[p2p-research] Fwd: is the social media based mobilization and activism of "la quadrature du net" elitist?

[Michel Bauwens]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Philippe Aigrain <philippe.aigrain at sopinspace.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 15, 2010 at 12:48 AM
Subject: Re: is the social media based mobilization and activism of "la
quadrature du net" elitist?
To: Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004 at gmail.com>


Michel Bauwens a écrit :
> I disagree with the angle, but interesting details on our friends of
> quadrature du net:
>
> http://p2pfoundation.net/Quadrature_du_Net

Thanks. It seems they attribute us an objective which we do claim (being
a threat to the existing traditional elitist democractic systems of the
world) and then find that we do not attain it: "Instead, we point to the
way these new forms of organisation can produce new hierarchies and the
emergence of new elites. We use the term temporal elites to describe a
heterogeneous group of technologically and socially skilled activists
with a strong motivation to influence policy, forming networks around
specific issues with a few dedicated individuals in the core and larger
groups of interested and potentially mobilizable people forming the
important peripheral network. "

I believe Yana (who interviewed us) and her co-author miss the
importance of the disjunction between organizational structures and
products in the information commons and the new public space. LQdN is
clearly a hierachized organization, operating by cooptation and keen on
recognizing achievements and deeds. But people who support or relay our
positions have their own organizations and networks. We don't own them
and neither do we represent them. They carry our voice or help us build
it, or build their own on top of it.

This said, this is a good piece, opening a relevant debate.

Philippe



Philippe




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