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Karl Hess on Alternative Technology

This clip is a very concise and well-spoken discussion on technology for meeting true human needs. Its clarity blew me away. The video should be updated to the possibility of creating modern, small scale industrial economies that can be replicated inexpensively around the world – from local resources. That’s our proposed contribution to humanity.

In our Explainer Video, we should strive for a similar level of impact, in an even shorter presentation.

Kent – one of our True Fans, has passed on the clip above, plus this exciting email on possible speaking engagements.
(EDIT: see the full article for this video with subtitles in other languages)

Our little Karl Hess Club meetings in Culver City are great for the
local mostly penniless libertarianoids in L.A. who don’t mind the food
at Dinah’s chicken. (Some are Libertarian Party members or else like me
are not in the Party of Principle on principle).

The Konkin-Rothbard Club the RCF is taking over and renaming the Karl
Hess Community Technology Forum will be more ambitious at whatever new
location in Orange County we decide on, but for now has about the same
attendance and composition as the L.A. area club. See this Karl Hess
video on alternative or appropriate technology.

There are smaller clubs and scheduled informal gatherings around L.A.
and the San Fernando Valley. Speaking at the Hess clubs or any of these
other meetings would likely be underwhelming for the purpose of getting
the word out about OSE projects.

Organizing a special meeting somewhere would also probably be a
disappointment to a flown in speaker. But Neil reminded me today that
I’m on an Alongside Night movie
http://jneilschulman.rationalreview.com/2010/07/kevin-sorbo-raises-up-alongside-night-movie/
panel with him plus actors Kevin Sorbo and Erick Avari at Libertopia.
http://libertopia.org/home

Celebrities such as Ray Bradbury, Stan Lee and others will be at
http://www.hollywoodxpo.com/home which members of Libertopia may attend.

Libertopia speakers include Mutualist blogger
http://mutualist.blogspot.com/ and Center for a Stateless Society
http://c4ss.org researcher Kevin Carson, whose book The Homebrew
Industrial Revolution http://homebrewindustrialrevolution.wordpress.com/
devotes a chapter to Open Source Ecology. So your projects will have
some proponents already on the ground.

I will strongly suggest that RCF buy an exhibitor table at Libertopia,
at which we would be happy to display literature for your projects, with
our “affiliate ID” or whatever so that we get credit for any sales.

I can’t make any guarantees about getting you on as a speaker at
Libertopia at this instant, but I’m asking J. Neil Schulman to wield his
influence with the Libertopia organizers on your behalf. If they have an
open slot, then the RCF will look into transportation and hotel
possibilities.

Please let me know if Friday, Oct. 15 through Sunday, Oct. 17 works with
your schedule.

Kent

9 Comments

  1. Ryan Swart

    Ever read up on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Appropriate_Technology_Library , and if so, what are your thoughts on “Appropriat Technology”? I understand it isn’t exactly your vision, but surely there are useful public domain designs to be had in the literature?

    1. Marcin

      Our vision is appropriate technology for the modern age. We don’t necessarily favor promoting inferior technology in the name of ‘appropriate technology,’ as is common in more traditional approaches to the subject.

  2. Jeremy Weiland

    Kevin Carson doesn’t appear to be listed among the speakers. If he were, I’d make it out there for him alone, let alone Butler Shaffer.

    Awesome project you got going here.

  3. Kevin Carson

    I appreciate Kent’s mention, but this is the first I heard I was scheduled to speak. Actually there’s no way I would be able to attend. But it sounds like an excellent event, and I wish them well.

  4. LucasG

    I think “appropriate” is good, but sometimes we mean “appropriable”: tech you can own. No?

  5. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by lucasgonzalez, Open Source Ecology. Open Source Ecology said: Blog Comment on Karl Hess on Alternative Technology by LucasG http://bit.ly/cAoEw8 […]

  6. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kit R and Elifarley Cruz, Elifarley Cruz. Elifarley Cruz said: RT @kaskadia: Karl Hess on Alternative Technology: discussion on technology 4 meeting tru human needs (OpenSrcEcology) http://bit.ly/9A0AI7 […]

  7. Kent Hastings

    It was a post at the C4SS site by Brad Spangler (who is listed even on the Libertopia postcard) that had me thinking Kevin Carson was speaking. http://c4ss.org/content/3584 Sorry!

    “I’d also like to mention that I will be speaking at the Libertopia conference this October.”

  8. Kevin Carson

    No problem, Kent.