[Marxism] Facebook CubaDebate protest page
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == The demand is: Restore CubaDebate! http://www.facebook.com/pages/No-mas-censura-en-Youtube-restablezcan-a-Cubadebate/185337654829492 Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
[Marxism] Facebook, capitalism, and geek entitlement
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == A brilliant anti-capitalist, feminist take on the new Facebook movie: http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/laurie-penny/2010/10/social-facebook-geek-women Some excerpts: The Machiavellian machinations of modern capitalism become a lot clearer when one realises that much of it is built, owned and run by people who couldn't get a girlfriend in college. The Social Network, David Fincher's new film about the founding of Facebook, is an elegant psychodrama of contemporary economics: flash, fast moving and entirely founded on the principle of treating other human beings as hostile objects. The Social Network is an expertly-crafted and exhaustively modern film, and one of its more pertinent flashpoints is the reminder that a resource that re-defined the human interactions of five hundred million people across the globe was germinated in an act of vengeful misogyny. Woman-hating is the background noise of this story. Aaron Sorkin's dazzlingly scripted showdown between awkward, ambitious young men desperate for wealth and respect phrases women and girls as glorified sexual extras, lovely assistants in the grand trick whose reveal is the future of human business and communication. The tragedy of The Social Network is also the intimate tragedy of an age whose self-alienation has nothing to do with social networking. The paranoid atomisation of modern social relations has, in fact, very little to do with the internet at all. It has everything to do with a global economic machine that trains human beings to understand one another as manipulable objects or faceless consumers. That, unfortunately, is a trend that did not start on Facebook. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
[Marxism] Facebook trolls
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == Thanks Erik and Mark. Evidently there is no way I could find out to block the trolls, because they beat me to it. My only option as far as I know is to change my settings so only my friends can read my posts. It was set to friends of friends so there wouldn't be any gaps. It a shame because that's almost the same as letting the trolls drive me off the page... It was a really interesting page. Jon Mann Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
[Marxism] Facebook Shuts Down Palestinian Solidarity Group
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == Below is the text of a press release responding to the shutting down of the PFLP Supporters' page on Facebook. It was set up as part of the PFLP Solidarity Campaign we've been running in New Zealand to raise no strings attached funds for the PFLP. Taking our cue from the Danes, we've done this by selling PFLP support t-shirts and sending all the profit to the PFLP. If anyone is interested in seeing what the campaign is producing, they can visit: http://wpnz-pflp-solidarity.blogspot.com/ The design of one of the shirts is on the front page. It features the Palestinian flag and the Resistance is not Terrorism slogan. The other design features a picture of Comrade Leila Khaled, signed by her. (It should be visible on the site too so I'll chase that up.) We recently conducted an interview (in English) with Leila over a (not very good) Skype call and that interview will be uploaded along with subtitles to cover the poorer sound quality bits, and with appropriate video in place of the poorer quality Skype video. We have the advantage here that the PFLP is not on the NZ government's terror list, whereas it is on the US and EU lists. One of the key points emphasised by Leila in our interview with her is the importance of challenging the PFLP's classification as terrorists. When we started planing the campaign, we intended to do it on the assumption that they were on the NZ list, but the fact that they are not does have the advantage of giving us the ability to produce the fundraising materials and campaign openly here in support of the PFLP. People from overseas countries, where they are on the list, have been able to support them via our work. The Facebook page lasted maybe a couple of weeks before it was suddenly closed with no warning. The administrators permanently lost their Facebook profiles and Facebook have informed them that they have no right of appeal. Anyway, here is the text of our media release. Cheers, John The US-based social networking site Facebook has shut down a New Zealand based PFLP Solidarity group, as well as permanently closing the accounts of all four group administrators with no right of appeal. The group, which had approximately 500 members, was established after the recent Flotilla attacks to show solidarity with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and raise awareness of the solidarity campaign led by the Workers Party of New Zealand, who are fundraising for the PFLP. None of the administrators of the PFLP Solidarity group were given any notice from Facebook that they had violated terms or conditions, and were given no direct reason as to why they had had their accounts disabled. They did not even send an email to me explaining why my account was disabled, said one of the groups administrators. Marika Pratley, PFLP Solidarity Campaign coordinator and group administrator in Wellington said, This was clearly a political attack against the PFLP and an attempt by Facebook to censor and shut down the solidarity campaign. The PFLP advocates a single secular state in all of Palestine, with equal rights for all, regardless of race or religion, and is the second largest group in the PLO. Facebook have deemed that support for the PFLP violates its terms and conditions while allowing many blatantly racist anti-Palestinian groups to continue to exist without such censorship. The Workers Party believes that all political ideas and discussion should be free of censorship on the internet, but wishes to expose this hypocrisy, which often surrounds debate of the Palestine issue. Palestinian groups are frequently censored and branded as terrorists while supporters of the racist state of Israel are not. The PFLP Solidarity Campaign is determined to continue on, despite Facebook's censorship. We have already raised over $1000 through selling T Shirts. Deleting a Facebook group is not going to stop us showing solidarity with Palestine or the PFLP, said Christchurch administrator Mike Walker. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == I think that Facebook is good. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == Mark wrote: These things are tools not communities. The same's true of this email list. I think of 'this' as the International Marxmail Tendency (IMMT) well deserving of its own logo and t-shirt. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == Mark Lause wrote: These things are tools not communities. The same's true of this email list. I agree - we found Facebook very useful in the preparation for our blockades of the Nazis in Dresden last Saturday. When the state prosecutor tried to criminalise the movement ordering police raids of coordinating offices and bullying the Internet provider to shut down our organising website, we were able to use Facebook to keep one another informed and to organise resistance to this criminalisation process. We were also able to resp0ond quickly to developments. On teh day, of course, Facebook wasn't so useful. But it was possible to keep demonstrators informed using the new technology - mainly for me the WAP-ticker that kept us informed of what was happening at the other blockades and enabled people to avoid running into groups of fascist thugs by warning where they were. Other people were using Twitter, but I can't comment on that as I wasn't using it. Of course, using the technology was only a tool. Success depended on a lot of old-fashioned mobilising and networking, organising buses etc. An Internet campaign alone wouldn't have mobilised teh forces we needed. Einde O'Callaghan Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == The problem isn't Facebook any more than it's email. The problem is using any of these things as a substitute for engaging real people in the real world. Anything that can be a tool for that can also be misused as a substitute for not doing that. ML Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
[Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == Facebook sucks. I hate it. I do have an account but NOT under my own name. Fuck that. It's insane. I don't want to be your fkng friend. Facebook IS what it's critics say it is: a great big black hole that sucks your time in. I HAD a face book account once under my real name. HUGE mistake. My sister wrote me about why my view on Israel had changed to creating radioactive seal eating Chavistas. Really. I hope Facebook dies. David Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == There's high levels of narcissism and voyeurism involved with Facebook, but as far as activism goes it's an invaluable tool for bringing out college students to protests and events on campus. Bombard 150 people with an event invitation, get 40 RSVPs and expect a 20 or show to actually show-up. It's not a bad complement to actual flyering. As far as The Activist. You should fan us. 700 people or so have done it already and it would be nice to get a 1000. It's not bad to show support for an anti-capitalist youth blog connected to a growing student organization, despite any political disagreements, right? Facebook fan pages are decent forums for readership interaction and advertising. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
[Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == Way to miss out on the youth! I disagree, amidst all the muck there is a layer of young students and workers who are sifting through the debris of left wing parties to find the best and brightest. We may have to roll up our pants and walk through shit every now and again but even if I find one of my peers and turn them on to revolutionary politics, well, then it is worth it. If you don't want to build and politik with other youth, I certainly will. in solidarity, Hutch Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == Facebook can be what you make it. I block the news feeds from people who's status updates annoy me, or just clog up space. I mainly use it to stay connected to friends who I wouldn't normally call or see, and to read news articles that people post which I would otherwise not find (it kind of serves one of the functions of marxmail, in that sense). When I get these requests to be a fan of XYZ or whatever, I usually just delete them, though sometimes I click the button if it seems cool. Whatever. Some of the Facebook crap is annoying, but it goes with the good stuff. If Facebook is sucking up time, it probably has more to do with larger difficulties in avoiding easy, impulsive distractions (I say this as someone who constantly falls victim to this). This is my personal experience -- I'm open to arguments that Facebook and Twitter might represent larger setbacks, especially because so many of my students seems to be completely shaped by them. But I can't tell if it's Facebook and Twitter that's eroding their attention spans and helping them stay in a bubble, or if it's other stuff. I suspect that if the shit hits the fan, these social networking things will not matter, except that they will facilitate both resistance and repression. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == I was having fun, of course, with this, but there are real issues with facebook *as a medium*. Facebook has been used, albeit more with Twitter, in organizing some of the big protests and strikes at UC Berkeley this winter. I recognize it's importance as a tool, but not as a lifestyle and I've seen very active leftists involved in this struggle get sucked down by existential experiences on Facebook. Not good. The problem is that students, etc, take it too seriously, I think. I don't think it will 'outlive' us. Not even me in my old age. I've seen to many of these things die as fads often do. Two years ago it was Myspace. Not it's totally uncool to be on Myspace. Go figure? Social media in general will outlive us. I suepect as vid-phoning gets more faster, large bandwidth, it'll be a Youtube Nation and posting will be a thing of the past. David Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == Louis Proyect wrote: snip I also learned that Einde O'Callaghan commented on John Mullen's status. That makes my day, knowing that. Glad to know that I'm helping to make you happy. ;-) Einde Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == On 2/15/2010 6:28 PM, Louis Proyect wrote: I don't know, comrades. I am beginning to wonder if this thing has been oversold. Facebook is a great way to keep up with the teenagers and twenty-somethings i know in town. its a nice way to see who is doing what on a given day, what did they pull out of the oven, etc. what was their trip like. anything above and beyond that is icing. i also dont like all the invitation things. i like it better when someone posts a status message and if its something interesting, i'll go take a look. Les Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == These things are tools not communities. The same's true of this email list. ML Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
Re: [Marxism] Facebook
== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. == Facebook is how the Campus Antiwar Network communicates in this area, so I joined it. Other people have connected since and that's fine. The problem is what people expect from these things. But it's a tool. That's all. ML Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
