The WELL: inkwell.vue.317: Bruce Sterling: State of the World, 2008

#116: Gail Williams (gail) Wed 9 Jan 08 18:05

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:05:00 PST

Love all the interesting perceptions zipping past one another in this conversation. Plenty to reflect on.

Thanks, Bruce and Jon. These annual events are a blast. [Read entire topic]

#115: Cynthia Dyer-Bennet (cdb) Wed 9 Jan 08 08:58

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:58:00 PST

Thanks so much for joining us once again, Bruce. The past week has gone by so fast, and you've left us with a lot to ponder. And thank you, Jon, for once again being our moderator for this annual conversation. [Read entire topic]

#114: Autumn (autumn) Wed 9 Jan 08 07:59

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:59:00 PST

Thanks, guys. I haven't posted in this topic, but I've enjoyed reading it. [Read entire topic]

#113: Jon Lebkowsky (jonl) Wed 9 Jan 08 02:47

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 02:47:00 PST

I'll have some of that chow, too, if you pass it over this way.,,

Hasta la pasta!

jonl http://weblogsky.com [Read entire topic]

#112: Bruce Sterling (bruces) Wed 9 Jan 08 00:45

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:45:00 PST

Well, after a calm week of the holidays, Torino is jolting back to giddy life. I'm posting this on hired wi-fi at the airport, where I'm awaiting a guest. Then a design scheme with some local wi-max advocates, and a bookstore appearance to support a local blogging-culture enthusiast... and after that it starts getting BUSY.

After so many years of this, I've learned to leave the mike when people are still talking. I hope we're all hear again in 2009. I also hope that we're describing an entirely new state of the world that is practically unrecognizable.

Ciao for now

bruces http://blog.wired.com/sterling [Read entire topic]

#111: Scott MacFarlane (s-macfarlane) Tue 8 Jan 08 15:22

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:22:00 PST

<there may be Forces at work that are beyond the politics of nations... it's not clear to me that any amount of activism at mere mortal/citizen level can make a huge difference.>

There are definitely forces at work beyond the politics of nations...follow the money trail. I agree with you that, at the individual level, we are largely irrelevant, hence the apathy and alienation (which may or may not be overstated).

I guess this leads us to the earlier points made by Bruce that, to solve our major global problems/crises, the scale of the solutions will be huge and need to be delivered quickly. Unless it's perceived to be in the interest of the powerful nation-states and multi-national corporations to affect such change, we will be in a heap of trouble when that day comes. [Read entire topic]

#110: Jon Lebkowsky (jonl) Tue 8 Jan 08 15:01

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:01:00 PST

boing boing readers are commenting on our conversation at http://www.boingboing.net/2008/01/03/bruce-sterling-publi.html, if anyone here wants to comment on their comments. I love the anonymoose who says this is all "boring cliches, nothing useful."

"Bush can lock people up [etc].... But screw with our internet entertainment and wholesale rioting will result. Entertainment has become the absorptive panacea for individual apathy and alienation."

I think you're overstating your conclusion... I'm not seeing apathy and alienation. I'm seeing real outrage, even among Republicans. On the other hand, there may be Forces at work that are beyond the politics of nations... it's not clear to me that any amount of activism at mere mortal/citizen level can make a huge difference. Eager to see what happens over the next 12-15 months. [Read entire topic]

#109: Steve Bjerklie (stevebj) Tue 8 Jan 08 13:31

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:31:00 PST

(>>>now lasting nearly a long as WWI & WWII combined<<< In terms of U.S. involvement in those wars -- 1917-18, 1941-45 -- yes. In terms of the actual wars, not yet -- 1914-1918, 1939-1945.) [Read entire topic]

#108: Scott MacFarlane (s-macfarlane) Tue 8 Jan 08 13:15

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:15:00 PST

<< (from Neal Soldofsky) When I said that the internet was too difficult to control, I meant that if anyone made moves to limit what was great about it, specifically the way it empowers people to distribute their own media, people would freak out in a major way. I swear, there would be riots. It'd be like trying to ban rock music. The kids would shit. I'm sure that most ISP's have the ambition to ruin the internet, and that plenty of politicians would consider letting them, but the kind of public outcry you'd get would be too much. It's one thing to screw with people's environment and country, it's another thing the screw with their entertainment. And as the internet's importance in the realm of popular entertainment grows, it's only going to get harder.>>

Sadly, I think your prediction is accurate here, Neal. Bush can lock people up for six years and deny them Habeas Corpus or any due process of law; start a war under dubious pretenses that is now lasting nearly a long as WWI & WWII combined; sanction more media consolidation of those with the resources to fully report the "news"; allow his neocon "base" of military-industrial supporters to plunder our treasury; sanction unprecedented government spying on our own people, but the level of protest is relatively minimal. But screw with our internet entertainment and wholesale rioting will result. Entertainment has become the absorptive panacea for individual apathy and alienation. Talk about the numbed indifference of our postmodern condition. [Read entire topic]

#107: Scott MacFarlane (s-macfarlane) Tue 8 Jan 08 08:50

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 08:50:00 PST

*Y'know, that was just great. I enjoyed that. I admit cheerily that I was conflating, while s-mcfarlane there was disambiguating... Kinda the systole and diastole of historical analysis, really.

Hey, I try to stay cheery, meself, Bruce. My blood pressure won't go up a tick, so long as you don't obviate those hairshirted greenies. ;=) [Read entire topic]