<nettime> report_on_NNA

[Alessandra <renzi73@gmx.de>]

Well,

now that the background noise seems to be moving to the foreground,  
now that we have had the time to also see how much maybe was indeed  
student whining and above all, now that it seems that a lot of people  
are willing to discuss,  what to do? This is the hard part...
Not sure but maybe one way to go is to really look at what this stale  
mate is. Is it a problem with Nettime only or is it also that times  
are tougher and there is less enthusiasm to do things? Perhaps a bit  
of both.
I find the discussions on the topics that are raised, especially the  
theoretical ones always very stimulating but, yes, action or analysis  
of action is less available.
When Nettime started, tactical media was a big thing, people felt  
they had a new tool for struggle and critique, and there was more  
talk about projects. But this didn't come from the sky, it was many  
of the people on this list who actually came up with the ideas, the  
action and the theory. I believe that the same people, and the new  
comers could also develop something effective for the present--or at  
least try.
i don't know how easy it is on a mailing list and this is why it is  
great to have meetings. I do think though that one of the strength of  
Nettime (and this is why it is still an important "institution") is  
to be able to create spaces where people can actually come together,  
talk and experiment.
I have heard many general discussions on the problems with tactical  
media, about the newly formed divide between artists and activists  
and so on. Maybe some more localised and in-depth analyses of single  
instances will help clarify this further.
Does anyone know of projects from which we can learn? How do we come  
up with ad hoc ways of developing, supporting new experiments if not  
through exchange and experience? Why do we only hear about the launch  
of great projects but hardly anything about them later, even if they  
"fail"? What may be outdated or ineffective in one place may be  
useful in a different context (and i am thinking of the thesis on  
tactical media in Brazil and various projects in India).
One of the great things about NNA was the showcasing of different  
undertakings that could also be of inspiration to other people  
somewhere else. Let information, ideas, proposals and reports  
circulate, discuss them, compare experiences.
Is this too naif?

Alessandra


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