Syndicate: What happend, after all?

["Igor" <igor@mi2.hr>]

dear all,

Short vacation kept me out of the list for a week; so I miss the opportunity
to timely contribute to the discussion(s). On the other hand, there was a
very few arguments in discussion, after all.
However, I think that uns+bscribing nn was wrong. Frankly, I do not see why
nn is such a problem *for the list*. S/he does not send enormously large
postings, does not terrorise list with binary attachments, so let it be,
filter it, delete it, or read it. Sure, from time to time s/he is more
annoying then average tolerance should bear. And, from time to time the
whole thing starts to take shape of a pure ideology, nnism. Alas,
syndicalism, exposed in many of the last week or so postings is not the
solution - I will repeat ones more: one cannot successfully fight the
ideology with the use of ideology. I may just imagine that nn is the huge
problem *for some of the syndicalists*, due to personal relationships,
previous flaming, some other historical reasons or something else (just
guessing, don't care and don't want to know).
At the end nn was res+bscribed, and, excuse possible ignorance, the list
community lost the opportunity to, on a particular, heart-rending case,
discuss the problem of freedom of the speech, censorship and some rules of
behaviour on the list in general. Saying 'there are some basic rules for
games and mailing lists.' without any clue what 'some' rules might be, is
not only mystification, but also a very dangerous standpoint, possible road
to oligarchy. Intentionally or not, doesn't matter.
There is another temporary lost opportunity. If I'm not completely wrong,
one of the issues raised as a side effect (though it might be a central
issue), was The Money. Not a single rational piece on the topic, just
personal antagonisms. Sure, through syndicate activities, through nettime
activities, through other forums, meetings, actions etc, some people
capitalise their own private capital, but what's so wrong with that. That's
sad, cause the money is one of the interesting topics. It was even five
years ago. In the meantime flow of international donors capital change the
direction a bit; museums, galleries, ministries. at least in some post-easts
countries start to act differently toward the 'new art/media/practices',
sccas have a significantly different role and budget. and, I'm sorry Mark,
but I do not see how discussion on the topic like that, 'real creative
intention', to borrow your term, can be 'blocked' by nn, or anyone else. And
as a 'not-so-creative' starting point, I would like to ask Inke to post (if
she still have them) her introductory notes from the beauty and the east
session on the topic, since unfortunately, I've lost them. Or anyone else
who is in possession.
The most interesting contribution, (in my opinion) was Eric's comment on the
identity of the syndicate. And, significantly, there were no reactions.
Beyond the fact that I'm glad he is alive and well, I'd like to comment
briefly one of his points.
>how to formulate an alternative discourse to the traditional capitalist /
anti-capitalist narratives
Or, in a broader sense, how to create a new 'left'/'right' discourse. Or, is
it possible at all to avoid reduction of politics (primary cultural) on
economics. Contrary to the popular opinion, and some cultural
anthropologists I believe that the liminality, or in-between status, is not
such an unstable or dangerous condition as it was proclaimed, and that
dichotomies such as east/west, centre/margin, global/local, even
popular/elite can be 'solved' or at least 'observed' as extremes from the
past, with a very few concrete influence to the state of the facts. The new
liminal condition is not created through the performance of a ritual,
requiring the presence of special kind of 'masters of ceremonies'; rather
it's a 'distributive network' of different, but equal elements ranging from
passive to hyperactive units, from direct action to backstage mumbling, from
micro media to hacking, academic texts to zines. using the diverse, in lot
of cases previously incongruous concepts, theories and techniques;
adjusting, rephrasing, weaving, with perhaps the only thing in common - the
strong emphasis against any kind of inviolability.
And somehow, I think that syndicate was/is such a place, with or without nn.

ciao
igor

Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, does not go away.
-- Philip K. Dick

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