Life is busy as of late, so this roundup is a little spartan. But still, read on for some interesting things at the intersection of ecosocialism and ICT. As always I’m sharing articles and thoughts on the problems of digital capitalism, the positive actions of digital ecosocialism, and a look at the systemic side of things and how we can transition from (digital) capitalism to (digital) ecosocialism. My interest is from the angle of reclaiming the stacks – expropriating information and communications technology from Big Tech and returning it to the people.

1. Systems

I’m still interested in qualitative system dynamics modeling as an approach to grappling with digital ecosocialism and how to transition to it. The qualitative system dynamics model used in A leverage points analysis of a qualitative system dynamics model for climate change adaptation in agriculture was built using a triangulation process from individual models. I’m reading more about that in Identifying Strengths and Obstacles to Climate Change Adaptation in the German Agricultural Sector.

For a qualitative system dynamics model of digital capitalism, digital ecosocialism and the transition from one to the other, one might triangulate from a bunch of different existing models that are out there related to digital ecosocialism. Such as:

A new one for the mix that I came across:

Decentralized and rooted in care: envisioning the digital infrastructures of the future

It’s perhaps a bit less defined than some of those previous models, but interesting nonetheless, and with a Latin American slant, so a good perspective to have.

2. Problems

Some problems from digital capitalism recently in the news. To help map them out, I’m tagging them with some of the criteria I defined in my OU research.

The environmental impact of a PlayStation 4. “It is an exquisite, leanly designed machine pulsing with the exploitation of Earth and its people.”
Google won’t repair cracked Pixel Watch screens. Google offers no repair options for cracked Pixel Watch screens.

3. Actions

Philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point, however, is to change it.

– Karl Marx

Some latest news on concrete actions that are part of an ecosocialist ICT movement.

Lots of interesting initiatives in Decentralized and rooted in care: envisioning the digital infrastructures of the future.
Some good right to repair news lately.

4. Inputs

Finally, a few other things I’ve been reading, listening to, and watching that are adjacent to the topics of ecosocialism and ICT.

4.1. Reading

The Double Objective of Democratic Ecosocialism. First I’ve seen Jason Hickel explicitly mention degrowth and ecosocialism together (it’s quite likely that he has before, given his outlook – just first time I’ve noticed it). The prefix of ‘Democratic’ is interesting though. Deliberate positioning with democratic socialism I presume, as opposed to say degrowth communism.
On Technology and Degrowth. Jason Hickel again, on green growth and degrowth. “It should be clear from the above that degrowth is best understood as an element within a broader struggle for ecosocialist (and anti-imperialist) transformation.”

4.2. Listening

Kohei Saito on Degrowth Communism. Degrowth needs communism, communism needs degrowth. Perhaps a stronger version of Hickel’s democratic ecosocialism.
W. Brian Arthur (Part 1) on The History of Complexity Economics
What happens to your waste? with Oliver Franklin-Wallis. Waste, waste streams, and recycling.

5. Until next time

That’s it! See you next month. Until then, you can find latest streams of thoughts over at my website.

7th October 2023

Reclaiming the stacks: September 2023 roundup