poetic technologies ness
via dgi site [https://davidgraeber.institute/imaginary-david-graeber/]:
“By poetic technologies I refer to the use of rational and technical means to bring wild fantasies to reality. Poetic technologies, so understood, are as old as civilization.” — David Graeber
We invite contributions on the broad theme of “imaginary technologies.” What is the relationship between technology and imagination? What does technology mean in a world that could be arranged otherwise?
there’s a legit use of tech (nonjudgmental exponential labeling) to facil the seeming chaos of a global detox leap/dance.. for (blank)’s sake..
ie: whatever for a year.. a legit sabbatical ish transition
We’re not looking for academic articles. We would like work that is intellectually ambitious, and yet very accessible.
Background
Technology is always political. So is the imagination. Many technologies begin as imagined possibilities. Other technologies never take root because of how we imagine them, or fail to imagine them. Even when an imaginary technology never becomes real, it can still unsettle our sense of what is possible.
Actually, all technologies — even the ‘real’ ones we use every day — are partly imaginary. That’s because they are embedded in narratives about what they are for, who uses them, and what kind of world they presume or promise.
Then there is the open secret that everything we make, we could make differently.
and to me.. nothing to date has been legit diff.. because nothing to date has gotten to the root of problem
mufleh humanity law: we have seen advances in every aspect of our lives except our humanity– Luma Mufleh.. et al
legit freedom will only happen if it’s all of us.. and in order to be all of us.. has to be sans any form of measuring, accounting, people telling other people what to do
how we gather in a space is huge.. need to try spaces of permission where people have nothing to prove to facil curiosity (imagination/itch) over decision making.. because the finite set of choices of decision making is unmooring us.. keeping us from us..
ie: imagine if we listen to the itch-in-8b-souls 1st thing everyday & use that data to connect us (tech as it could be.. ai as augmenting interconnectedness)
the thing we’ve not yet tried/seen: the unconditional part of left to own devices ness
[‘in an undisturbed ecosystem ..the individual left to its own devices.. serves the whole’ –dana meadows]
again.. there’s a legit use of tech (nonjudgmental exponential labeling) to facil the seeming chaos of a global detox leap/dance.. for (blank)’s sake..
ie: whatever for a year.. a legit sabbatical ish transition
otherwise we’ll keep perpetuating the same song.. the whac-a-mole-ing ness of sea world.. of not-us ness.. of part\ial ness.. perpetuating survival triage.. for (blank)’s sake..
Some ideas
We want articles and other things responding to the theme of ‘imaginary technologies.’* Can we imagine technologies that help us do less — not more — of things we don’t like doing? Can we imagine technologies that make us freer, rather than more efficient? If bullshit jobs produce bullshit tools, **what kinds of tools might emerge from lives full of meaning and care? ***Can you imagine a technology that nobody has ever imagined before? If we didn’t have AI, what would we have instead? ****Should the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) spectrum extend into negative numbers? Could there be an alternative TRL spectrum?
*tech as it could be
**to me.. rather than ie: naming the colour ness (of ie: meaning ness and care ness).. let’s try full of whatever ness.. full of legit freedom ness.. aka: full of the dance ness
***again.. a legit use of tech (nonjudgmental exponential labeling) to facil the seeming chaos of a global detox leap/dance.. for (blank)’s sake..
ie: whatever for a year.. a legit sabbatical ish transition
****rather beyond neg numbers.. into imaginary number ness.. aka: sans spectrum/number ness.. because ie: lit & num as colonialism et al.. carhart-harris entropy law et al..
Are some technologies more reliant on human belief than others, and why? What if some of the most influential technologies are the ones that never worked … do some technologies actually function through never quite being invented? Sometimes the imaginary is a space where conflict plays out so that it doesn’t have to play out in reality (except when it does). Can we imagine what technologies are worth imagining, even if they aren’t worth making?
again.. mufleh humanity law et al
*What old technologies need to be revived or repurposed? What about technologies based on friendship, or on the small everyday acts of communism within communities and even among strangers — what might they be like? How might the Global South invent technologies that undo rather than redo colonialism? What have been some of the bigger (so far) imaginary technologies of recent years, technologies like commercial nuclear fusion, geoengineering, de-extinction, and how have they arranged relationships among people?
*whatever is already on each heart.. aka: missing pieces; itch-in-the-soul; curiosity over decision making; et al
Guidelines
We like writing that is focused on change. *We especially like writing that is big, bold, erudite, and accessible. We are open to theoretical articles, polemics, manifestos, practical guides, design fiction, aphorisms, convivial or poetic takes on emerging tech phenomena, field notes, speculative prototypes, literary criticism, imaginary readme.txt files or model cards, Africanfuturist and other -futurist interventions, visual essays, science fiction, reuser manuals, diagrams, dialogues, correspondences, or any kind of intervention that helps reimagine technology, re-technologise our imaginations, or arrange things differently.
*we need a problem deep enough to resonate w/8b today.. via a mechanism simple enough to be accessible/usable to 8b today.. in an ecosystem open enough to set/keep 8b legit free
ie: org around a problem deep enough (aka: org around legit needs) to resonate w/8b today.. via a mechanism simple enough (aka: tech as it could be) to be accessible/usable to 8b today.. and an ecosystem open enough (aka: sans any form of m\a\p) to set/keep 8b legit free
thinking restate/update 7.18.. and 2\ short findings restate in 2019
1\ undisturbed ecosystem (common\ing) can happen
2\ if we create a way to ground the seeming chaos of 8b legit free people
findings from on the ground ness:
1\ undisturbed ecosystem (common\ing) can happen
2\ if we create a way to facil the seeming chaos of 8b legit free people
Submissions should be 1,000-6,000 words unless otherwise arranged. The deadline for the first issue is February 2026.
via google:
“Poetic technologies” usually refers to *a design philosophy aiming to infuse technology with meaning, emotion, and human connection, rather than just efficiency. It is distinct from POET Technologies, a company developing opto-electronic solutions, or Poetic Technologies UG, a creative collective. **Key concepts include “poetic technology” as a counter to hyper-connectivity, featuring tools that create moments of serendipity and “there, there” in the digital age. POET Technologies +2
*rather.. infuse tech with legit imagination.. aka: itch-in-the-soul.. human connection.. sans any efficiency ness (again.. rather carhart-harris entropy law ness)
ie: art (by day/light) and sleep (by night/dark) as global re\set.. to fittingness (undisturbed ecosystem)
we keep disturbing the ecosystem because we can’t seem to let go enough to see/try the unconditional part of left to own devices ness
**humanity needs a leap.. to get back/to simultaneous spontaneity .. simultaneous fittingness.. everyone in sync.. the dance of an undisturbed ecosystem
Key Associations with “Poetic Technology”
- Concept/Philosophy: It focuses on poetic technology as a concept to balance technological innovation with human experience, sometimes highlighting tools like Twitter for “magical encounters” and expression.
today we can.. and so we can’t not.. go deeper.. ie: imagine if we listen to the itch-in-8b-souls 1st thing everyday & use that data to connect us
- Creative Practice: Related to digital, visual, and kinetic poetry, where digital tools are used to create, display, or generate poetic works
rather.. simply tech as it could be.. ai as augmenting interconnectedness
- Educational Context: Mention of the School of Poetic Computation, an artist-run school that focuses on poetic and artistic
oooof.. supposed to’s of school/work et al .. rather.. need to let go of any form of measuring, accounting, people telling other people what to do
Note: There is no single Wikipedia article titled “Poetic Technologies.” The information above is drawn from broader Wikipedia topics on technology, electronic literature, and external articles discussing the concept
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nika on poetic techs et al
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be you. 