[p2p-research] p2presearch Digest, Vol 22, Issue 30

[Kevin Carson]

> From: Edward Miller <embraceunity at gmail.com>
> Date: Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:17:28 -0500
> Subject: Re: p2presearch Digest, Vol 22, Issue 30

> I am also a true fan. Yet, I have frequently compared Marcin to Stalin and
> Mao in private conversations. The similarities are striking, and have been
> for quite some time. He is always coming up with 3 month plans. He doesn't
> tolerate any inefficiency. He needs to be the center of attention. His idea
> of OSE is actually not all that different from Mao's Great Leap Forward, as
> far as trying to decentralize industrial production. Turns out he is a bit
> paranoid as well, or at least quick to blame others for problems.
>
> He means well, but I tend to agree with most of what has been said. To
> actually withdraw support from the movement would be a hard thing to do. I
> am heavily invested in it, and cognitive biases associated with that
> investment are hard to shake.
>
> What should I do about the reprap I am building? I'll contact the guy who
> sent me the parts, see what he thinks.

Nice to see you on this list, Edward.  I remember you from the comment
thread under that blog post on libertarianism.

The question of your RepRap is a toughie.  You should probably just go
with your gut instinct as to how it would be best used.  I certainly
hope Factor E Farm continues, because with all the drama it's still
the most concentrated source of institutional memory on all the
projects as a coherent package, and it would take anyone else a long
time to replicate it based solely on written accounts and video
imagery.  If you think it will continue as a going concern, and be
able to continue making progress on the fabrication projects
(multimachine and all), then giving it to them (if that's what you
were planning), even if you have to hold your nose.  OTOH, if you
think they're going down the tubes irrevocally, then you should
probably shop around for the project that has as many small-scale
manufacturing irons in the fire as possible, where it would best add
to the synergy.

I'm still hoping that the project will survive, that Marcin has
learned something from this, and maybe that Yoko's destructive
influence will be minimized and Marcin will attract some people who
act as a governor for his ego rather than feeding it.

-- 
Kevin Carson
Center for a Stateless Society http://c4ss.org
Mutualist Blog:  Free Market Anti-Capitalism
http://mutualist.blogspot.com
Studies in Mutualist Political Economy
http://www.mutualist.org/id47.html
Organization Theory:  A Libertarian Perspective
http://mutualist.blogspot.com/2005/12/studies-in-anarchist-theory-of.html