#anarchismmonday 2/2 Do these proprietary tools at their foundational power level work against any of this anarchism? I ask because I am thinking about asking folks to use open software and systems like Mastodon and Minds.com and etherpad to do so. At first blush it seems 2 me 2 make no difference, but wouldn't users have profound blindspots about their own tool use and its negative affordances? Feels very Marxist in the idea of substructure/superstructure (or at least to my lay understanding).

@tellio

As my avatar suggests, I support the idea of using Free Software, online and off.

Comfort with the tools matters, too. If a person sees the transition from, say, Twitter or FB to Mastodon as a relatively painless one, great.

If they resist the change becuuse it is too "different", then you'll only attract the flexible ones. (Anarchists?)

@Algot Part of me thinks the solution is a Biblical one: rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's etc. For me that means maintaining both open and proprietary tools. But that makes me feel pretty driven and angry. It is the same kind of anger that I feel when software systems drive hardware ones. (Apple's OS11 for one, M$ at any point in their history). I wonder that I am flexible enough for this, but I also wonder abt the power relationship that allows others to push me abt.

@tellio

I've switched my focus, but my peripheral vision is still working.

I'm most comfortable here (for the time being), but I keep my accounts elsewhere.

As for "dispositive tools", I am going to read up on that one. I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV.

@tellio

It sounds like you feel you cannot be yourself in an important way because of the choice of online tool. Is that an accurate read?

If you decided to re-center your online activities with reliance on Free tools, will it also matter who is operating the servers involved?

If you have the skills, it sounds like you would do well to consider setting up a server or more from which you can federate.

@Algot No, what I am saying is that no one can be themselves. A bit like the idea that in a sick society no one can be healthy (even though we might 'feel' just fine.