborate
with others
3. I'd like to enable other people to create stuff as well.
I see this space as place primarily for technological and technical
activities to support my interests and the interests of other members
in the same way that a Gym provides a place to exercise and a Library
provides a shared resource of books.
So I think we should say that we create the space and people will come
with their own agendas but those agendas have to coexist with the
primary purpose which is
hacking.
I think people should organise regular nights for different purposes.
And if Paula wants to regularly hold a Womens Introduction to Hacking
night then I think that's fantastic. Because I'll be able to schedule
my Adding Laser Vision to Robots group.
Jonty and Ross you guys are down as the founders so it's really your
responsibility to write this stuff down or manage the debate and get
members opinions on the purpose of the space. There's obviously stuff
being written about hackspaces and if people like me are going to be
active members then it might help if you expand on what's already
written on the website.
Cheers,
Adam.