Book: Organising and Disorganising: A Dynamic and Non-Linear Theory of Institutional Emergence and its Implications. Dr Michael Thompson. Triarchy Press, 2008. We introduced this book last week, but would like to return to it, given its importance. The following two items are a summary of the argument by the author, and a review by Tudor… Continue reading
Date archives "November 2008"
Launching the Ethical Economy Book
We’re proud to announce a new website for the Ethical Economy book project. At www.ethicaleconomy.com, you can download a final version of the first chapter that introduces and summarizes the argument (the second chapter, The Ethical Economy is Already Here, on how capitalism is no longer ‘capitalist’ but something else, will be available int he… Continue reading
The importance of invisible architectures for generating collective wisdom
Individuals, no matter how highly developed, will not be able to embrace and respond to the challenges humanity is currently facing. It seems now that evolution is seeking the emergence of global wisdom-driven organizations. It is now time for collective Bodhisattvas to emerge. From an article in Kosmos Journal, entitled Collective Boddhisattvas, by Jean-Francois Noubel…. Continue reading
The Financial Markets As A Commons
Large excerpt republished from Chuck Collins in On the Commons: “In the fight over the bailout, the rhetoric of Main St. vs. Wall Street is politically important in contrasting the real economy with the speculative casino economy. But we should also embrace all financial markets as part of the commons that sustains healthy communities. Our… Continue reading
On the danger of not losing one’s friends
Thoughtful considerations by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang. Excerpt: “It strikes me that barring some serious legal or technological reversal, mine may be the last generation that has the experience of losing touch with friends. I suspect that my kids and their friends will grow up with Facebook (or whatever’s hot ten years from now); and not… Continue reading
An update on open hardware directories
I’m still updating our own Product Hacking Directory in our wiki, which now carries nearly 150 references. Stephen Vermeulen still keeps the best page for updates. The good news is that The Open Innovations Project is becoming mature and has a well organized, and updated directory of projects which is the best place to gauge… Continue reading
11 Arguments Against so called “Intellectual Property”
Edited reproduction of an article by Franz Schäfer which appeared in the Keimform blog. 1.) Unequal Distribution of Income Excluding other people form access to immaterial goods does not create any wealth. What it does is it allows the people who create and those distribute these goods to demand some compensation for it. So the… Continue reading
The Linguistic Colonization of the Present by Past Thinkers Who Were Unaware of Environmental Issues
I have no time to further explore this now, but Chet Bowers rocks. He shows how virtual worlds carry with them hidden biases that represent a bygone era of physical abundance, and thereby undermine the needed growing awareness for sustainability. For more info, check his book: TOWARD A POST-INDUSTRIAL CONSCIOUSNESS: UNDERSTANDING THE LINGUISTIC BASIS OF… Continue reading
Higher Education in the Era of Cloud Computer
Book: The Tower and The Cloud. Higher Education in the Era of Cloud Computer. Richard Katz, editor. Educause, 2008 This is one of the latest books on open education trends, which includes an essay by Yochai Benkler. Here’s the summary from the publisher, followed by a selection of significant articles. For access to the individual… Continue reading
The anthropology of P2P filesharers
Alan Toner, intellectual property and communications researcher, has followed the life of a German filesharer for 24 hours, asking the question: how does it change the individual and society? Just the intro, as it is a narrative piece not easily quoted from: “Following a participant in one of these communities through a 24 hour cycle,… Continue reading
How to make your own stuff
Book: The Best of Instructables, Volume 1. Make Magazine, 2008 Via Boing Boing, an announcement on the new book of Instructables.com: The Best of Instructables: Volume 1 from Instructables on Vimeo. Short description by David Pescovitz: “Instructables.com is a hub of HOWTO where makers post step-by-step guides to building everything from a magnetic refrigerator lights… Continue reading