1. Utopian vs dystopian visions JUS 394: IT & SOCIAL JUSTICE at arizona state university tempe, january 29th, 2007 professor: merlyna lim

5. UTOPIA Eu-topos: denoting a region of happiness and perfection Ou-topos: naming a region that nowhere exists. “ GOOD PLACE” Utopia as a possible response given to anxieties and pessimistic perspectives as well as to unsatisfied hopes and dreams of people, predominantly epitomizes an ideal and desired place which more or less sharply contrasts to the 'hic et nunc' of the place of reality.

7. UTOPIA: A society or place that is perfect or ideal Technological utopianism is a form of analyses that places the use of some specific technology; computers, nuclear energy, or low-energy low-impact technologies as the central enabling element of a utopian vision. Technological utopianism does not refer to a set of technologies. It refers to analyses in which the use of specific technologies plays a key role in shaping a utopian social vision in which their use easily makes life enchanting and liberating for nearly everyone.

8. DYSTOPIA A society or place whose imperfection is perfect or who's evil is ideal In contrast, technological anti-utopianism examines how certain broad families of technology facilitate a social order that is relentlessly harsh, destructive, and miserable.

11. believe it or not......... futurists tend to repeat the same utopian narrative..... for each and every emerging technology........

12. Does it not mean the breakdown of artificial national barriers and the welding of humanity into one composite whole? Does it not mean that each is given a chance to comprehend the significance of national and international affairs, and that all the evils of jealousy and hatred being thus displayed before the world will no longer fester, but be cleansed by the antiseptic of common understanding and common sense?

13. Does it not mean the breakdown of artificial national barriers and the welding of humanity into one composite whole? Does it not mean that each is given a chance to comprehend the significance of national and international affairs, and that all the evils of jealousy and hatred being thus displayed before the world will no longer fester, but be cleansed by the antiseptic of common understanding and common sense? Radio (Lewis, 1924: 144)

14. When we entered Cambridge [Mass. USA] we found an apathetic, dispirited community, afraid to discuss its problems. In the past few weeks we have watched a ferment grow in this town. We have watched people as they began to talk about their problems in the open - for the first time. This talk need not, and must not, end with the .......................

15. When we entered Cambridge [Mass. USA] we found an apathetic, dispirited community, afraid to discuss its problems. In the past few weeks we have watched a ferment grow in this town. We have watched people as they began to talk about their problems in the open - for the first time. This talk need not, and must not, end with the television program Community television (Siepmann, 1952)

16. ………………… .. will be subversive to any group, bureaucracy or individual which feels threatened by a coalescing of grassroots consciousness. Because not only does decentralised …………………. serve as an early warning system, it puts people in touch with each other about common grievances.

17. Community video will be subversive to any group, bureaucracy or individual which feels threatened by a coalescing of grassroots consciousness. Because not only does decentralised community video serve as an early warning system, it puts people in touch with each other about common grievances. Community video (Shamburg, 1971)

18. ………… ...: the awakening of a new era. The town comes into the village, the village comes into the town, the separation comes to an end, town and village merge more and more. ………………………………………, that is the new time with richer, broader and more mobile civilisation, a back to nature which however, keeps all advantages of culture.

19. The bicycle: the awakening of a new era. The town comes into the village, the village comes into the town, the separation comes to an end, town and village merge more and more. Cyclisation: the era of the bicycle, that is the new time with richer, broader and more mobile civilisation, a back to nature which however, keeps all advantages of culture . (Schroderin about 1873, quoted by Timm, 1984:149)

22. Technology is socially constructed • Technological determinism: T drives history NO! • Technology is neutral: effects depend on chosen use (“guns don’t kill people, people do”) NO! • Technology is socially constructed: – The technology could have been otherwise – All technologies embody social and political contingency e.g. design decisions reflect social, political, economic circumstances – Artefacts have politics; politics are inscribed in technology so that technology appears neutral. – What we think are choices are actually responses to a socially and politically impregnated technology