Re: <nettime> email filter blues and the s word

[Christian Swertz via nettime-l <nettime-l@lists.nettime.org>]

Hi Geert,

thanks for the little awareness kick. I did not think about spam for 
quite a while. Obviously I got used to it, despite the fact that the 
hours I spend with deleting spam are still bugging me. I think I had 
managed to suppress the problem.

Reading the Wikipedia article about the issue (which ends in 2008 - 
maybe we should update it) reminded me on some experiences I made in the 
internet antiquity. What I do not remember are interpretations of spam 
that help me to balance my actions. Thus some ideas:

The first thing that comes to my mind is an interpretation with the term 
exploitation. This exploitation is based on the usual strategy by 
capitalists: Privatization of profits and generalization of costs. Spam 
mails seem to create some return of investment, while causing a lot of 
damage to uninvolved persons. This has never bothered capitalists, so 
spam might be explained by the fact that we do accept a capitalistic 
organisation of economies and states. In terms of taking action this 
means that as long as we do not organise ourselves in an enlightened 
economy where we can choose between a capitalist, a communist or an 
anarchist economy, we have only ourselves to blame for spam. And when 
attempts in the direction of an economic freedom lead to hopelessness, 
repression into the unconscious is the means of choice. So the action 
is: Please do not disturb me with interventions that jeopardize my 
repression process.

The second thing that comes to my mind is an interpretation with the 
term arms race (as far as I remember digital technology is constructed 
as war technology - spam thus simply meets the purpose of the 
technology). If spam is considered as a sort of hostile fire, we can try 
to defend ourself or attack the enemy. In the case of spam, I've hardly 
heard of attempts to attack the senders. In most cases, defence systems 
are applied. In this case, the defence systems cause collateral damage, 
like blocking nettime-l mailings, and still leave lots of spam sorting 
work for uninvolved civilians. In other terms: The war-mongering idiots 
shoot at each other and we civilians have to clean up the garbage. Not nice.

In terms of taking action this means that we would have to get involved 
in a war if we want to fight the problem. But fighting problems is not 
really an option for peace minded people. Fleeing the war might be an 
option, but is difficult, since this is really a world war that involves 
a huge percentage of mankind.  And than there is still the basic 
problem: war. To live without war seems to be impossible. I've the 
impression that there are too many warmongering nutcases out there. We 
can't lock them up in a cage where they can amuse themselves. So the 
hopelessness problem comes up again.

But well - most digital devices do have a power button, don't they? So 
leaving the war is pretty simple: We can just turn it of. But than the 
capitalists show up again. Did you ever try to suggest a "no electronic 
communication" - strategy to your employer? If you want to have some 
fun, this is certainly a way to enjoy yourself. But well - we get at 
least paid for removing the garbage. But wasn't this coined as a 
bullshit job? Still not really a solution, so the action is again: 
Please do not disturb me with interventions that jeopardize my 
repression process. Thank you.

--
Liebe Grüße,

Christian Swertz
http://www.swertz.at

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