Re: Syndicate: Re: CHEAP despot actions

[furtherfield <info@furtherfield.org>]

on 20/8/01 12:09 PM, Anna Balint at epistolaris@freemail.hu wrote:

> 
> Dear Marc,
> shortly: I think free speech is a very important issue -
> even if it gives room for inarticulate messages - also
> because of the political situation in Austria, Italy,
> Macedonia, Yugoslavia, in Hungary, Belgium and other
> countries as well. It was in a similar situation that dada,
> surrealism, suprematism grew out. If Syndicate conceived
> itself as a meeting place for East and West Europeans, I
> couldn't support that somebody like nn who likely identify
> herself as East European gets banned from the forum. If nn
> is a programme - besides that programming is also a way for
> self expression - I consider it a good one.

The political situation on the net takes a different shift, when individuals
meet on a global level - this is what makes it exciting as a venture for
exploring other cultures' offerings. Centralization as far as I am concerned
creates a vacuum for possible meetings of other cultures also, which needs
to be addressed. For instance I noticed it was not just Westerners who left
Syndicate...so this brings a kind of clarity that says that is was not only
so called western corporate (labelled) individuals who were questioning the
existence of the programme NN. I suppose part of the problem is that when so
many people can use the same programme it all begins to look the same. I am
open to the presence of such a programme (of course I have no other choice)
whilst being a subscriber to Syndicate. I did feel that there were many
issues that were not able to be discussed, partly because no one was really
given the details, so a real effective debate could not happen - that is
very much a type of misinformation tactic (deliberate or not) that had a
dramatic effect on Syndicate and its subscribers - the one's who did not
possess the programme lost out, thus leading to a typical despair situation
which made those who felt they did not have a say left out.

When so many 
> words get a negative connotation in different political,
> commercial, technological, corporate contexts I find
> setting up an own language very constructive. Probably nn
> speaks about her own experience with software development,
> about her artistic and commercial environment, and I would
> regret to miss her reflections - besides that as a curator
> I think it is of my obligation to listen.

I myself am a curator - yet much more interested in the social
responsibility of creativity and how creativity itself suppresses others
just by its function alone by the artist(s) not being (or not wanting to be)
aware of the consequences of their actions. May be you did not see NN as
taking over the list because you had different needs from the list and had
information at hand in relation to what NN was. Other individuals probably
did not feel part of the gang, isolated by such a situation which surely is
not a healthy circumstance for anyone to be in.

I believe the list could if it wanted to, actively promote an information
clause, a web page - so if anyone is caught up in a NN flux, conflict which
I am sure you have noticed. They can be refered to the page so they are not
left alone, feeling isolated, which has happened to users so many times
before - hence the exodus that the Syndicate has been experiencing of late.
Also if NN is not limited to a certain amount of e-mails I believe it would
be double standards to limit anyone elses. Especially when the programme has
been given the gender of a (female), an individual and just by the nature of
its many users, it will of course seem strange that no one else gets so much
net space on the list - thus opening up room for more possible global
ironies, creative adventures, anarchic projects etc...


I don't see her 
> as taking over the list, I think she more added her content
> in the time of rising of a new generation of media artists.
> She is also not paid for the contributions.
> Myself I am on the list in order to gain unmediated
> information as an alternative to the anachronistic
> Hungarian press and art magazines, I wish to follow the
> work and the attempts of artists and organizers for
> collaboration in different regions, I seek to read about
> their artistic experience and their efforts to grasp local,
> regional, geographical, political, social, cultural or
> ethnic identities and issues with regards also to
> distinctions of gender. I wish to see also reflections
> about hot topics in East and West Europe. I am really sorry
> for instance that no reflections came about the verdict
> pronounced in the process of Radislav Kristic in Hague, and
> no comments were made on the role of technology and media
> in the building of evidences against him.
> As an administrator I am sorry that Andreas and Inke have
> difficult time, I seek to facilitate the list and keep it
> working.

I myself am very sorry that Andreas and Inke have been treated (I believe so
badly) in such a way. That it seemed as though a group of usurpers were
engaging in a takeover. For it is important that people who actually bother,
unlike so many others in this selfish world, get the respect they deserve
for spending their valuable time and effort in creating projects for others.
Such as yourself for instance...THere are too many out there who just take
and do not give back anything, and are keen to kill things at an instance
just because it does please their immediate needs. THese are the type of
individuals (groups), usually male dominated - that I question. For instance
just because NN has the persona of a female does not mean the programmer is
a female. I have come to terms with the situation on the Syndicate list even
though I still do not agree fully on what has happened - I am very flexible
and able to change, due to my nature. Yet I have noticed that some who use
the programme could rely on it too much limiting their creativity, rather
than communicating on issues of great importance thus dispersing
collaborative projects and possible ventures. I do hope that this type of
thing will not happen. I have written some articles concerning what has been
happening on the list. And on reflection I will not publish the material -
because I am more keen on moving on to see if this place we all call a list
is as free as some would like it to be.

Again I wish to emphasize my sadness of expereincing such a situation in
relation to many people leaving and I do feel that that issue has not been
touched on, until then the list will lose many valuable resources and
contacts between the east/west which you yourself mentioned was important.
I am keen to help in my own to limit the confusion and start afresh if there
is some way I can help, on a conceptual level, contacts level, funding
information, gallery level, projects level etc...

because I am not a person who believes in borders to limit our imaginations.
Therefor possible creative ventures are very possible, I hope this is the
case for everyone else on the list - if not why are they here?

Best wishes Anna, and good luck in your task...

marc garrett  
 
> best wishes, please transmit my greetings to Karen as well,
> Anna Balint     
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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