Ana Viseu on Thu, 3 Oct 2002 20:05:23 +0200 (CEST) |
[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]
Re: <nettime> DECONtamination CONtagium |
Hi, Sorry for the long delay in replying (this must be the most used email starting sentence). Deadlines looming and no time for email. I agree with your definition of surveillance as a 'passive-agressive non-entity'. Although I would say that the hope underlying it is not that you don't step out of line (there are mechanisms to deal with deviations) but that you internalize the logic itself. The moment the logic of surveillance becomes internalized the disciplinization comes from within rather than being imposed from outside. However, I start to think that 'surveillance' and the always attached 'control' are overrated and over used as metaphors for lack of privacy. I just wrote a paper about this (the above mentioned deadline...). Surveillance and control (at least as they are utilized within the privacy discourse) put too much emphasis on the personal/individual facet of privacy, on the individual's right to choose. This gives rise to arguments such as 'the right to be let alone' and to counter arguments of 'nothing to hide, nothing to lose'. The long-term value of privacy as a social good is lost in this line of argumentation. I would then argue that we need to shift from a discourse of 'control' to one of 'accountability'. Many of the control mechanisms have been internalized and unfortunately they have become common practice for many. They have become part of everyday life and many people are comfortable with them. So, we need to develop better and more visibile structures of accountability to create mechanisms for privacy protection. If you implement accountability practices, rights and responsabilities, then hopefully the entities involved will regain awareness. Events such as DECONference, simulations if you will, are interesting in that they make visible power relationships and compliance mechanisms that we are usually not aware of. So, they do foster a greater understanding of ourselves. You say that I seem to that "the small victories of the subjugated become smaller and more personal." I think that personal victories are exactly that, victories. But, I guess I would like to see a greater emphasis put on communitarian efforts, less individualistic responses. Best. ana At 08:54 PM 9/27/02 -0400, you wrote: >Having cut my finger while doing the dishes I write left handed. [.....] [ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ] Tudo vale a pena se a alma não é pequena. http://fcis.oise.utoronto.ca/~aviseu http://privacy.openflows.org [ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ] # distributed via <nettime>: no commercial use without permission # <nettime> is a moderated mailing list for net criticism, # collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets # more info: majordomo@bbs.thing.net and "info nettime-l" in the msg body # archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nettime@bbs.thing.net