!publish!

config.toml

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ description = "The future world where 50 Ubus are happy Ubu is 50 years old."
 sandpointsHome = "mirror/ubu.md"
 sandpointsGiteaUrl = "https://git.sandpoints.org/CustodiansOnline/MirrorUbu"
 sandpointsCatalogPrefix = "/library/"
-sandpointsCatalogName = "ubu"
+sandpointsCatalogName = "everythingistemporary"
 
 sandpointsMentionedIn = ["annex", "editor", "author", "glassblower"]
 

content/glassblower/cristobalsciutto.md

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 +++
-title = "Cristóbal Sciutto"
+title = "Cristóbal Sciutto Rodríguez"
 +++
 
-...
+Cristóbal Sciutto Rodríguez is a programmer and researcher concerned with
+technically simple, but compositionally complex infrastructures for living.

content/glassblower/dusanbarok.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
++++
+title = "Dušan Barok"
++++
+
+Dušan Barok's work is concerned with digital culture, memory and activism. He is founding editor of Monoskop, a wiki for arts and studies, and has been involved in collectives such as 3/4, Burundi, Multiplace, La Société Anonyme and Society of Algorithm.

content/glassblower/felixstalder.md

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
++++
+title = "Felix Stalder"
++++
+
+# Bio
+
+Felix Stalder is a writer, teacher, and researcher. His work focuses on
+the intersection of cultural, political and technological dynamics, in
+particular on new modes of commons-based production, copyright,
+datafication, and transformation of subjectivity. He not only works as
+an academic, but also as a cultural producer, facilitator, and community
+janitor for the nettime mailing list (1998-2023) and now for the
+Fediverse instance tldr.nettime.org

content/glassblower/nickthurston.md

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
++++
+title = "Nick Thurston"
++++
+
+# Bio
+
+Nick Thurston (b.1982) is a writer and editor who makes art and teaches. He explores the throughlines between those four roles by publishing, reading and exhibiting his own work and other's. He lives with his partner and children in York, England, and currently teaches at the University of Leeds.
+

content/glassblower/sanjabojanic.md

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
++++
+title = "Sanja Bojanić"
++++
+
+# Bio
+
+Sanja Bojanić is a researcher immersed in the philosophy of culture, media, and queer studies, with an overarching commitment to comprehend contemporary forms of gender, racial, and class practices, which underpin social and affective inequalities specifically increased in modern societal and political contexts.
+

content/mirror/ubu.md

@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 +++
 title = "Stage: Everything Is Temporary"
-glassblowers = ["alessandroludovico.md", "cristobalsciutto.md", "custodiansonline.md", "marcellmars.md", "olgagoriunova.md", "sasasavanovic.md", "sreckohorvat.md", "tomislavmedak.md"]
+glassblowers = ["alessandroludovico.md", "cristobalsciutto.md", "custodiansonline.md", "dusanbarok.md", "felixstalder.md", "marcellmars.md", "nickthurston.md", "olgagoriunova.md", "sanjabojanic.md", "sasasavanovic.md", "sreckohorvat.md", "tomislavmedak.md"]
 has_reflections = ["endtimes.md", "relational.md", "cristobal.md"]
 +++
 
+
 # Ambient
 
 First, we are building an ambient, a (fictional) room filled with bookshelves. In that room, whenever you reach for a book, it is immediately clear why that book is there. It's a place where you could easily lose yourself by following a reference from some specific part of our collective publication. Or you could start by sitting inside the library and lose yourself in exploring all of the references on surrounding bookshelves.
@@ -31,3 +32,5 @@ We like to understand our notes as [shards](/shard/index.html). Shared shards. S
 ![](mirror:ubu.md). It's a single document describing our endeavor. A mirror is gradually built from reflections which are built from shards. This process is neither linear nor unidirectional. A shard could come from a spark kindled by a sentence being written in the mirror document or from a reflection. Forget about spark. This is the moment where metaphorical starts to ruin its purpose.
 
 We have a software platform which transforms this metaphorical play into a literal one. It is called [Sandpoints](https://pages.sandpoints.org/sandpoints/simplesandpoints-de47f813/draft/portfolio/). But let's forget about software for now. It will come in handy only when we need to accelerate what we agreed upon and set as our collective common ground. And for that we need to waste some time together. We couldn't imagine a better place than a renaissance palace on the Adriatic island of Cres. Once we are all in Cres you will totally get what we think by this ;)
+
+![](static/images/everythingistemporary.jpg)

content/reflection/cristobal.md

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 +++
-title = "Cristóbal's Reflection"
+title = "Alternative Information Ecologies"
 has_shards = ["crisis.md", "latentimage.md", "protocols.md", "maintenance.md"]
 +++
 

content/shard/ai-audiblemirror-media.md

@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ glassblowers = ["marcellmars.md"]
 
 # Prompt
 
-write an essay in the field of media theory introducing the concept of "audible mirror". here's the testimonial coming from the interview:
+> write an essay in the field of media theory introducing the concept of "audible mirror". here's the testimonial coming from the interview:
 
-"Sometime during my teenage years, I felt embarrassed about my singing voice and never dared to sing, not even when alone. I had some musical talent; I could play a few instruments and even played in a band. I made songs and arrangements, but I never handled the vocals. All of those experiences made my feelings about singing even worse. When I was 35, I tried a new setup: looping software, headphones, and a microphone. I was very quiet and shy, but in the middle of the night, when the city was in its deep sleep, I would mumble and eventually sing. The microphone would amplify it, the looping software would play it in an endless loop, and the headphones would keep it just for my ears. It worked. I realized how loud singing is, even when alone in a semi-public setting. You're supposed to be loud enough to hear yourself from the outside world. A little help from technology allowed me to be alone with myself, to explore my anxiety, feel safe, let myself experiment, and listen to my timid singing voice... Over time, I learned how to sing without trying to be loud. I love my quiet singing. That experience taught me many things about media, technology, and even politics. It brought me back to listening to music in a slightly different way than before. One of the things I started to do was to listen to vocals outside of the refrains. When people want to express their creativity and show off their great talent and breathtaking voice, they go for the most demanding refrains or choruses. Good for them. I learned that there's so much more in the world outside of the refrain territory.
+> "Sometime during my teenage years, I felt embarrassed about my singing voice and never dared to sing, not even when alone. I had some musical talent; I could play a few instruments and even played in a band. I made songs and arrangements, but I never handled the vocals. All of those experiences made my feelings about singing even worse. When I was 35, I tried a new setup: looping software, headphones, and a microphone. I was very quiet and shy, but in the middle of the night, when the city was in its deep sleep, I would mumble and eventually sing. The microphone would amplify it, the looping software would play it in an endless loop, and the headphones would keep it just for my ears. It worked. I realized how loud singing is, even when alone in a semi-public setting. You're supposed to be loud enough to hear yourself from the outside world. A little help from technology allowed me to be alone with myself, to explore my anxiety, feel safe, let myself experiment, and listen to my timid singing voice... Over time, I learned how to sing without trying to be loud. I love my quiet singing. That experience taught me many things about media, technology, and even politics. It brought me back to listening to music in a slightly different way than before. One of the things I started to do was to listen to vocals outside of the refrains. When people want to express their creativity and show off their great talent and breathtaking voice, they go for the most demanding refrains or choruses. Good for them. I learned that there's so much more in the world outside of the refrain territory.
 
-I call that an audible mirror."
+> I call that an audible mirror."
 
 # ChatGpt4 response
 

content/shard/ai-audiblemirror-politics.md

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
++++
+title = "The Audible Mirror: A Reflection on Political Expression and Engagement"
+glassblowers = ["marcellmars.md"]
++++
+
+# Prompt
+
+> write an essay in the field of political theory introducing the concept of "audible mirror". here's the testimonial coming from the interview:
+
+> "Sometime during my teenage years, I felt embarrassed about my singing voice and never dared to sing, not even when alone. I had some musical talent; I could play a few instruments and even played in a band. I made songs and arrangements, but I never handled the vocals. All of those experiences made my feelings about singing even worse. When I was 35, I tried a new setup: looping software, headphones, and a microphone. I was very quiet and shy, but in the middle of the night, when the city was in its deep sleep, I would mumble and eventually sing. The microphone would amplify it, the looping software would play it in an endless loop, and the headphones would keep it just for my ears. It worked. I realized how loud singing is, even when alone in a semi-public setting. You're supposed to be loud enough to hear yourself from the outside world. A little help from technology allowed me to be alone with myself, to explore my anxiety, feel safe, let myself experiment, and listen to my timid singing voice... Over time, I learned how to sing without trying to be loud. I love my quiet singing. That experience taught me many things about media, technology, and even politics. It brought me back to listening to music in a slightly different way than before. One of the things I started to do was to listen to vocals outside of the refrains. When people want to express their creativity and show off their great talent and breathtaking voice, they go for the most demanding refrains or choruses. Good for them. I learned that there's so much more in the world outside of the refrain territory.
+
+> I call that an audible mirror."
+
+# ChatGpt4 response
+
+Title: The Audible Mirror: A Reflection on Political Expression and Engagement
+
+In the vast and complex field of political theory, there exist a plethora of terms and concepts used to explain how societies function, how power is wielded, and how people participate in governance. An intriguing conceptual addition to this broad framework is the idea of the "audible mirror." Stemming from a deeply personal experience, this term introduces a metaphorical standpoint that serves as a useful lens in understanding politics, communication, and human nature.
+
+Derived from a musical journey, the audible mirror signifies a process where one, through the use of technology and personal isolation, slowly peels back layers of self-consciousness and anxiety to truly listen and understand their own voice. The story of a musician who overcame his singing inhibition by exploring and accepting his voice's natural volume is a potent allegory for the concept. It is a process where the fear of judgment is cast aside to allow room for growth and self-expression, with technology serving as a crucial catalyst. 
+
+However, the audible mirror transcends its origin as a musical experience and presents a rich metaphor for understanding individual and collective political behavior. Just as the musician utilized technology to mirror, amplify, and understand his voice, citizens use media as their audible mirrors to express, amplify, and understand their political voice. This could involve online platforms to write blogs, post videos, and engage in debates, much like the microphone, looping software, and headphones in the original story.
+
+In a wider political context, the audible mirror concept embodies the idea that political participation and engagement are not just about the loudest or most sensational voices. Much like how the musician discovered a world outside of the song’s refrain territory, political involvement extends beyond the dramatic speeches, debates, and rallies. It encompasses quiet expressions of discontent, subtle activism, and the silent persistence of advocacy. This mirrors the quiet singing that the musician grew to love, recognizing the value in voices that may not aim for, or reach, the highest decibels.
+
+The idea of the audible mirror also underscores the importance of safe spaces in both music and politics. For the musician, the comfort and security of singing alone in a semi-public setting allowed him to overcome his inhibitions and explore his voice. Analogously, safe spaces in the political sphere—where individuals can freely express their views without fear of retribution or ridicule—are essential to promoting diverse participation. 
+
+Moreover, the audible mirror reflects the relationship between technology, media, and politics. Technology can amplify marginalized voices and create avenues for participation that were not previously available. Media, like the looping software, can repetitively highlight issues until they resonate in the public consciousness. It can also provide a protective layer—like the headphones—insulating individuals from direct backlash while they experiment with their political beliefs and expressions.
+
+Finally, the concept of the audible mirror posits that self-awareness and self-reflection are critical to effective political participation. Just as the musician's journey of self-discovery led to a deeper appreciation of music, political participants must also introspect about their beliefs, motivations, and the impact of their actions. This encourages a more engaged and informed citizenry, leading to a healthier political ecosystem.
+
+The introduction of the audible mirror into political theory thus provides a fresh perspective on political participation, the role of technology, and the importance of introspection in democratic societies. It speaks to the need for diverse political voices, the value of quiet persistence, and the significance of technology-mediated self-expression. As such, it stands as a potent metaphor for understanding our shared political landscape.

content/shard/ai-audiblemirror-theology.md

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
++++
+title = "The Audible Mirror: Theological Reflections on Voice, Authenticity, and Self-Understanding"
+glassblowers = ["marcellmars.md"]
++++
+
+# Prompt
+
+> write an essay in the field of theology introducing the concept of "audible mirror". here's the testimonial coming from the interview:
+
+> "Sometime during my teenage years, I felt embarrassed about my singing voice and never dared to sing, not even when alone. I had some musical talent; I could play a few instruments and even played in a band. I made songs and arrangements, but I never handled the vocals. All of those experiences made my feelings about singing even worse. When I was 35, I tried a new setup: looping software, headphones, and a microphone. I was very quiet and shy, but in the middle of the night, when the city was in its deep sleep, I would mumble and eventually sing. The microphone would amplify it, the looping software would play it in an endless loop, and the headphones would keep it just for my ears. It worked. I realized how loud singing is, even when alone in a semi-public setting. You're supposed to be loud enough to hear yourself from the outside world. A little help from technology allowed me to be alone with myself, to explore my anxiety, feel safe, let myself experiment, and listen to my timid singing voice... Over time, I learned how to sing without trying to be loud. I love my quiet singing. That experience taught me many things about media, technology, and even politics. It brought me back to listening to music in a slightly different way than before. One of the things I started to do was to listen to vocals outside of the refrains. When people want to express their creativity and show off their great talent and breathtaking voice, they go for the most demanding refrains or choruses. Good for them. I learned that there's so much more in the world outside of the refrain territory.
+
+> I call that an audible mirror."
+
+# ChagGpt4 response
+
+Title: The Audible Mirror: Theological Reflections on Voice, Authenticity, and Self-Understanding
+
+In the expansive field of theology, the multitude of metaphysical concepts and metaphors provided a profound avenue for understanding the divine and our relationship with it. An intriguing concept, which surfaced recently, is what one might call an "audible mirror." Derived from an individual's personal exploration of their singing voice, the audible mirror is more than just a metaphorical exploration of self-expression and self-awareness; it offers a profound framework through which to explore theology and our understanding of the divine. 
+
+The auditory mirror narrative begins with a personal journey of self-doubt and fear of self-expression, a sentiment that many individuals can identify with. For this individual, singing represented a public and vulnerable self-expression, one that was initially met with internal resistance and insecurity. Yet, with the advent of technology — looping software, headphones, and a microphone — a private, personal space was carved out for exploration, experimentation, and ultimately, self-acceptance. In this space, the individual was able to confront their fears, explore their own voice, and redefine their understanding of vocal expression. It was a transformation that led them to the beauty of quiet singing, and the understanding that there is as much beauty outside of the 'refrain territory' as within it. 
+
+The audible mirror, then, becomes a metaphor for self-reflection, a vehicle for deep introspection that transcends the purely physical act of singing. It is a tool through which we can confront our anxieties and limitations and learn to listen to ourselves with empathy and understanding. The theological implications of this concept are vast and deeply profound.
+
+From a theological perspective, the idea of the 'audible mirror' parallels the process of spiritual awakening and understanding. Just as the individual used technology to hear their own voice, we can use scripture, prayer, and religious communities as 'mirrors' to better understand our spiritual selves and relationship with the divine. This process often necessitates confronting our spiritual fears, anxieties, and insecurities — akin to the fear of singing out loud. Just as the individual found beauty in quiet singing and parts of the song outside the refrains, we, too, can find beauty and spiritual significance in quiet reflection and the 'margins' of our religious traditions.
+
+Moreover, the concept of the audible mirror invites a rethinking of the dichotomy between the sacred and the secular, the spiritual and the technological. By viewing technology as a tool for self-discovery and spiritual growth, we can start to see the divine in our everyday experiences, whether that be in singing, praying, or merely engaging with our devices. This paradigm shift encourages a more holistic understanding of the divine that is not confined to churches, temples, or mosques but pervades every aspect of our lives.
+
+In our relentless pursuit of louder and more spectacular forms of worship, the 'refrain territory,' we often overlook the sacredness of the quiet and the ordinary, the 'outside of the refrain.' The concept of the audible mirror reminds us that divinity is not limited to grandiose displays of spirituality but is present in the subtle, quiet moments of our lives. 
+
+In conclusion, the concept of the audible mirror provides a profound framework for self-exploration and theological understanding. By confronting our fears and insecurities and embracing our authentic voices, we can deepen our relationship with the divine and our understanding of ourselves. It is a metaphor that integrates the secular and the sacred, encouraging us to seek the divine in the everyday and ordinary. Ultimately, the audible mirror teaches us that there is as much beauty and spiritual significance outside of the 'refrain territory' as there is within it.
+

content/shard/custodial-chronicles.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
++++
+title = "Custodial chronicles"
+glassblower = ["dusanbarok.md"]
++++
+
+During times of destruction, custodians sought to preserve remnants of the previous digital era. One of the most treasured memories was UbuWeb, a thriving cultural repository in cyberspace, celebrated for its avant-garde collection and its embrace of simplicity. Amidst the chaos, they worked hard to capture the riches of UbuWeb before it disappeared. Custodians, inspired by the avant-garde spirit of UbuWeb, fashioned rough replicas of its digital archive using whatever materials they could find. These makeshift representations served as poignant reminders of a world once teeming with life and creativity.
+
+But even as they worked, the specter of scarcity loomed, reminding them that everything is temporary. In the waning days of modern technology, the custodians resorted to antiquated methods of preservation. Makeshift cameras were used to capture images of UbuWeb's digital collection, preserving them on fragile microfilm for future generations. With urgency, they gathered around flickering screens, printing pages from the archive to preserve its contents. Each sheet of paper bore the imprint of digital knowledge and became a cherished artifact in a world ravaged by uncertainty.
+
+In the quiet corners of makeshift libraries, scribes meticulously transcribed the contents of UbuWeb onto parchment, their quills scratching out the words with painstaking precision. Each stroke of the pen and carefully rendered word has become a lifeline to a world on the brink of oblivion. Meanwhile, storytellers shared tales of UbuWeb's diverse collection, passing on oral histories and fragmented recollections to eager listeners. Through whispered accounts and nostalgic reminiscences, they kept alive the spirit of a bygone era, ensuring that its legacy would endure.
+
+Among the remains of civilization, UbuWeb's artifacts surfaced like treasures discovered from the sands of time. Faded film rolls, worn volumes, dog-eared zines, and blurred memories bear witness to a world that once thrived in the digital realm, now relegated to the annals of history. And yet, the fragments coalesced to form a mosaic of images, sounds, and words, a vibrant tapestry of human expression that transcended the boundaries of time and space. Through a patchwork of vague recollections and half-forgotten dreams, custodians paid homage to a digital archive that existed in a not so distant past, ensuring that its memory would live on in the hearts and minds of future generations.

content/shard/dependency.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 +++
 title = "dependency"
-glassblowers = ["cristobalsciutto.md"]
+glassblowers = ["olgagoriunova.md"]
 +++
 
 - on others

content/shard/difference.md

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
++++
+title = "Difference"
+glassblowers = ["cristobalsciutto.md"]
++++
+
+
+Lack of information is uniformity. All objects are identical to each other, and hence indistinguishable. White noise—artifacts shimmering without difference that makes a difference. The introduction of difference gives us a bit of information. This is not like that; there are characteristics that separate. The blob of white noise has an edge, and hence some elements are internal and others form the boundary.
+
+
+Exuberance is an overflowing of information. A book inside a chest in the last floor of an abandoned home is difference, but it is not difference that makes a difference. A librarian, professional or amateur, must distribute the book for it to resonate in the world.
+
+
+The transmission of information through time or space is the mirroring of difference through time or space. A picture captures the difference apparent through color and location on the projective plane so that it can be re-transmitted in a different place. Hence, the medium of photography is a form of transmission of a set of differences legible to its technical mechanism of capture. Analogously, the phonograph is a means of transmission of sound waves—differences in distribution of particles in the air. The technical means of capturing some difference determines what difference is legible to be transmitted.
+
+
+Preservation is transmission through an indeterminate amount of space and time. At these scales, the second law of thermodynamics begins to take effect—entropy increases in an isolated system. As such, information is erased. To preserve information is to counteract the law and maintain difference. A path is kept by walking along it, stifling the growth of weeds. Technology imitates this process: a lawnmower to trim the weeds, or pesticide to avoid their growth. Alternatively, a social system can lead to preservation: park rangers can prepare trails, which are then navigated by visitors, propelled by the tourism industry.
+
+
+These practices establish ecologies of preservation. The lawn trimmings must be reused or disposed and the pesticides’ side effects must be accounted for. Similarly, tourist economies generate income to finance maintenance, while also producing waste and even over-consumption. These second-order effects must be folded into the practices, in order to continue to maintain difference.

content/shard/duree.md

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
++++
+title = "Duree"
+glassblowers = ["nickthurston.md"]
++++
+
+Actively growing is taken to be an archive’s sign of life.
+
+By the same metaphor, inactivity must be deathly — archives grow or die. Projecting a mortal lifecycle on to an archive is a coping mechanism. It helps us to cope with the fact that things and structures, including archives, can neither live or die.
+
+They just change in tow with patterns of attention and neglect.
+An archive is a structure that organises access to its holdings.
+Whether it is growing or not, it can still afford that access so long as its structures are at least
+maintained.
+
+So, UBUweb has stopped growing but it is all still there.
+Its duree is not that of mortality but of a time-based performance — a subjective cultural gesture.
+
+It was always a durational performance of gathering, organising and sharing; one that would last for as long as the act was sustainable and interesting.
+
+In turn, UBUweb, like all artworks, has a quasi-subject status.
+
+It bears characteristics — or their markers — that we associate with subjecthood.
+
+It invites or inclines us to attend to it on terms that reinforce subjectivity: its, ours, the archivist’s, and the authors archived.
+
+Like all ‘little databases’, UBUweb is flooded with subjectivity: tastes, identities, desires, capacities, and of course, limitations.
+
+So there it is. Subject-like. But perfectly capable of affording things we cannot do or even yet imagine. A mirror and a prism on to subjectivity.

content/shard/enshittification.md

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
++++
+title = "Enshittification"
+glassblowers = ["felixstalder.md"]
++++
+
+A term [proposed](https://doctorow.medium.com/my-mcluhan-lecture-on-enshittification-ea343342b9bc) by Cory Doctorow in 2023, to make sense of why most of
+the commercial Internet services not only got objectively worse (Google
+Search is less capable of finding relevant stuff today than it was 10
+years ago), but also why it has become an outright hostile environment.
+He describes it as this:
+
+> It’s a three stage process: First, platforms are good to their users; then they abuse their users to make things better for their business customers; finally, they abuse those business customers to claw back all the value for themselves. Then, they die.
+
+The most hopeful part is „Then, they die“. Because it points towards a
+configuration of social infrastructures beyond the one we know and hate.
+To help imagine this “beyond”, we can look at projects and their
+infrastructures that never entered this process in the first place.

content/shard/latentimage.md

@@ -21,6 +21,6 @@ perceived gestalt changes entirely.
 How to provoke that shift in perception, that re-organization of the archive?
 This is the role of art, as Alva Noe argues.
 
-1. ![Cristobal Sciutto: " Ideas are not objects"](https://cristobal.space/writing/ideas)
+1. [Cristobal Sciutto: " Ideas are not objects"](https://cristobal.space/writing/ideas)
 2. ![](bib:03752270-ca9b-4647-ac83-938c5d55ee22)
 3. ![](bib:99a194e9-5499-4027-9719-4a558dcf85e9)

content/shard/maintenance.md

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ The easier to port, the more resilient software becomes. Sometimes porting
 becomes impossible, and then software dies. This is what happened to Adobe
 Flash, until it was ported to the internet browser (flash.pm).  Choosing a
 simple abstraction on top of hardware, despite being inefficient is often worth
-it. This is the approach taken by ![100 rabbits with Uxn](https://100r.co/site/uxn_design.html). They write:
+it. This is the approach taken by [100 rabbits with Uxn](https://100r.co/site/uxn_design.html). They write:
 
 "As it stands today, modern software is built with extreme short-sightedness,
 designed to be run on disposable electronics and near impossible to maintain.

content/shard/networked-space-and-time.md

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
++++
+title = "Networked space and time"
+glassblowers = ["alessandroludovico.md"]
++++
+
+Being embedded in of all kinds of networks, from the bureaucratic validation of out identities, civil rights and dislocation, to the private set of virtual entities which we seek/accept on social media.
+Still the essential networks we are in, are the relational one, those which create a small footprint in our existence, supporting it in some respects [1].
+To have this role, they express a relevance which is validated by the space and the time they enable outside the communication platforms.
+The network itself is a space and time extension and reconfiguration. The space is redefined, as it is a perceived endless global extension, reached after three decades of growth in infrastructure. In this dimension the relational space needs to be protected from the rest of induced engagement.
+The time is conditioned by that space perception, by the relational activities, and by the engagement in different modalities.
+We are then shaped by both, space and time perception, but the relational elements can let us define them in turn, rather than being defined by it.
+
+[1]: Latour, B. (2005). Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network-Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199256044.

content/shard/sense-countersense.md

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
++++
+title = "Sense and countersense"
+glassblowers = ["sanjabojanic.md"]
++++
+
+# About
+
+Why do all these signs around us make me doubt language and submerge me in meanings that drown reality instead of getting it out from the imagination? Jean-Luc Godard - Two or three things that I know about her (film 1967)
+
+
+Qu'est-ce tout ces signes parmis nous qui finissent par me faire douter du langage et qui me submerge de significations noyant le réel au lieu de le dégager de l'imaginaire?
+
+Jean-Luc Godard - Deux ou trois choses que je sais d’elle (film 1967)
+
+
+Language does not convey reality all at once; between the thing and the idea comes the meaning of words as an intermediary.

content/shard/underground.md

@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
++++
+title = "Underground"
+glassblowers = ["felixstalder.md"]
++++
+
+For much of the second half of the 20th century, radical culture in the
+West was organized as “underground”.  Small, self-organized units,
+(publishers, venues for performances, distribution mechanism, shops,
+cinemas, bars etc.) that allowed for the production, circulation, and
+reception of cultural forms and ways of living separate from hegemonic
+culture. The underground was often self-consciously exclusionary,
+meaning there was no desire to grow, be open to, or include, everyone.
+Rather, it was by the people who wanted to for the people who needed it.
+The prohibitive economies of physical production and distribution
+contributed to confining underground culture to small niches. There was
+also an ethos around this, favoring freedom and community over reach,
+and moving to larger scales (e.g., major record labels, big production
+budgets, commercial galleries) was often regarded as “selling out”.
+There is a certain overlap between “underground” and “avant-garde”, but
+whereas the former indicated self-styled rejection of the “mainstream”,
+the latter implied a linear progression in which the mainstream would
+eventually catch up. 
+
+In the 1990s, both of these terms lost currency and were replaced with
+the promise of “global reach” enabled by the internet and the low/no
+costs of production and distribution. This inspired new aspirations of
+openness and inclusivity, and exclusion was no longer seen as a
+necessary precondition of experimentation, but as an elitist stance. It
+turned out, the economics of global communication were also prohibitive,
+but this time not on the level of costs for production/distribution, but
+on the level of protocols and infrastructures for interconnectivity. The
+price of leaving the self-marginalization of the old underground
+paradigm as the subsumption under hegemonic communication protocols. For
+a while, this seemed like a fair trade-off.  As demands for
+profitability of the providers of protocols increased, the trade-off
+become worse → ![](shard:enshittification.md).
+
+As the global infrastructures of mass self-communication are declining,
+and the search for alternatives has become stronger, the tension between
+the logic of the underground and that of global interconnectivity is
+re-articulated. An example is the debate over whether to include
+(federate with) Fediverse nodes runs by large, social media corporations
+(e.g., Meta’s Threads). The question seems to be: is there a way of
+combining some aspects of each paradigm?
+

content/shard/whatif.md

@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
++++
+title = "What if?"
+glassblowers = ["nickthurston.md"]
++++
+
+Kenneth Goldsmith’s ‘uncreative’ practice is conceptualist, in the sense that it prioritises the ‘what if?’ potential of utopic, avant-garde culture. 
+
+The un-creativity of his method is based on lifting whole chunks of extant material then re-contextualizing it in the discourse of another cultural field, be that material language, video, sound files or anything else. 
+
+As an author of so-called Conceptual Writing, he would extend this method with an additional gesture of calling the shifted material one’s own. Like Soliloquay (2001) or Seven American Deaths and Disasters (2013) or Capital 2015). 
+
+This additional, authorial gesture makes his artistic application of the method very different politically (if not procedurally) from his archiving work.
+What binds the two sides of Goldsmith’s uncreative practice is overtly signalled by his archive's URL: ubu.com.
+
+Alfred Jarry was the proto-avant-garde shooting star par excellence and author of the Ubu plays. 
+
+The first in this trilogy, Ubu Roi (1896), is exemplar of Jarry's absurdist mock-science, 'pataphysics, which had an inestimable influence on the 20th-
+century's avant-gardes. 
+
+'Pataphysics can be roughly described as a science of imaginary answers to imaginary questions. 
+
+The formal, compositional gesture of both Goldsmith's conceptualist writing and UbuWeb is ‘pataphysical. 
+
+His two lines of work just imagine different answers to the same imaginary question: what if copyright didn't exist?