<nettime> Democracy Net Zero

[Allan A Train <allan@allansiegel.info>]

Hello,
Some thoughts on the current dialogue:

There are some assumptions in this discussion that are rather questionable: for example, Brian states that:  "At this point the cognitive issue fadesand the question of will becomes primary AND "It [what to do... how to act? A.S.] no longer has primarily to do with knowledge, because science has spoken and people have heard and understood."

As GOVERNMENT/STATE responses to the COVID crisis demonstrate, as attacks on voting rights accelerate (not just in the U.S. by the way), and as the massive - global - apparatus of state 'controlled' media demonstrate the public/s are being swindled by a shit-storm of lies and misinformation; techno-conglomerates and corrupt governments (a growing list) are hoovering off astronomical amounts of what would be public funds further enabling clouds of misinformation. Fences are being erected around various communities of knowledge (and action) that restrict the flow of ideas that would make qualitative political change not only possible but realizable...

David has raised an important point: "Today a relatively new political grammar that clusters around the structuring polarities of technocracy and populism appears to make agreement on anything between  opponents impossible." The Biden camp was able to oust Trump because a coalition developed to make this possible; whereas, Labour in the UK resists such coalition building hence the Tory plutocrats and thieves merrily coast along... All of the issues on the table in this NET ZERO dialogue are incredibly important but if we cannot find ways to facilitate 'meaningful' coalitions all people's good intentions will be blown away by gangs of thugs in pin stripe suits or Zuckerberg T-shirts.

allan

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