[NetBehaviour] The Blockchain- Change Everything Forever - a Furtherfield Film

Thu Oct 27 19:44:59 CEST 2016

Cheers!

Can not really make it to london tonight..

A few points:
* Changes everything?

Check bitcoin ownership and argue that it's not owned by, around, 1%? Does it look, errr, centralised or distributed?
Graph in context:
https://blog.lawnmower.io/the-bitcoin-wealth-distribution-69a92cc4efcc#.f0k9u0kr8 (https://blog.lawnmower.io/the-bitcoin-wealth-distribution-69a92cc4efcc#.f0k9u0kr8)

Perhaps this comes in support for some of the more sober views, imho, in the film?

* The blockchain algorithm.
Bitcoin has a "proof of work" - energy spent to buy/produce a "coin" - ie a number of a particular kind.
Etherum seems to move towards "proof of stake" - if you have a given % of ether, then you have a stake in the currency.

Each algorithm in this context is a particular way to operate an exchange environment. As such, I think, algorithms are political in as much as they allow political life which agrees with a given algorithm. In other words, just like one is a political outsider when they disagree with a given human oriented system - eg capitalism - it seems a person will be kept outside by a given algorithm.
Maybe, unless, perhaps we get an algorithmic anarchy, but then, would it not be for bots exchanges rather than humans?

* The chinese blockchain?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-34592186 (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-34592186)
OK.. Maybe not a blockchain yet.. However:

Is it a very far fetched idea that the ledger - blockchain - could be used to rank people? In a sense, why not have each person as their own exchange, and other people rank your social value. We do that already with credit companies. Didn't pay a bill, here's a little minus if you fancy a mortgage/insurance/pick-a-poison.
With a blockchain, social valuers need not the expense of credit ranking companies - like in any well respected authoritarian society - people could do the ranking to each other, no? And guess what - it's going to cost Zilch!

------------------

Ha! Anyhow...

It's all going to be different. and am most likely to be wrong on all accounts - hopefully!
However, I think, perhaps it's time to develop a critical distance of imagination from technologies, rather than a critical distance from fascination of technologies?

Have fun!

aharon
xx

itchy.5p.lt
October 27 2016 12:16 PM, "Annie Abrahams"  wrote:
Thanks a lot Michael for bringing it up (I also thought it was a good film, but wanted them to also slow down) and Ruth for your reply.Finally I understand something of the importance of being involved in this technology. Yes.I wish I could come to Amsterdam (or London). Good luck with the good work!
 Annie
On Thu, Oct 27, 2016 at 1:03 PM, ruth catlow  wrote:
Hi Michael,

Thanks for taking the time to watch the film. Glad you enjoyed its look : )
We wanted to capture the mixed urban flows of people going about their daily lives in London as this new protocol is getting developed.

Thanks also for bringing up the - but what is the blockchain? - question. I'm sure that many others who've watched it will feel the same way.

You are exactly right that our intention is to start a debate - and a debate across different disciplines and tribes
We do have plans in the pipeline for infographics - but there are some examples of this out there already- see here  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSP-taqLWPQ)for instance

One reason why its hard to grasp - and I only really understand this now after gathering 5 hours of interviews on the topic - is that it is still in its really early stages.

Most people we interviewed for this film said that blockchain technologies are at the same stage of development as the web in the late 1980s - pre ftp.
There is not yet the ecology of tools and interfaces to allow non-experts to playtest it. Though these are being developed.

I guess the easiest way to describe blockchains are as databases shared, updated, verified and maintained across many computers in a way (mostly) that cannot be jimmied.

So while currently world banks maintain a ledger (or database) of all transactions, and we rely on them to do this honestly - and it affords them influence over states, companies and individuals - a blockchain allows people (or at least those who know how, and who have the resources) to collectively maintain such a ledger of transactions or exchanges. And they are rewarded in digital currency to give over their computer processing power to do this.

This tech has come out of cryptographic anarchist traditions of the 70s - and is driven by libertarian enthusiasm to do away with intermediaries.
This is a technology that comes from the desire to allow individuals to control money and its circulation. However, now the major deployments of blockchains are private blockchains by world banks. This has MASSIVE political and social implications. The current developments are to deploy smart contracts across this infrastructure - autonomous software programmes to control devices (and their people no doubt). Rob Myers points at the political tensions with his DAOWO white paper (http://www.furtherfield.org/artdatamoney/includes/files/daowo.pdf) which is an important touchstone for our thinking.

At Furtherfield we are currently working with a few people (artists and techies) to develop more activities, workshops, events and resources to lure people beyond fintech to come and see what a blockchain might do (for better or worse) for expression, human and interspecies relations and governance etc

Ben Vickers and I are going to be running a LARP (Live Action Role Play) event for Blockchain Budgetary Bliss at the upcoming Moneylab (http://networkcultures.org/moneylab/program-3/) in Amsterdam.
We will be building paper-based Dapps and DAOs (blockchain based apps and organisations) for a fictional good cause and thinking about all the asymmetries of power at play- should be fun. We'd love it if NBers wanted to sign up and participate.

Finally, I just want to be clear. We are NOT blockchain evangelists. I personally have a bad feeling about this technology. But I also know that it's here and that more diverse people need to get into the middle of its development to feel its strangeness and scope.

Cheers!

Ruth
(not a blockchain evangelist)
On 27/10/16 10:57, Michael Szpakowski wrote:
Hi Ruth I wanted to say what a nicely made piece of work this is. It's a really compelling watch & I hope the launch goes well tonight. By the bye I do love the kind of hyper territory it creates by seamlessly melding the South Bank and an unfeasibly sunny Finsbury Park/Seven Sisters Road.My only reservation is that in all honesty I'm not sure how much more clued about the blockchain I am at the end of it. I'm guessing that it is a vehicle for starting a debate. I wonder if there is a place for an idiot's guide to the blockchain with nice graphics &c....
Anyway hope it goes great tonight...michael
------------------------------------
From: ruth catlow  (mailto:ruth.catlow at furtherfield.org)
To: NetBehaviour for networked distributed creativity  (mailto:netbehaviour at netbehaviour.org)
Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2016 12:41 PM
Subject: [NetBehaviour] The Blockchain- Change Everything Forever - a Furtherfield Film 

Hi All,

We have made a short film called The Blockchain- Change Everything Forever about the impact of blockchain technologies. You can read about it and watch it online here. (http://www.furtherfield.org/projects/blockchain) The London launch of the film is this Thursday evening - see below for details and sign up if you want to come along. We'd love to see you there.

Ruth
 (http://crm.furtherfield.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=882&qid=119703)
 (http://crm.furtherfield.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=883&qid=119703)
Furtherfield would like to invite you to a Blockchain Meetup on 27 October 6-8pm hosted by Digital Catapult (http://crm.furtherfield.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=884&qid=119703) at the Digital Catapult Centre, 101 Euston Road London, NW1 2RA
Register here (http://crm.furtherfield.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=885&qid=119703)
The meetup will launch the ‘Blockchain: Change Everything Forever’ (http://crm.furtherfield.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=886&qid=119703) film with drinks and networking for people interested in future possibilities for blockchain technologies.
During the meetup we’ll look to broaden and engage the discussion further to understand:
What can a blockchain do?
Who builds this new reality?
How will we rule ourselves?
How will the future be different because of the blockchain?
The Blockchain – Change everything forever (http://crm.furtherfield.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=883&qid=119703) is part of Furtherfield's Art Data Money (http://crm.furtherfield.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=887&qid=119703) programme which seeks to build a commons for the arts in the network age.
Furtherfield is supported by Arts Council England through the National Portfolio funding programme, Haringey Council and the generosity of individual supporters.
	 (http://crm.furtherfield.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=882&qid=119703)
--
Co-founder Co-director
Furtherfield

www.furtherfield.org (http://www.furtherfield.org/)

+44 (0) 77370 02879

Bitcoin Address 197BBaXa6M9PtHhhNTQkuHh1pVJA8RrJ2i

Furtherfield is the UK's leading organisation for art shows, labs, & debates
around critical questions in art and technology, since 1997

Furtherfield is a Not-for-Profit Company limited by Guarantee
registered in England and Wales under the Company No.7005205.
Registered business address: Ballard Newman, Apex House, Grand Arcade, Tally Ho Corner, London N12 0EH.
_______________________________________________
NetBehaviour mailing list
NetBehaviour at netbehaviour.org (mailto:NetBehaviour at netbehaviour.org)
http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour (http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour)
	_______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing list NetBehaviour at netbehaviour.org (mailto:NetBehaviour at netbehaviour.org) http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour (http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour) 
--
Co-founder Co-director
Furtherfield

www.furtherfield.org (http://www.furtherfield.org)

+44 (0) 77370 02879

Bitcoin Address 197BBaXa6M9PtHhhNTQkuHh1pVJA8RrJ2i

Furtherfield is the UK's leading organisation for art shows, labs, & debates
around critical questions in art and technology, since 1997

Furtherfield is a Not-for-Profit Company limited by Guarantee
registered in England and Wales under the Company No.7005205.
Registered business address: Ballard Newman, Apex House, Grand Arcade, Tally Ho Corner, London N12 0EH.
_______________________________________________
NetBehaviour mailing list
NetBehaviour at netbehaviour.org (mailto:NetBehaviour at netbehaviour.org)
http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour (http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour)
--
* Ecrire avec ... (https://aabrahams.wordpress.com/2016/10/24/ecrire-avec-workshop/) 2/11 Masterclass Journée d'études sur la poésie numérique. Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3.

http://bram.org (http://bram.org)
https://aabrahams.wordpress.com (https://aabrahams.wordpress.com)
http://e-stranger.tumblr.com (http://e-stranger.tumblr.com)
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.netbehaviour.org/pipermail/netbehaviour/attachments/20161027/7082874a/attachment.htm>