Comments on: The Syrian Uprising will be Live-Streamed: Youtube & The Surveillance Revolution http://technosociology.org/?p=832 our tools, ourselves Mon, 25 Mar 2013 21:00:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: [LINK] “Free Speech and Power: From Reddit Creeps to anti-Muslim Videos, It’s Not *Just* “Free Speech” « A Bit More Detail http://technosociology.org/?p=832&cpage=1#comment-3115 [LINK] “Free Speech and Power: From Reddit Creeps to anti-Muslim Videos, It’s Not *Just* “Free Speech” « A Bit More Detail Thu, 18 Oct 2012 02:59:27 +0000 http://technosociology.org/?p=832#comment-3115 [...] vintage to produce toxic social issues–some months ago I linked to a post of hers where she worried that the preservation of evidence of atrocities in digital media might not only make it impossible [...] [...] vintage to produce toxic social issues–some months ago I linked to a post of hers where she worried that the preservation of evidence of atrocities in digital media might not only make it impossible [...]

]]> By: Why Don’t We Care About Syria? http://technosociology.org/?p=832&cpage=1#comment-1970 Why Don’t We Care About Syria? Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:13:40 +0000 http://technosociology.org/?p=832#comment-1970 [...] Now, these kinds of horrifying images have become alarmingly common. The Syrian revolution is being livestreamed, a steady parade of graphic content for anyone to see. The question is, do people still want to [...] [...] Now, these kinds of horrifying images have become alarmingly common. The Syrian revolution is being livestreamed, a steady parade of graphic content for anyone to see. The question is, do people still want to [...]

]]> By: Dan http://technosociology.org/?p=832&cpage=1#comment-1878 Dan Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:59:06 +0000 http://technosociology.org/?p=832#comment-1878 I agree, an excellent piece. It does seem to me that the increasing amount of documentation coming out of atrocities is making it more difficult for the perpetrators to get away with committing such crimes. Even given the problems with forgetting and forgiveness outlined above, and the often cited 'compassion fatigue', I think Syria has been a case in point to show that one genuine positive development of the globally connected world is that we can no longer ignore these sort of situations. Yes, the UN and other bodies are still struggling to come up with a response, but if you look back even 10 years, similar actions were taking place with far less interest and coverage. The sheer volume of direct video evidence makes the excuse of 'its complicated, we don't know whats happening' much harder to use (although some on the far left are still shamefully hanging to this approach). I agree, an excellent piece. It does seem to me that the increasing amount of documentation coming out of atrocities is making it more difficult for the perpetrators to get away with committing such crimes. Even given the problems with forgetting and forgiveness outlined above, and the often cited ‘compassion fatigue’, I think Syria has been a case in point to show that one genuine positive development of the globally connected world is that we can no longer ignore these sort of situations. Yes, the UN and other bodies are still struggling to come up with a response, but if you look back even 10 years, similar actions were taking place with far less interest and coverage. The sheer volume of direct video evidence makes the excuse of ‘its complicated, we don’t know whats happening’ much harder to use (although some on the far left are still shamefully hanging to this approach).

]]> By: [LINK] Two links about social networking undermining journalistic practice « A Bit More Detail http://technosociology.org/?p=832&cpage=1#comment-1844 [LINK] Two links about social networking undermining journalistic practice « A Bit More Detail Tue, 21 Feb 2012 03:59:57 +0000 http://technosociology.org/?p=832#comment-1844 [...] the shackles of the journalistic establishment from public discourse, while Zeynap Tufekci in “The Syrian Uprising will be Live-Streamed: Youtube & The Surveillance Revolution” at Technosociology talks about the potential bad that comes from allowing every atrocity to be [...] [...] the shackles of the journalistic establishment from public discourse, while Zeynap Tufekci in “The Syrian Uprising will be Live-Streamed: Youtube & The Surveillance Revolution” at Technosociology talks about the potential bad that comes from allowing every atrocity to be [...]

]]> By: Stephen Malagodi http://technosociology.org/?p=832&cpage=1#comment-1843 Stephen Malagodi Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:10:04 +0000 http://technosociology.org/?p=832#comment-1843 What a fine piece of writing. It's artistry comes not from refined technique, but from writing technique applied to real life. Good work. Back in 1959 the composer John Cage, whose maddening naivety has often proved to be the very source of his prescience, remarked of a time when 'governments would be embarrassed out of existence'. I long considered this to be utter childish nonsense. Not any more. What happens with ubiquitous documentation of atrocity is that it becomes immediately elevated to the level of universal moral unacceptability. These regimes cannot withstand the onslaught of global moral shame. They are, in effect and within a short period of time, if not directly 'embarrassed out of existence', then at least indirectly but effectively overthrown by moral outrage born from what we can see. It is not quite a world where we have 'beaten our swords into plowshares' but a world in which the gun has been overwhelmed by the camera. As your article rightly points out, for this to work there must be two elements present; the image and the empathy. The technology will continue to improve. Can our compassion keep pace? What a fine piece of writing. It’s artistry comes not from refined technique, but from writing technique applied to real life. Good work.

Back in 1959 the composer John Cage, whose maddening naivety has often proved to be the very source of his prescience, remarked of a time when ‘governments would be embarrassed out of existence’. I long considered this to be utter childish nonsense.

Not any more. What happens with ubiquitous documentation of atrocity is that it becomes immediately elevated to the level of universal moral unacceptability. These regimes cannot withstand the onslaught of global moral shame. They are, in effect and within a short period of time, if not directly ‘embarrassed out of existence’, then at least indirectly but effectively overthrown by moral outrage born from what we can see.

It is not quite a world where we have ‘beaten our swords into plowshares’ but a world in which the gun has been overwhelmed by the camera.

As your article rightly points out, for this to work there must be two elements present; the image and the empathy. The technology will continue to improve. Can our compassion keep pace?

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