Episode 3: Zizek, Brain chips, Facebook, And The Gap Between Our Minds

In this episode four of the five hosts use a recent interview where Slavoj Zizek discusses brain interface technology as a launching point to talk about the radical potentials, dangers, and philosophical implications of technology. Will and Vanc argue about how much responsibility rests on us as developers versus as consumers. To what degree are anarchists drawn to problematic technologies like Facebook or Twitter as a result of personal utility as opposed to social pressure? What’s the difference between the manipulative pressures of advertising and building interfaces that people can more quickly adapt to? And philosophically is “freedom” to be found in division or connection? Should the gap between us and the world be abolished? Ciarrai and Will both support greater connection but differ when it comes to organizational prescriptions in our present world between collectivism and individualism.

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Episode 1: Riseup, Technological Centralization & Snitching

Horizontal Hostility’s inaugural episode. The five hosts gather in the same city and same room (with two spectators and occasional commentators) to talk about Riseup.net’s decision to turn over information regarding two users to the FBI and their justification. Basically Will demonstrates he’s spineless and weak on snitches by talking a lot to defend the value of Riseup’s infrastructure while everyone else disagrees and Pax actively whittles torture implements to use on snitches in Iranian prisons over the course of the episode. Possibly more nuanced conversation is had about the context of Riseup’s decision. Lots of shit is talked about the hacker community. Discussion gets a bit technical at places, but should still be followable.

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