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| Anarchist Groups at Odds of a Promotional Web Site |
| By Patricia Conklin
Describing a "clash" between opposing factions in North America's anarchist movement, Michael William, writing in the Winter 1998/99 issue of Anarchy magazine, said that a Toronto conference on Active Resistance had witnessed computer usage debates over promoting anarchist viewpoints.
William described the debates as "a further chapter in the debate on the relationship between anarchy and computers." Purists opposed to the Internet cited a report issued by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University. It revealed what many anarchists suspected: "Internet use increases depression and loneliness and decreases interaction with friends and loved ones."
Rosenberg's objections were followed by "strong clapping" and by an "exasperated" rebuttal from another anarchist who mocked his fellows' anti-tech dogmatism. "Why not do away with photo copiers while you're at it," chided the pro-Internet thinker. Because the rules of the Plenary session disallowed decision making, the debate withered at the conference for lack of a proper venue. In previous issues of U.S. anarchist publications, tirades against computer use have, on occasion, appeared. Describing the difficulties of neophytes trying to get on-line, such articles have hoped to discourage non-users from entering cyber-space. Other complaints, including health hazards such as carpal tunnel syndrome, insist that major computer companies provide faulty equipment that—in the next century will be obsolete—leaving behind a trail of cripples. Such soon-to-be-old-fashioned equipment wreaks undue havoc, say opponents, causing unnecessary physical and mental stresses.
Images of anarchists as likely to engage in acts of government computer-sabotage can now be seen, in the wake of much the anarchist movement's anti-tech perspective, in a different light.
Anarchists have not, however, been above celebrating and performing other acts of techno-sabotage. Under the heading "Guerrilla Information Warfare" an earlier issue of Anarchy told how "information terrorists" meddled with New York City traffic signals so that "Walk/Don't Walk" signs spelled out satirical alternative messages such as "Conform/Consume" |
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