[NetBehaviour] The Situationist Blockchain

Fri Dec 31 10:19:40 UTC 2021

Hi Meredith and Annie

I think you are spot on Meredith.
And yes Annie, I agree about Kei's article. It really set out all the
reasons there are to be hopeful about cooperative work in the blockchain
space :)

Happy new tingalings to you and everyone.

x
Ruth

On Wed, Dec 29, 2021 at 7:20 PM Meredith Finkelstein via NetBehaviour <
netbehaviour at lists.netbehaviour.org> wrote:

> In light of Dawn of Everything - of which I am mixed although I Graeber's
> Debt did change my life
> I am reminded to this quote in the last chapter  "For most of history...
> the zone of ritual play constituted both a scientiﬁc laboratory and, for
> any given society, a repertory of knowledge and techniques which might or
> might not be applied to pragmatic problems."
>
> So in light of this SI and these blockchain projects are play spaces for
> us to engage in a political imagining
>
> Love the DAO piece
>
> M
>
> On Wed, Dec 29, 2021 at 5:41 AM Ruth Catlow via NetBehaviour <
> netbehaviour at lists.netbehaviour.org> wrote:
>
>> Dear Eryk,
>>
>> Thanks so much for your long and super-helpful response.
>>
>> Some fragmented thoughts...
>>
>> I LOLled at my discovery of the hidden pages ; ) Sorry about that. It
>> seems that my time in the "crypto tent" (as you put it) has conditioned me
>> to sniff out questions of funding and governance in blockchain related art
>> projects. I certainly didn't read the project as ironic - just those pages
>> that I shouldn't have seen. It's frustrating how "project-based" funding
>> can constrain the potentiality of our work as artists and researchers
>> working in arts institutions and universities. I hope you find a way to dig
>> in further to the Potlatch connection. I only recently made this connection
>> myself, reading Graeber and Wengrow's wonderful *The Dawn of Everything.*
>>
>> I enjoyed and agreed with the resonances you find in cryptoland and have
>> also been reflecting on the limits of the Situationist project. Not just on
>> the political values of SI, but also on the limits of their tactical
>> application of rhetoric in novel contexts. It feels like on Twitter
>> everyone is a Situationist, resulting in an exhausting rinsing of meaning
>> from the web through constant decontextualisation.
>>
>> Kei Kreutler just put out this reflection on the year in which DAOs have
>> really started to find their form. I found it incredibly useful.
>> https://gnosisguild.mirror.xyz/l3pGN7TOUgPkzeurDlllIaAocaVqQuZkN98-BLAhKRc
>> She says "Cultural norms, even more so than technical capabilities,
>> influence our sphere of action. That is, while technical capabilities play
>> a role in determining the possible, cultural norms curtail it more than we
>> usually think."  Which is why I am so excited by the luttecoin video - it
>> puts an image of new cultural norms on a wide horizon. I just find I want
>> to be able to see and feel more of the detail ;)
>>
>> Warmly
>> Ruth
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Dec 22, 2021 at 4:02 PM Eryk Salvaggio <eryk.salvaggio at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Thank you for the critique Ruth! I agree with much, and what I write
>>> here is just my take. Şerife has also engaged this and may have more to say.
>>>
>>> But first, a major clarification: the “invest” page isn’t meant to be
>>> accessible, and I’m not sure how you found it — it was a placeholder for
>>> extending some ideas that we didn’t pursue, and I removed links / the idea
>>> precisely for the reasons you mentioned.
>>>
>>> We have ideas on the solidarity aim, but they are fuzzy. For one,
>>> there’s a tremendous overlap between the “crypto scene” of retail investors
>>> and the anti-capitalist, anti-work movement (at least in the US). That is,
>>> both have given up on traditional institutions and pathways to economic
>>> security. Dogecoin investors — and the language of “Fomo” — are actually
>>> quite sympathetic to me for this reason. They’re betting that this joke is
>>> just as good as any other. The issue is that it’s a bit nihilistic, stuck
>>> in the lane of throwing coins in fountains and making a wish. Right now,
>>> this project is meant to say “you can’t just make a wish” but we’re at an
>>> end there because of various boring things like deadlines and time
>>> constraints. I think if there are revisions / expansions of the work,
>>> you’ll we’re also pointed in your direction.
>>>
>>> As an explanation of why it is what it is now, it’s because of the
>>> nature of the research residency and the initial thesis: model situationist
>>> ideals of governance into a digital system. I found very little evidence
>>> that the situationists were actually very good at community organization,
>>> or if they were, they articulated very few principles around it. They were
>>> idea distributors, very much tapped into the idea of propaganda and counter
>>> propaganda, and hoped for these twists to take a life of their own.
>>>
>>> What you’re arguing for is something I’m thinking about too, but in
>>> terms of what I’ve found (and I’m not an expert) it’s a very necessary
>>> evolution on the situationist approach and doesn’t reflect actual
>>> situationist practice as written. Situationist practice as written had
>>> elements that were quite libertarian and problematic. I would like to see
>>> something beyond the Situationist model, or, more accurately, go back to
>>> that model’s foundations.
>>>
>>> In the white paper, we discuss how Situationists had essentially
>>> appropriated Potlatch from Indigenous Americans, and used it as the basis
>>> for much of their systems of governance. That was reported to them through
>>> the writings of Franz Boss, which were also somewhat distorted through an
>>> anti-capitalist lens (rather than “seeing what is.”)
>>>
>>> I’m particularly interested in starting from that as a source, rather
>>> than following the path set by SI’s adoption of it. But that is dense
>>> terrain requiring careful navigation, and it would be a disservice for two
>>> folks with an artist’s residency to try to tackle it in a few months. As a
>>> result, we stop at the hand off, so to speak. If we had another year, you
>>> might see this more developed, and it continues to develop (though perhaps
>>> not under this particular framework).
>>>
>>> The hope of the project in the scope we could tackle was to reveal the
>>> mistake of economic liberation as personal liberation, to show that the
>>> discontent with the system that drives speculative retail investment can be
>>> leveraged as a tool for something more radical, and make other
>>> possibilities more visible.
>>>
>>> (The residue of empty language you unfortunately encountered was part of
>>> that: present the slogan, then unpack it. The simple headlines you see on
>>> the debris pages doesn’t do the approach much justice, and it’s unfortunate
>>> that they are still discoverable).
>>>
>>> So yes, it’s a statement of purpose, rather than an action of purpose,
>>> that said, I don’t think the intention of the work is “ironic,” though you
>>> aren’t alone in telling me that it is. I actually think it’s quite sincere
>>> (perhaps the pages I’ve inadvertently left up are tainting the work, I’m
>>> not sure!). I also suspect that you and quite a few other folks are a few
>>> steps ahead of the pivot that this project is trying to make, which is a
>>> pivot of frame and intent in how we approach technology. I think that pivot
>>> is obvious to you and others in the furtherfield crypto tent, especially,
>>> but that the message bears some repeating and clarification.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 22 Dec 2021, at 9:56 am, Ruth Catlow <ruthcatlow at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> 
>>> The Excavations project looks delicious!
>>>
>>> And the Luttecoin video is sooo good! Evocative, stirring and
>>> beautifully produced.
>>>
>>> The project does give me a powerful pang though as I would love to see
>>> a Situationist critique of the crypto scene that actually detourned the
>>> scene and I'm not sure this is there yet.
>>>
>>> Situationism rejected all art that separated itself from politics. I
>>> feel this is still somewhat distant from the political machinery of crypto.
>>>
>>> I wish it were more actionable. By which I mean I wish it was showing me
>>> how an engagement, hack or critique of the crypto-scene can build
>>> solidarity to bring on the actual "bricking". I want to be able to see the
>>> mechanism by which we will gather around the provocation and bring it
>>> about. Otherwise, it's somehow safe, in a separate domain.
>>>
>>> The moment when I felt this strongest was on the governance page
>>> https://www.luttecoin.com/governance which led me to the "invest" page
>>> both of which used the same hollowed-out language found in generic crypto
>>> and NGO messaging. "Freedom to Dream" and "Make a Difference". I was so
>>> curious to see how you were going to dig into the economic or governance
>>> propositions being developed across the political spectrum in the
>>> crypto-scene.  But it doesn't really go beyond irony.
>>>
>>> Situationism was about praxis, about actually changing culture.
>>> I can't wait for this to happen with the Situationist Blockchain
>>> Foundation - is this what you hope for Eryk? Can you share any more about
>>> how it will be funded and governed?
>>>
>>> So, to shill my own coin (as they say;)... I'd love it if you and other
>>> NBers wanted to join us for this conference I'm co-curating with Penny
>>> Rafferty at HDK in Munich in January. It's called *Radical Friends- the
>>> DAO Summit for Decentralisation of Power and Resources in the Artworld*
>>> https://hausderkunst.de/en/events/radical-friends-dao-summit There IS a
>>> lot more interesting and critical work and play developing now and it would
>>> be great to build more connections and solidarity.
>>>
>>> Thanks for sharing Eryk!
>>>
>>> Warmly
>>> Ruth
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, 22 Dec 2021, 01:02 Mez Breeze via NetBehaviour, <
>>> netbehaviour at lists.netbehaviour.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> ...*head nods in approval*...
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Dec 16, 2021 at 4:09 PM Eryk Salvaggio via NetBehaviour <
>>>> netbehaviour at lists.netbehaviour.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Wanted to share a new piece of work created for an art & research
>>>>> residency, “Excavations: Governance Archeology for the Future of the
>>>>> Internet,” created by UCBoulder and King’s College, London:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> https://excavations.digital/
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> The goal was to research pre-digital forms of governance and imagine
>>>>> adapting them to contemporary online governance structures.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Our proposal was to study the Situationist International and attempt
>>>>> to reconcile the anarchic stance with protocols and ideologies around
>>>>> cryptocurrencies. The result is The Situationist Blockchain, or LutteCoin:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> http://LutteCoin.com
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ++++
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> From the exhibition website:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ++++
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> We propose a decentralized peer-to-peer Situationist blockchain. The
>>>>> Situationist International was a French anarchist movement inspired by
>>>>> surrealism, Dada, and libertarian Marxism. They proposed that we navigate
>>>>> the world through a "mystifying illusion" of spectacles present in
>>>>> advertising, films -- even vacations and leisure -- that consolidates
>>>>> control in the name of economic productivity. This is true on its face: we
>>>>> spend hours of "free" time on social networks, for example, turning that
>>>>> leisure into data which is collected and sold by those providing us with
>>>>> "leisure." This is, fundamentally, an employee relationship being given
>>>>> freely to corporations. UX interfaces and digital interactions extend the
>>>>> spectacle, rewarding users with illusions in exchange for distracting them
>>>>> from the ways they wish to actually live.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Abandoning the spectacle of economic productivity, our “Proof of
>>>>> Non-Work Consensus Protocol” turns devices into an otherwise useless
>>>>> object, or “brick.” Users, liberated from the spectacle of electronic
>>>>> interfaces, pursue other dreams. Meanwhile, the devices mine and create
>>>>> cryptocurrencies only to be immediately burned. The devices are essentially
>>>>> frozen and interfaces made inaccessible. The CPU power processes at full
>>>>> capacity, and cannot be turned off. Eventually, they burn out, and with it,
>>>>> so does any currency it has produced. This perfects the process of
>>>>> automating human leisure, mining and destroying wealth in an endless parody
>>>>> of economics.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ++++
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> There is also a write up of the research, included as a white paper
>>>>> for the “cryptocurrency” we’re pitching, which explores the relationship
>>>>> we’ve identified between financialization, the seductive allure of
>>>>> “liberatory” cryptocurrencies, and the spectacle of user interfaces under
>>>>> surveillance capitalism:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ba1842a6b1371238ebc60/t/6196a151193b52305fabe677/1637261649657/LutteCoin.pdf
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I welcome any feedback from the NetBehavior community on this project!
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> NetBehaviour mailing list
>>>>> NetBehaviour at lists.netbehaviour.org
>>>>> https://lists.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> | mezbreezedesign.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> NetBehaviour at lists.netbehaviour.org
>>>> https://lists.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
>>>>
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Ruth Catlow
>> she/her
>> Co-founder & Artistic director of Furtherfield & DECAL Decentralised Arts
>> Lab
>> +44 (0) 77370 02879
>>
>> *I will only agree to speak at events that are racially and gender
>> balanced.
>>
>> **sending thanks
>> <https://www.ovoenergy.com/ovo-newsroom/press-releases/2019/november/think-before-you-thank-if-every-brit-sent-one-less-thank-you-email-a-day-we-would-save-16433-tonnes-of-carbon-a-year-the-same-as-81152-flights-to-madrid.html> in
>> advance
>>
>> *Furtherfield *disrupts and democratises art and technology through exhibitions,
>> labs & debate, for deep exploration, open tools & free thinking.
>> furtherfield.org <http://www.furtherfield.org/>
>>
>> *DECAL* Decentralised Arts Lab is an arts, blockchain & web 3.0
>> technologies research hub
>>
>> for fairer, more dynamic & connected cultural ecologies & economies now.
>>
>> https://decal.furtherfield.org/ <http://www.decal.is>
>>
>> Furtherfield is a Not-for-Profit Company Limited by Guarantee
>>
>> Registered in England and Wales under the Company No.7005205.
>>
>> Registered business address: Carbon Accountancy, 80-83 Long Lane, London,
>> EC1A 9ET.
>>
>>
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> _______________________________________________
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-- 
Ruth Catlow
she/her
Co-founder & Artistic director of Furtherfield & DECAL Decentralised Arts
Lab
+44 (0) 77370 02879

*I will only agree to speak at events that are racially and gender
balanced.

**sending thanks
<https://www.ovoenergy.com/ovo-newsroom/press-releases/2019/november/think-before-you-thank-if-every-brit-sent-one-less-thank-you-email-a-day-we-would-save-16433-tonnes-of-carbon-a-year-the-same-as-81152-flights-to-madrid.html>
in
advance

*Furtherfield *disrupts and democratises art and technology through
exhibitions,
labs & debate, for deep exploration, open tools & free thinking.
furtherfield.org <http://www.furtherfield.org/>

*DECAL* Decentralised Arts Lab is an arts, blockchain & web 3.0 technologies
research hub

for fairer, more dynamic & connected cultural ecologies & economies now.

https://decal.furtherfield.org/ <http://www.decal.is>

Furtherfield is a Not-for-Profit Company Limited by Guarantee

Registered in England and Wales under the Company No.7005205.

Registered business address: Carbon Accountancy, 80-83 Long Lane, London,
EC1A 9ET.
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