Last night I went to an organizing meeting for an upcoming demonstration. What I'd like to note is that our meeting had digital representation: we had two folks on laptops checking certain websites devoted the upcoming demonstration.
The web has become a major organizing tool, such that even leftists, generally suspicious of technology, use it to generate opposition and to articulate a new vision.
I also have a friend who just moved to an egalitarian, off-the-grid community in the desert who is still making his living as a computer programmer. I consider him an important pioneer in the work of sustainable technology.
This is very different from when I began my life as an activist some 20 years ago. You would be lucky to find a working pencil back then.
The left has come a long way. I for one am happy to be able to have activist self and techie self co-existing peacefully.
The computer is a tool. It can be of great benefit to the movement for social change, as a long as we don't feel the need to put it on the altar to worship, or to exorcise.
Posted by jeb at August 26, 2004 1:56 PM | TrackBack