ken@ihuxq.UUCP (ken perlow) (05/17/84)
--
The rather consistent opinion about Tim Maroney and the net--
net use is a right, not a privilege, and he broke the rules, so he's
just a cry-baby--makes me wonder about this fixation so many
high-tech types have with order, apparently for its own sake.
Yes, Tim did get what was coming to him. So too, and for much the
same reasons of flouting privilege, did Galileo. Is this justice?
There are rules, and not only don't you break them, you don't question
them either. The "if you don't like it, go someplace else" argument
is thus another popular netlandism. And indeed, most people engaged in
intricate technology have very traditional lifestyles. Why?
The other side of this question is:
Why have recent movements for social and political change in America
consistently failed to attract followers with technological expertise?
Let me anticipate a few counter-examples. Although much more in the
30's than recently, the Communist Party has attracted scientists.
And there is a sort-of commune, "The Farm" in Tennessee, which is very
technically advanced. (Indeed, they made a bundle on an idiot's guide
to CB radio.) Both organizations (honest, no comparison really intended)
however, adopted extremely traditional lifestyles. Hierarchical,
sexist, very neat and organized--here's your job, go do it.
So I've been on both sides of the tribal-technological fence, and I've
felt like an alien either way. As Gertrude Stein said (reportedly her
last words), "What's the answer? On the other hand, what's the question?"
--
*** ***
JE MAINTIENDRAI ***** *****
****** ****** 17 May 84 [28 Floreal An CXCII]
ken perlow ***** *****
(312)979-7261 ** ** ** **
..ihnp4!ihuxq!ken *** ***parnass@ihuxf.UUCP (Bob Parnass, AJ9S) (05/17/84)
> ..... Although much more in the > 30's than recently, the Communist Party has attracted scientists. > And there is a sort-of commune, "The Farm" in Tennessee, which is very > technically advanced. (Indeed, they made a bundle on an idiot's guide > to CB radio.) > -- > *** *** > JE MAINTIENDRAI ***** ***** > ****** ****** 17 May 84 [28 Floreal An CXCII] > ken perlow ***** ***** > (312)979-7261 ** ** ** ** > ..ihnp4!ihuxq!ken *** *** > How does writing "an idiot's guide to CB radio" serve as supporting evidence that this group of communist farmers is technically advanced? P.S.: The ".signature" is getting a bit stale. -- ========================================================================== Bob Parnass, AT&T Bell Laboratories - ihnp4!ihuxf!parnass - (312)979-5414
lynnef@teklabs.UUCP (Lynne Fitzsimmons ) (05/21/84)
About The Farm in Tennessee --
It was founded by a group led by Steven Gaskin and a lot of people from
somewhere in California (Berkeley springs to mind). Lots of these people
had advanced degrees. They are hardly dummies. My father's comment on the
whole thing was "Sure, they aren't dummies, but all they give their kids is
an 8th grade education. Where does that leave them (the kids)?".
{Background -- my cousin Steven (not Steven Gaskin!) lived there. I met him
and his wife at the impressionable age of 16 and had visions of moving there.
Now my cousin Steven is out in the real world putting his engineering degree
to good use, or so my grandfather tells me]
--
Lynne Fitzsimmons
UUCP: {allegra, decvax, ihnp4, orstcs, ucbvax, zehntel, ogcvax, reed,
uw-beaver, hplabs}!tektronix!teklabs!lynnef
CSnet: lynnef@tek ARPAnet: lynnef.tek@rand-relay