This post is part of a series which considers the impact of Internet leaks, hacks, urban legends, conspiracy theories, and rumours as forms of public discourse. This blog is politically neutral, and my aim here is to step back from left, right, and extremist debates in order to understand how politics is developing in a new environment, informed by online media.
I have a grand theory about current political evolution. Here is the
TL;DR: There are two stances currently merging in political discourses. One is the 20th century paradigm. The other is a 21st century form. It is difficult to understand political change because we are using 20th century terms superficially to describe 21st century trends. Whether left or right, the 20th century paradigm depends on labeling as a mode of organization and control.
The impact of technology makes for a very different 21st century model. Accelerated technology depends on our most visceral responses; its intimate incorporation into our lives and minds creates a political sphere driven by instinct, taboo, fear, projection, confusion, distraction - in short, the shadowy collective unconscious. Thus, we are using highly rationalized and limiting 20th century thought forms to describe the 21st century's exploding unbounded experience and the politicized anti-rational.
Internet Party of New Zealand banner (June 2017). Their mottos: "No more hungry Kiwis." "No more empty houses." "The wolves run the henhouse." Image Source: Internet Party of New Zealand.
This is why current politics involves constant chaos and extreme, weird, offensive or shocking ideas, combined with blame and counter-accusations, and compulsive labeling and arguing among opponents to try to force order upon the chaos.
As the controlling analytical mindset of the past century fails, there is redoubled pressure on everyone to choose a side. Liberals, conservatives, socialists, anarchists, libertarians, fascists and extremists exist in mutually exclusive bubbles of opinion. Their hatred of one another feeds discord and is horribly destructive.
There is one way for technology to offer constructive solutions; that is, allow the natural evolution of a third way in Internet politics, which does not use 20th century ideas.
I have more to write on this topic, but for now, consider that the Internet Party of New Zealand, founded in 2014 by Kim Dotcom, has been revived. Its new leader, Suzie Dawson, is a New Zealand journalist living in exile in Russia. As far as I know, the only other Internet parties in Australia, Spain and the Ukraine, but there may be more. The Party leaders in New Zealand are currently recruiting to make this new political group a worldwide movement.
Internet Party - Live Release of the new 'World' section & International Parties #UpdateNZ (7 July 2017). Video Source: Youtube.
On 18 July 2017 the New Zealand Internet Party announced they would run candidates in the 23 September 2017 New Zealand general election:
One of their main campaign policies in the upcoming New Zealand general election is the prevention of government surveillance of citizens. Another promise is to ease economic burdens on the troubled working and middle classes, with some ingenious proposals in the areas of education, housing, and business. The Party's Website is here. If you are interested in their ideas, their videos are here."The Internet Party of New Zealand is calling for everyday Kiwis to nominate themselves for positions on its 2017 election campaign Party List.
The Internet Party's Facebook page has put a call-out to 'people with guts and a social conscience... empathy, life experience and a love for the Internet' to apply now. Internet Party Leader Suzie Dawson said 'In the past, being a politician required a Politics major and years of grooming for the position. That resulted in an insulated political environment of narrow-mindedness, rife with corruption. In 2017, we deserve a modern government, capable of confronting all of the major issues that political elites love to sweep under the rug. To #UpdateNZ we need everyday people who know what is really going on, to step up and participate. Internet Party is about helping New Zealanders to create change and a big part of that is our commitment to taking Parliament out of the hands of political elites and giving that power back to our fellow citizens.'
Campaign Team Co-ordinator Bill Urale said 'Internet Party gives a damn. About our nation, about our community, about our people. Whatever the Internet Party does, you have a say. Even if you live around the world, you are still from the Land of the Long White Cloud, you are from the South Pacific. Join us.'
Details on how to apply can be found on the Candidates page of the official Internet Party website.
Media enquiries: please contact media@internet.org.nz or add your info to our mailing list.
Candidate enquiries: please email our Candidate Support Team at candidates@internet.org.nz"
The Party is holding a live webinar to collectively draft an #AntiSpyBill on Sunday, 6 August at 8 p.m. New Zealand Standard time in Auckland, which is 6 August 2017 at 4 a.m. Eastern time in New York City; and 9 a.m. London, UK time. The event will have special guests Kim Dotcom and Barrett Brown, and other guests on the panel. You are invited to help draft the bill! If you want to sign up to watch and contribute to the livestream #AntiSpyBill event, you can do so here: Crowd-sourcing anti-spying legislation live online. Activists from all Five Eyes countries will be represented at the event. The Youtube feed of the event is at the bottom of this post. I will reflect on their messages in a future post.
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