If Socrates and Leonardo Da Vinci were alive today today and decided to build a collaborative website with their friend William Blake to innovate education into edupunk and make money doing it … How’d they go about it? We wanted to find out so we hacked their etherchat-channel. Sadly, William wasn’t logged in.
Socrates: Some of my own thinking go along the lines of a simple gamification of contributer content, building on our meme ‘that which is most recent is your pitch, that which is current is your product, that which is old is your brand’…
Leonardo: I like it
Socrates: Most recent 3 entries are free. Then up to 3 categories of weekly webinars (individually user defined subscription/payment system) are paid. All older material (and raw source files) are also free (some with and some without subscrption)
Socrates: “The past is your brand, the present your pitch and the future your project.”
Socrates: /product/artwork/whatever
Socrates: Open source business. Trialogues are simply behind-the-scenes brainstorms
Leonardo: we need a means by which we can become a trusted provider of content such that our ideas carry weight and recognition, in the same way that academics who contribute to wikipedia are now being looked upon favourably
Socrates: Contributors, collaborators and colleagues coalesce, confidently combining cool creative computercapabilities.
Socrates: Something somesuch
Leonardo: community reciprocality, like this (http://flattr.com) but for social capital
Leonardo: in fact flattr is similar to http://togethr.at
Socrates: Man once, we combine the first decent example of all these ideas we can sell just the knowledge. Many people will only consider switching to a complete new wave system when it is demonstrated to them
Leonardo: zactly, nothing speaks louder than success
Leonardo: combine these ideas with your civic experiment and boom
Leonardo: breaking news: we’ve created a new model for civilization
Socrates: LOL. Scoop.it!
Socrates: There must be many like us, now that people are more naturally connecting. We are probably, as a group, well ahead of the game – but we are also sometimes (in that regard) maybe too early on the ball (or we may become, with approprite audience). Also. There are so many people having great ideas and starting new projects out there. Totally semantic overload. Whether designed agenda (unlike) or approaching similary, we (as a humanity) seem to do a lot to drown each other out
Socrates: Maybe it’s just an effect of urbanisation, hybridization and matrixification
Leonardo: we are certainly “niche” and it hard in a lot of cases to articulate the clarity of a vision needed to influence enough people
Leonardo: I mean just look at Terrence McKenna
Leonardo: he was way ahead of his time
Leonardo: his ideas make more sense today than they did back in the 80′s and 90′s
Leonardo: given the ground that our group is traversing I think what may be of key importance is actually location
Leonardo: both online and offline
Socrates: Interesting. More?
Leonardo: different places have different infrastructures which ultimately affect peoples understanding of their enviornments and what can and can’t be done
Leonardo: i had a mushroom trip that got me thinking about cultural evolution
Leonardo: ofc. it is happening fastest where information flows are fastest
Leonardo: i.e. twitter is the engine of culture (memes) in some sense
Leonardo: but offline it is cities where people are evolving fastest (culturally)
Socrates: Ahhyes
Leonardo: given the discussion I had with William about economics and corporate protectionism I actually think that think kind of futuristic cities we’ve read about may well appear in unexpected places
Leonardo: case in point… Chile
Leonardo: really big on future tech right now
Leonardo: and space industry
Leonardo: lots of natural resources
Socrates: I hadn’t at all kept apraised of that. Thanks
Socrates: Something to build on… for sure
Leonardo: anywho, as Steve Keen said… “politics is too important for politicians and economics is too important for economists”… as europeans shipwrecked with leaders who are running us into oblivion the pressure is on ordinary people to self-organize and create a new society from the ground up
Leonardo: it’s not that we are in competition with them
Leonardo: but rather they will not act unless the people do
Leonardo: the vision has to come from the people
Leonardo: not the state or corporations
Socrates: SPOT ON
Leonardo: 4th sector hybrids are the way to go
Leonardo: social enterprise / co-operatives etc
Leonardo: in light of “technological unemployment” the stability of society depends upon wealth redistribution
Leonardo: we are already in the singularity (the curve atleast)
Leonardo: we are already experiencing the effects
Socrates: Yep. I feel it a little more each day. It’s almost become the hardest thing to believe that one will just live each and every day through it, learning a little more, loving and longing and that all the incredible things will seem like ‘sure, ofc its already here’ when we hear they already happened 
Leonardo: yep, it’s amazing. I was watching a review of news from 2011 today and was thinking how it is only going to get more erratic
Leonardo: mckenna was spot on with that assumption
Leonardo: we are riding the wave of novelty
Socrates: Yep. Dream up a newboard and you’re set.
Socrates: One of the points I mentioned in a previous video: If there is a novelty attractor, then the not only most holistic strategy, but also the one with the greates universal change of longevity would be to tunee in and ride those flows, transforming as much as we can
Leonardo: absolutely and we can see this happening already if you look at the propensity of information to free itself from control. A living system needs diversity to be healthy
Leonardo: our evolution into the translinguistic substrate is through the emerging lifeform of the internet
Leonardo: and by choice it excludes none
Socrates: “We are anonymous” explained
Leonardo: if the internet can be viewed as a superorganism then it is beyond control
Leonardo: you cannot create superintelligene and lock it away
Leonardo: it is omnipresent
Socrates: It is indeed
Leonardo: I think we will see some rather interesting iRobot situations appear within our lifetime
Leonardo: suddenly the AI will decide to upgrade the energy system of the planet into 100% renewable energy for example
Leonardo: it could happen very quickly with super AI
Leonardo: as we become more transhuman the danger to human life is actually computer viruses
Leonardo: imagine having a virus which destroyed your cerebral implants
Leonardo: nanovirus
Leonardo: I also think that another interesting thing to think about is surveillance
Leonardo: we are the watchman watching the watchmen
Leonardo: “the transparent society”
Leonardo: even governments can’t hide
Leonardo: they are rendered obsolete by their habitual ways of deceit
Leonardo: people self-police through AI and collective intelligence
Leonardo: panarchy
Leonardo: the main force obstructing this is corporatism imo
Leonardo: in fact corporatism is a loaded gun pointed at the face of the planet
Socrates: ‘Nuff said
In this dialogue Miles and Jakob cover the general points online scientists, artists, companies and startups needs to be aware of when opting to become internationally future ready. Use the slideshow to choose the headline and watch the video which best suits your business paradigm. If you haven’t had enough from the seven clips below then watch the end of the dialogue discusssing the immediate future here.
This post is meant as constructive criticism and relevant questions to the video presentation below by Peter Joseph + team (PJ). It claims to be an introduction, and as such, perhaps one can excuse the prevalence of unsupported claims, rather than evidence-based arguments. Still, people I respect have suggested me the video and so I re-watched it, to be able to engage in reasoned dialogue with them about this presentation of the thinking behind Resource Based Economy (RBE).
The slideshow holds questions and comments to the content of the presentation, while my general comments regarding the video as an example of a brief online lecture are below. The intended use of this versus player essay is scrolling through the slides and pausing the PJ video, when you come to each quote, to read my criticism and consider the questions. My aim is to understand the possible benefits of a Resource Based Economy, so the questions are those I’d really like answered by people who claim to be able to explicate this stuff.
I believe I agree with PJ that we should all engage in a process of becoming more aware of our world and come to greater understanding of it, so that we can learn ourselves and teach our children to live more sustainably. However, the relevance of this debate in any age lies in it’s ability to let immediate, intermediate, constructive and implementable solutions come to the fore.
General comments
There is a general problem with the rhetoric of this presentation. ‘Science’ is not truth, as it is posited here. It is difficult to agree on a universal definition. I would suggest that ‘science’ is an anachronistic amalgamation of the imperfect constants, terms, tools and models we have in use today.
PJs presentation of the ‘scientific method’ shows a lack of understanding of how what we call science has come to exist at this stage in time. Also it generalises and marginalises other systems of thought. In short – it espouses ‘science’ as a religion dogma – COMPLETELY without explaining what this ‘science’ is. This is a major problem for the internal logic of this presentation. Also, PJ relies on sweeping generalizations and unsupported (within this presentation) claims.
This presentation, one must then assume, has a target audience of people who do not themselves understand much about the development of paradigms throughout the history of science or history in general; people who are not trained in critical thinking and analysis and people who are comfortable with living within a system where their governing truths are out of their league of questioning. It has a strong emotional appeal, trough powerful imagery and narration, presumably to attract people who would be ready ready to invest in an outside authority of perceived ‘scientific rationality’ (The Venus Project) and hoped-for benevolence (The Zeitgeist Movement).
In conclusion, I must say that this video presentation mainly raises questions for me. It presupposes many things and makes so many unsupported claims that it is difficult for me to see how it can further a debate on sustainable human living. Several people I respect for their personal commitment to wanting to help achieve a better world seem to think a Resource Based Economy is the answer. Why? What is it I’m missing here? Can someone please explain?
For those interested in Soul United’s ideas on the state of the world and which solutions could be fruitfully implemented, see our Basic Social Economics videos. If you wish to learn more about how to engage critically with online material, you could start by checking out a few videos by Douglas Rushkoff.
Soul United is undergoing transformation. Constantly. Like all entities resonating in timespace. We try to let our local and global webpages reflect this fact so that the forward motion becomes transparent to all. Following some of the links in this post will have you flipping between both. We have had to develop our open source business principles to the point where our business has become to produce free, beta-state, ‘dogme-like‘ interactive online material.
Rip, mix and share
Our work has become a real-time, ‘behind-the-scenes’ documentary project illustrating the process of drawing these diverse ideas and philosophies together and building a network to disseminate them. This post is a quick catalogue of synergies, partners and projects that we have not yet found the time to present in a more inclusive format on either the Danish or our international site. It is also a callout to anyone interested in spreading the word, chipping in or becoming part of this open source experiment. We need each other. You found us - think that was just random coincidence?
Partnerships of Potency
We have initiated collaboration with several individuals deeply involved in community management, paradigm shifts and alternative media. Claus Skytte, Miles Hingston (youtube channel), Chris Moore, Troels Ketel Nørballe, Francoiscamera (youtube channel), Christian Kock and Asta Wellejus? are among our most future ready collaborators. We have also agreed on a ‘partnership of intention’ with Scandinavian Media Association.
Connecting the Dots
We arranged for the documentation of the IRL absurd theatre play ‘Winwin’ with 770 degrees Celsius and in the process of editing the material for promotion of their future plays. We attended Niels Harrits lecture at Valby Kulturhus and networked. We have appeared twice on America Freedom Radio’s ‘The Vinny Eastwood Show‘ and have invested social capital and presence in the crowdsourced Compass Bar.
Learning by Just Doing It
On the front of education paradigm shifts Jakob has become editor of ArkenTV and their virtual presence. We look forward to demonstrating true future ready academia. Teased and uncut. We have also consulted the startup vocation agency Vocare on their communication strategies. We are working to secure office space at KPH Projects.
Lyrics of Love
The dreams and ideals we try to humbly avatar through Soul United are timeless and resonate on many levels. Anders Justian has just now independently released his first album with a river of songs that inspired the ambitions, gratitude (and lyrics) of the oft too perfectionistally equilibrist co-founder of this journey. Listen here to some of the Mythical Dualities if you like to breathe music while you learn more.
Slipstream of Synergies
We have had great success, both locally and internationally, in finding interesting citizens to engage in dialogue. We interview people all over the world in many fields, who are working on projects involving changing paradigms within the tensionfield between technology and philosophy. We would like to present all the works in a full documentary storyboard format, like we did our dialogues with Thomas Sheridan. But we have had to develop this minimal format in order to have time to engage more people.
Projects Practically Planned
Right now we are putting together in realtime a symposion on the upcoming Danish National Elections. After that, we will direct our focus towards presenting the tools and methods we are developing by combining existing open source software. We need to produce open source introduction videos to the following concepts: Conference Caller, Versus Player, Gauntlet player, Lovedrop, Bluebook and Livedrop. We sample research from diverse fields to projects current internet trends into the future and describe the types of community communication software and habits that will become increasingly popular.
The HUM
Low-tech, peer2peer production and exchange of material is becoming ever more prevalent. Our method is to describe how these types of future products and services can be approximated using open source technologies of today and then encourage key companies, communities and individuals, using qualitative marketing to invest time and resources into their further development. Direct, two-way, authentic communication; open source projects; local, crowdsourced innovation and evolutionary empowerment are the ways of getting future ready.
In a few hours we will be at Iværksættermessen in Forum. After that we will gather intelligence from the streets by attending Folkenihilistisk Vælgermøde. Soul United are principles manifesting when people come together in dialogue. Please contact us if you have information or social capital to contribute.
I was gifted a Skype contact by Chris Moore yesterday, Eliot Curtis of the UK (no other info). So I approach him professionally and asks if he wants to have a talk. ‘ye why not’ being his succinct answer. What follows was an opening of source like few I have witnessed. The unlikeliest and most heartwarming of stories unfolds and lets itself be known. Eliot is a very inspiring everyman, who has embraced all that new perspectives can grant and received great wisdom and powers from it. Such a pleasure to be gently upgraded in this way. Thank you Eliot. Watch the entire 68 minute dialogue on youtube here. This dialogue is presented only in the minimal format, of our Versus Player demonstration of a documentary education storyboard.
Jakob Steen Madsen hosts this trialogue with Miles Hingston and Pelle Esbensen in an attempt to tease out deep perspectives of all the many new incarnations of old phenomena that increasingly people our world. Find out how you can tap into shamanic power, balance your online and IRL presences, outsource your knowledge base into communities of trust and become a famous, archetypal, everyday hero of the 21st century. Watch the entire 90 minute trialogue here. This trialogue is presented only in the minimal format, of our Versus Player demonstration of a documentary education storyboard.
These six teaser videos of the trialogue covers the basics you will need if you consider yourself up to the task of being the programmer of your own future. From the cutting edge of our combined research we allow the conversation to flow freely and take on aspects that we could not have scripted beforehand. As this is to be considered a work in progress we have not had time to post links to all the resources mentioned.
We truly wish we could have brought you this material in better quality, but we surrender it here to your hungry minds in trust that the content will be worth your time and you’ll find the authenticity of the intentions helpful. We are in the continued process of learning to use these tools to best advantage and we only insist on sharing our open source experiment.
Jakob Steen Madsen hosts this trialogue with Miles Hingston and Pelle Esbensen in an attempt to tease out deep perspectives of all the many new incarnations of old phenomena that increasingly people our world. Find out how you can tap into shamanic power, balance your online and IRL presences, outsource your knowledge base into communities of trust and become a famous, archetypal, everyday hero of the 21st century. Watch the entire 90 minute trialogue here. This trialogue is presented only in the minimal format, of our Versus Player demonstration of a documentary education storyboard.
These six teaser videos of the trialogue covers the basics you will need if you consider yourself up to the task of being the programmer of your own future. From the cutting edge of our combined research we allow the conversation to flow freely and take on aspects that we could not have scripted beforehand. As this is to be considered a work in progress we have not had time to post links to all the resources mentioned.
We truly wish we could have brought you this material in better quality, but we surrender it here to your hungry minds in trust that the content will be worth your time and you’ll find the authenticity of the intentions helpful. We are in the continued process of learning to use these tools to best advantage and we only insist on sharing our open source experiment.
Jakob Madsen is forging ahead on the international scene, entering into dialogue after dialogue with established scholars, sharpening the intentions and core message of Soul United each step of the way. Here is yesterday’s discussion with Brien Foerster of Hidden Inca Tours about his research and the dissemination of his discoveries. The video quality of this call is a bit grainy (direct connection from Peru), but the audio is crystal clear and the content is truly exclusive.
Brien has recently appeared on the TV show Ancient Aliens along with a line of other scholars which fall into Soul United’s Player category. Watch the entire 84 minute dialogue on youtube, or let a teaser clip or two pique your interest. Top left clip concerns modern shamanism and Briens background. Top right is about Thor Heyerdahl, his legacy and how one can use online media with open source intention. The bottom left clip is about the value of dialogues and two-way information technology when you ‘just do it’. Bottom right clip mentions Stephen Mehler, Graham Hancock and Robert Bauval (as well as other scholars) and upcoming documentary collaborations among independent researchers and established academics.
Jakob here enters into dialogue with Miles Hingston, a cutting edge online research communicator with a unique style and great range to his polymath studies. Miles actually represent what we consider one of the finest examples of open source (and FAST) development process to his intention, his use of communication technology and his changing interest and insights. He’s contactable, open, easy and conscious of the value of his time. Miles’ webpage and youtube channel demonstrate this amply. Watch the entire 2 hour dialogue on youtube or at least let these clips tease you into asking yourself WHY NOT?! on your infostream journey, listen in on shamans talking unscripted about our time for a little while today? (The sound in the later part of the call has an echo effect, we regret this, since the content is well worth listening to and we have upgrade our procedures to ensure that this does not happen again).
This is the third dialogue between Thomas Sheridan and Jakob Madsen which forms the basis of this documentary project. It is also, in my opinion, the best of the three dialogues, which makes it one of the most worthwhile presentations of information I have ever been privy to. Many of the topics of the previous two dialogues are explained here in greater depth. This post concludes phase one of our documentary project with Thomas. The complete presentation of the three dialogues together form an example of a new type of interactive teaching or self-study aid.
By making the original recorded skype dialogue available not just in it’s full length on youtube, but also as a complete chronological storyboard and with a teaser post like this highlighting the most important parts, you make the material easily accessible and digestible for many. The slides with their notes and hyperlinks makes it easy to get an overview of the topics of each clip and begin your own further research. The whole point of this type of postproduction is to encourage the viewer to interact with the material presented and not just receive passively. Here you can access the first, second or third dialogue post.
We are well aware that the sound quality of these clips are not up to professional standards and that you could employ things like background music and visual effects to keep viewer attention. We believe that it is the combination of the value of the content in combination with the transparency of the underlying intention which will be crucial to the communication of the future. So we have made these examples to demonstrate what is already possible to produce with free software and cheap hardware.
The only expenses we have incured in this production are the volunteer manhours we have invested. That said, if you get any value from work that we produce we really need your help and support to continue and expand our vision. Comment, repost, contact us, donate your time or invest your money in our work and learn about our methods by collaborating with us on a project. All financial support we receive at this point will be spent on necessary gear for the volunteers. Soul United exists to creatively help enhance value creation.
