SMH is reporting that we have to get our t-shirts (and other protest material) approved by the police or risk facing arrest and/or a 5500 dollar fine. These draconian laws have come into effect to protect the “pilgrims” coming to Sydney on World Youth Day - a Catholic religious event being attended by the Pope.
The recently elected Labor government in our blessed country is proceeding relentlessly in their quest to implement an isp-level net filter with trials soon to be conducted in Tasmania. Once again common sense goes out the window and we have a government ramming a solution down our throats that only the sectional religious interests actually want. But I’m not too worried. Why? Because the government is setting itself up for an immense embarrasment. And it’s forcing out into the open something that the rest of the country has been happy to keep under the rug. And what is this something? Well, it turns out - shock horror - a lot of us really, really like porn.
What should we make of this war on Scientology being conducted by the enigmatic internet group - Anonymous? (I hesitate to label them as anything beyond a ‘group’ since they themselves seem to try to resist various kinds of labels (such as hackers)) For those who don’t know, this group has popped up […]
I’m not sure if this is of interest to anyone - but I recently engaged with an extended discussion with a Ron Paul supporter on Reddit. A story was posted about Ron Paul winning a straw poll and various criticisms were made of Paul supporters for believing their own hype. Our discussion became an extended examination - and disagreement - on the nature of dogmatism. This isn’t exactly socratic splendor on offer here, but I think it nicely displays the huge gap of understanding that can exist between different parties.
Ron Paul - for the few on the internet that don’t already know - is a 2nd tier candidate currently contesting the Republican nomination for the American presidency. He’s gained a considerable grass roots following that praise him with astonishing fervour. His message is simple - yet it cuts deep against the American oligarchic elites that currently control the country. For this reason alone would I like to see him president (as an Australian I get no say of course, but I feel justified in commenting given that the choice of American president affects the whole world). But if I did have the option of voting for him I wouldn’t - why? Well, consider the one thing he has most in common with the current president George W. Bush. It’s a vision thing - a word that is uttered ad nauseum: freedom. And I’m sorry, but this is a snake oil I just can’t stomach any more - no matter how medicinal its properties this time around.
I went into the city today to watch the APEC protest and took some photos. I was absolutely amazed at the size of the police presence and the lengths to which they had gone to prevent the organisation of an effective protest. It seems they had totally surrounded all entry points into Hyde Park where the protesters where trying to gather - allowing them only one entry and exit point. They then set up stations blocking off various streets. It really looks like massive over kill - which will only fuel the negative public perception of the event. We the ordinary folks just watch on in childlike wonder while our leaders swan around playing ‘Nations’ with their friends.
A while back I wrote about the brave new revenue sharing world that is fast approaching. I argued that in order to infiltrate word of mouth distribution channels, companies would begin to share revenue with their services. I predicted that the result would be the total commodification of our social lives and I painted nightmare scenarios where we were paid to influence our friends, colleagues and loved ones for the sake of a share in the profit. I want now to explore the possible effects of this change on our day to day lives. To what extent will our private, social lives become an extension of a capitalistic process that begins with a marketing decision made by the board members of a corporation, or the political advisors to a demagogue? To what extent was this always the case? And what would be the danger to society were this to become the case? Might we lose something vital that protects society - that allows it to adapt in response to change?
I just read the most extraordinary bit of trash on smh.com this morning. Our esteemed Attorney General - Phillip Ruddock, trying to explain to us luddites why we shouldn’t want a bill of rights. His argument is so appalling - so transparently thin, that I had to comment. If you want to read his piece you can do so here, but I will summarise as I go.
Adam Curtis does not shy away from controversial subject matters in his documentaries, nor does he hold back from taking a particular point of view, eschewing the idea of a neutral narrator. In his 2002, 4 part documentary series ‘The Century of the Self’ he explores the influence of public relations techniques developed by Edward […]