[NewMusic] What David Cope is up to

[George Cremaschi]

barry threw wrote:

> Some of us really believe in this "cyber crap", and see the potential  
> for a lot of innovative, visionary, and endearing work to come of it.  

Ok - so it's all good? We either accept it all unquestioningly, or we're
'reactionary'? I know that critical thinking isn't a popular pastime in the
U.S., but the lack of public dialogue on the implications of the radical way
in which advanced technology has changed, and will continue to change,
everyone's life is truly depressing. 

And will people stop throwing around the word 'visionary' at some point?
What's the vision, exactly? Spell it out. It's like how the word 'spiritual' has
been abused by every Marin County new age wannabe guru to pawn off
whatever snake oil they come up with - 'visionary' has served the same
function for Silicon Valley. 

> I understand that the technologies Cope is developing could have unfortunate 
> uses, but 

But what? I realize this latest version of push-button art isn't Zyklon-B, so it's no 
big deal really, but this idea that any 'advancement' that might possibly be of some 
use is worthwhile, even as it 'could have unfortunate uses', is naive. If any of y'all
are still under the pre-9/11 illusion that this was all headed towards a nirvana of
unlimited bandwidth and the dissolution of nation-states, guess again. Surveillance
infrastructure, data mining to combine vast amounts of information into relationship
charts and behavior patterns, interception systems to analyze every phone call, e-mail,
web site visit, and google search, software to analyze camera images in real time for
movement patterns, faces, license plates  - in short, the means to track every single
movement of all people and all things - that's what THEY have gotten out of this.
All WE can do now is pray that it remains in their best interest to leave most of us 
alone to continue shopping and consuming.

-George
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