A term for "relations between technology and freedom"
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| Libervis Jan 09, 2007 2:36 PM EDT |
Hello This is actually the first time I am starting a topic which isn't in response to a news story here on LXer. I am re-conceptualizing and re-thinking one of my sites (rather philosophically minded) and in order to help me better describe it to new future users I am trying to think of a new term that would easily capture its essence and its purpose. Basically, I would say it is a site where we discuss "relationships between technology and freedom" where, of course, the current hot theme is digital technology. The issues that fall under this topic of "relationships between technology and freedom" are Free Software/Open Source, Free Culture, Network Neutrality, (Anti-)DRM, internet privacy and possibly other less talked about or more general issues. So I'm trying to find one simple, easy to remember and commonly understandable term to describe concerns for this special relations. When being concerned about relations between technology and freedom we are being (insert the new term here). When discussing relations between technology and freedom we discuss (insert the new term here). Anyway, as I was thinking, I thought maybe the LXer community could be of some help. There's some really smart guys here. :) Thanks Danijel |
| Sander_Marechal Jan 09, 2007 2:44 PM EDT |
"digital freedom" |
| Libervis Jan 09, 2007 2:55 PM EDT |
Funny that's the term we've been using for a while. :) It's a good term overall, but it ties itself to "digital" and isn't popular on google, but then again maybe it doesn't have to be... |
| jdixon Jan 09, 2007 3:29 PM EDT |
> technology and freedom Well, unfortuantely Politech is taken by Declan. How about something like "Technically Speaking...", "FreeTech", or maybe "The Freedom Network"? |
| Libervis Jan 09, 2007 3:41 PM EDT |
Actually I think the main problem with those terms is that they are not neutral. I'm probably not expressing my thoughts very clearly. I am looking for a term that describes just the mere concern for a *relationship*, more than the outcome of this relationship which may be either positive or negative for freedom. So, the human technology continues to evolve creating new possibilities and new ways of use. But are those possibilities being taken advantage of for the benefit of all? Are we using technology to suppress (like concentrate more power for less people) or to liberate (more power to more people)? The term should describe the process of thinking and discussing the above, not the desired outcome of such deliberations (like digital freedom). By such a term we can more precisely describe the site as not only a "propaganda" company, but a neutral discussions place. Most of us know the desired outcome, but we focus on the continued open dialog to find best answers to toughest questions. Thanks |
| Sander_Marechal Jan 09, 2007 10:05 PM EDT |
Maybe something like "digital citizenship" or something. "Netizens" may be nice, but it may be too generic since it's been used a lot. "Life 2.0" ;-) |
| dinotrac Jan 10, 2007 3:59 AM EDT |
>So, the human technology continues to evolve creating new possibilities and new ways of use Maybe you've already got your phrase: humantech. |
| jdixon Jan 10, 2007 6:09 AM EDT |
> Maybe you've already got your phrase: humantech. Sounds good to me. Though I still like "Tecnically Speaking..." too. It also avoids the positive/negative associations, while making the human interaction element clear. |
| incinerator Jan 10, 2007 6:19 AM EDT |
While it is important to realise new technologies have significant political impact that deserve society's attention, I disagree with trying to give them just one name. Trying to summarise many different things under one name doesn't help much but has potential to create misconceptions and wrongful implications. The un-terms "intellectual property" or "piracy" are good examples for that. The other point is, where do you want to draw the line which technologies to include and which not? Genetics, Nano-Tech are other examples of modern technologies that should deserve our political attention but are not easy to pool together with digital computing technology... |
| dinotrac Jan 10, 2007 7:36 AM EDT |
>I disagree with trying to give them just one name. Depends on what you're trying to do. Sounds like Libervis is trying to go for an organic construct - the interaction of people with technology, and the impact it has on them. The specific technology, whether it's cars, pacemakers, pre-packaged foods, DVDs, or computer software, matters less than the impact it has on us. Every technology adds something and takes something away. Cars give the freedom to travel, but may take away some freedom to breathe clean air or be free of debt. They may also isolate us from others as we seal ourselves up in our transport module and got about our way. Come to think of it, iPods, the internet, cell phones and notebook computers may all do the same thing. Hmmm. Wonder how many names we need for that. |
| Libervis Jan 10, 2007 7:39 AM EDT |
I like "digital citizenship". "Humantech" also sounds like a cool phrase to use.. I think incinerator has a point though. We've always been focused mostly to digital technology and its impact, although there has been a tendency to discuss other things like nanotechnology from time to time. It seems that the biggest battles today are fought in the digital arena though which is probably the main reason for focusing on that more than other issues. Thanks |
| Libervis Jan 10, 2007 7:44 AM EDT |
Dinotrac, you're close.. I was seeking more for a word to use when describing the concern for the "relations" between technology and freedom of people in general. The concern of using tech to concentrate more power vs. using it to distribute more power (to the people). It is specific in that it specifies that very concern itself by name, but it is also general in that this concern can be applied to just about any technology out there. So on our site, we would use that word in combination with digital technology to describe that we are about "that unnamed concern" in regards to digital technology. In the future, if successful and if we continue to grow we may expand to cover other increasingly important areas of technology such as nano-tech, AI etc. |
| tuxchick Jan 10, 2007 8:09 AM EDT |
"digital citizenship" and "Humantech" both sound cool, though the word "digital" has a special meaning to people in healthcare. It means sticking fingers into places people would rather you didn't. :) |
| Libervis Jan 10, 2007 8:23 AM EDT |
Hehe, true that. :) Maybe the good term I am looking for would be tech-awareness. It implies being aware of technology more than just knowing it exists and is cool, but knowing all the implications of it... Or maybe "technology humanism". Here is humanism on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanism "Humanism is a broad category of active ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people, based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appeal to universal human qualities—particularly rationalism." The dignity and worth of *all* people versus technology and its effect on that. Sounds like a fitting term. The only downside is that many in the general public don't really know much about humanism, but then again.. everybody can look up wikipedia. ;) |
| tuxchick Jan 10, 2007 8:29 AM EDT |
"Secular humanism" is a dirty word to folllowers of certain telepreachers, who live by scapegoating for fundraising. Dang, words are tricky. As I think about this, certain words that have always had important meanings to me seem to have acquired some tarnish: feminist liberal humanist freedom citizen I shall ponder further. |
| dinotrac Jan 10, 2007 9:00 AM EDT |
Hmmm. Acquired some tarnish? I wonder how that might have happened. |
| dek Jan 10, 2007 10:02 AM EDT |
I see -- you want a word that's sort of like what "ubuntu" means but with a technological connotation!! ;-) techbuntu -- technology is because of who we all are? ;-D |
| jimf Jan 10, 2007 10:14 AM EDT |
> "ubuntu" means I guess the polite word would be 'patina', but there's definitely some oxidation here. |
| dinotrac Jan 10, 2007 10:23 AM EDT |
> "ubuntu" means I thought it was a baseball term: First I bunt, then ubuntu. |
| jimf Jan 10, 2007 10:37 AM EDT |
Libervis, When being concerned about relations between technology and freedom we are being (this is going to be awkward no matter how you do it. Essentially, you are concerned about 'technical interface openness' or 'liberation', but this doesn't lend itself well to a single word. ). When discussing relations between technology and freedom we discuss (technical Liberation or 'Techlib'). |
| joel Jan 10, 2007 10:41 AM EDT |
How about Libernation? Sort of a contraction of Liberation Nation. Also a nice counterpoint to consternation :) Ciao. |
| DarrenR114 Jan 10, 2007 12:13 PM EDT |
Have you considered the term 'cybernetics'? It's existed a very long time and relates specifically to the nexus of humanity intersecting with technology (not just digital tech). If you google "define: cybernetics", you'll find many definitions that seem to say the same thing that you've stated here. For example: Scientific research discipline conducting comparative observations on regularities concerning control processes in technology, biology and sociology. ( http://www.raymaster.at/gasseren/glossary.htm ) Also: Cybernetics is a theory of the communication and control of regulatory feedback. The term cybernetics stems from the Greek Κυβερνήτης (kubernites - meaning steersman, governor, pilot, or rudder; the same root as government).Cybernetics is the discipline that studies communication and control in living beings or machines. ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybernetics ) So, maybe something like 'Cybernetic Liberation', 'Cybernetic Ergonomics', 'Ergonomic Liberation', 'Cybernetic Freedom', or 'Ergonomic Freedom'. |
| jimf Jan 10, 2007 12:52 PM EDT |
> 'cybernetics' Technically that would be great, but, the connotations??? I think I'd be looking over my shoulder for Asimov's robots, or cyborgs :D |
| uknewbie Jan 10, 2007 3:45 PM EDT |
cybernetics has far worse connotations than cyborgs. You seem to be forgetting the Sirius Cybernetics Cooperation, who bare a strong resemblance to a certain well known software company. For just one example of this eerie similarity "[o]ne is blinded to the fundamental uselessness of their products by the sense of achievement one feels in getting them to work at all. In other words, their *fundamental* design flaws are completely hidden by their *superficial* design flaws." in extreme cases this effect causes a user to become irrationally attached to the broken products to the point of violence eg: "I don't give a SHIT what Chuck-E said. He has no idea of what we have went through here to get this system up and running and I'll be damned if I'm going to let some snot-nosed frat boy with a BS in computer science walk in here and f*** things up" "http://blog.lobby4linux.com/index.php?/archives/85-One-Small-Business-Gladly-Gives-Microsoft-the-Boot.html" |
| Libervis Jan 10, 2007 7:05 PM EDT |
Er.. I am not sure "cybernetic" would be a great term... I was looking for a term like "technology humanism" to describe the concern for relations between technology and freedom in order to be able to use that term when describing the purpose of our site. But after some thought I think just saying we discuss relations between freedom and technology may be enough. Otherwise we'll probably frequently be using terms like "digital freedom" and "digital rights" (not their mismanagement though ;). The new slogan I am considering for the site that may perfectly fit it is: "Where digital technology meets The People". :) But "Digital Freedom Community" might as well do (we currently have "Digital Freedom Movement"). Oh well.. thanks for all the help guys.. now.. let the discussion go in whatever relevant direction the collective here wants it to go. ;) |
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