Re: [libreplanet-discuss] interview with Noam Chomsky

[Kẏra]

On Thu, 2013-01-10 at 23:06 +0200, Mats Sjöberg wrote:
> On Tue, Jan 08, 2013 at 10:29:35PM -0500, Quiliro Ordóñez wrote:
> > I have the oportunity to make an interview to Noam Chomsky. What
> > questions would you ask him? (I will name you if you want.)
> 
> I remember hearing Richard Stallman telling that he had asked Noam
> Chomsky about free software, and he didn't seem interested or
> understand the issue.  I'm not sure where i heard this, it might have
> been the recent interview on HPR[1] (I'm too lazy to relisten to it
> now and locate the point :).  Unless things have changed since then,
> Chomsky may not understand and see the relevance of free software, so
> I'm not sure how approach him with a question about that.
> 
> Perhaps a starting point would be presenting the idea of user control
> of digital communications and computing becoming crucial in today's
> world, especially for political activists.  Today's digital networks
> and personal computing can have both an empowering tendency, and one
> of increased top-down control and surveillance.  Free software is one
> important strategy to help achieve the first one.  A question could be
> crafted around that...  not exactly sure how to phrase it, though :)
> 
> 1: http://hackerpublicradio.org/eps.php?id=1116
> 
> 

This is definitely true of my experience communicating with Noam. Lots
of people contact him about lots of specific issues, but he has no time
to learn about all of them. 

If you can explain free software in 5 minutes flat, spend 5 minutes
working out what he doesn't understand, and manage to get some sort of
endorsement out of him, that would be great. 

I would tie it into his previous work, like manufacturing consent. Talk
about how software mediates every aspect of our lives, and when other
people have control over our software, they have control over us. 

My 2c