Chabon on BE

[David Morris]

TAZ.  Not heard of this before, but it is right in line with Pynchon's Zone
in GR, written much earlier, even P's proposed We-system that employs
purposeful illogic as a counter to the prevailing They-system:

The book describes the socio-political tactic of creating temporary spaces
that elude formal structures of
control.[1]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporary_Autonomous_Zone#cite_note-1>
 The essay <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essay> uses various examples from
history <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History> and
philosophy<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy>,
all of which suggest that the best way to create a non-hierarchical system
of social relationships is to concentrate on the present and on releasing
one's own mind from the controlling mechanisms that have been imposed on it.

In the formation of a TAZ, Bey argues, information becomes a key tool that
sneaks into the cracks of formal procedures. A new territory of the moment
is created that is on the boundary line of established regions. Any attempt
at permanence that goes beyond the moment deteriorates to a structured
system that inevitably stifles individual creativity. It is this chance at
creativity that is real empowerment.

On Sunday, October 20, 2013, Rich Clavey wrote:

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporary_Autonomous_Zone
>
> --------------------------------------------
> On Sun, 10/20/13, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com <javascript:;>> wrote:
>
>  Subject: Re: Chabon on BE
>  To: "Rich" <richard.romeo at gmail.com <javascript:;>>
>  Cc: "John Bailey" <sundayjb at gmail.com <javascript:;>>, "Michael Bailey" <
> michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com <javascript:;>>, "P-list" <
> pynchon-l at waste.org <javascript:;>>
>  Date: Sunday, October 20, 2013, 5:56 PM
>
>  But Pynchon's main point about all
>  these Zones is their brief existence.  Small temporary
>  places beyond the reach of enslaving power.  Always to be
>  briefly enjoyed before those spaces are colonized or
>  reclaimed.
>
>
>  On Sunday, October 20, 2013, Rich  wrote:
>  As I've said before
>  Pynchon has left preterite somewheres
>
>
>  On Oct 20, 2013, at 3:21 PM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>  It is an analogy, and
>  only one of many possible zones.  Not that I espouse this
>  kind of zonal paradise.  It just seems Pynchon repeated
>  model.
>
>
>  On Sunday, October 20, 2013, Rich  wrote:
>
>  But what good is it if only accessible by the well
>  connected (haha)?
>
>  Hardly a paradise, no?
>  rich
>  On Oct 20, 2013, at 2:22 AM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>  I think DA is supposed to
>  be internet Zone, anarchy, a place w/o rules or rulers.
>  Pynchon Paradise. What is it "for?"  Wrong
>  question. What for do you want to make it?
>
>
>  David Morris
>
>  On Saturday, October 19, 2013, John Bailey  wrote:
>
>  Yeah, I'm a bit confused about
>  DeepArcher too... as far as I can tell,
>
>  it's a program lodged in the deep web, which as you say
>  is basically
>
>  the "place" where IP addresses aren't
>  connected to DNS so won't show
>
>  up on any search engine, and you need a direct link or
>  knowledge of
>
>  the specific IP address to access it.
>
>
>
>  So that kind of makes sense - DeepArcher is a program with
>  Second
>
>  Life-like aspects that can't be accessed unless you have
>  the key. And
>
>  later on the security of the fortress is compromised, and
>  then the
>
>  gates are just thrown open and it basically leaves the Deep
>  Web and is
>
>  accessible from the surface.
>
>
>
>  What I really don't get is what the *hell* the program
>  is for. A
>
>  Second Life that only a handful of people can get into? And
>  do what?
>
>  The descriptions of Maxine's early journeys around the
>  place make it
>
>  seem like a point-and-click adventure game with no mystery
>  to it or
>
>  reason to play further. Except it has stunning graphics, for
>  the
>
>  era...
>
>
>
>  At first I thought it was a navigation system for travelling
>  through
>
>  the Deep Web but that doesn't really seem right, since
>  it would
>
>  basically be a search engine with graphical interface for
>  finding the
>
>  IP addresses of places that aren't meant to be findable.
>  Which would
>
>  be exactly the thing that would pose a threat to the entire
>  meaning of
>
>  the Deep Web, even if you could erase your footsteps the way
>  DA
>
>  promises.
>
>
>
>  Anyway, maybe that's the point - that this supposedly
>  subversive
>
>  method of total anonymity itself provides the architecture
>  for control
>
>  and surveillance and some sweet home shopping.
>
>
>
>  On Sun, Oct 20, 2013 at 2:04 PM, Michael Bailey
>
>  <michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com>
>  wrote:
>
>  >
>
>  > On Oct 19, 2013 7:09 PM, "Monte Davis" <montedavis at verizon.net> wrote:
>
>  >>
>
>  >> Chabon is careless there. Ernie's capsule
>  history is not *historically*
>
>  >> baseless: yes, DARPA did fund some of the IT
>  research leading to TCP/IP
>
>  >> and
>
>  >> packet switching. And yes, the Cold War
>  justification for that funding
>
>  >> *was*
>
>  >> to develop a network technology that could
>  "work around" servers knocked
>
>  >> out
>
>  >> by enemy attack, so that government could keep
>  communicating.
>
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