T.A.Z. the net and the web
Archie Austin Wallace (aaw5a@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU)
Wed, 3 Apr 1996 15:06:06 -0500 (EST)
Hakim Bey's article "The Net and the Web" raises an interesting point
about the future of "the Net." (the net in his essay is not confined to
merely computer manifestations of the net, but rather a more broadly
defined notion of anysort of data exchange) Bey concludes that for the
net to survive, webs must exist and thrive. These webs are not
necesarrily akin to the WWW, but rather any form of "alternat[ive]
horizontal open structure of information-exchange, the non-hierarchical
network" Thus, for the net to survive, the non-hierarchical element must
thrive. He argues against a kind of Marxist critique of the net
which suggests that the WWW (as an example of the net and a
non-hierarchical network)and the net in general is collapsing.
With more and more corporate entities supplying "information" to the web,
the web is turning into a hierarchical billboard, and indeed some do
believe this to be the end of the web. The corporate execs,
flood the web with thier "info" (about their products) and distribute it
to the average proletariate web-sailer. By having access to mass-market
advertisement of their "info" the corporate/State entities make their
information easily accesible and exercise some modicum of control over
the web. Contrarily, the average web-sailer who wishes to take control
over the means of production, disseminating their own information (home
pages etc.), must advertise their site. To do so and actually reach
someone else, one must go through one of the search engines (Yahoo, Alta
Vista etc.). Such engines are the hierarchical in their use of editing
content or filtering. THus, the idea of the proletariate assuming
control is illusory, it is only within the framework of a hierarchical
apparatus. Bey answers this critique with a gloss of chaos theory to try
and explain the ever-changing nature of the net. If the net is
ever-changing, then the web will forever change, possibly allowing for
the Temporary Autonomous Zones he theorizes are necessary and desireable
for the continued growth of the net. I wonder, however, can the net
change that much? Or is it limited in its content by its structure. Even
though it is decentered and amorphous, won't it allways have some sort of
hierarchy that dictates, to some extent, its content.? Then there is
external pressure, namely government or religious entitites that might
try to empose a hierarchy on it. Is the notion of the T.A.Z.
unreasonably idealistic? Is it necessary?Lastly, why should we care? So
what if the net is hierarchical etc.? Information exchange has existed since humans
began to talk and has survived pretty well, despite any forms imposed
upon it. Why do we care at all?