CBrajkovich Ramblings

If you’re on the Internet, then you probably know the story of Aaron Swartz. If not, do yourself a favor and go find out about the very important work that he was doing with so many other Internet guardians. Then find out how his very young life was cut too short before he could do more good that this world so desperately needs. You’ll hear both sides of the story, with many calling him a hacker without truly understanding that hacking has many different hats and reasons (some good and some not so much, though all valuable lessons). Many of us believe that hacking is actually something that can work in all aspects of our life when the motivation is about rebuilding for the better, pure and simple. Unfortunately, people in power see hacking as a black and white term denoting illegality without the nuances of understanding that nothing only ever has two sides…even the law… because it has a back story which is where the important information is hidden. Especially when it benefits those who only push for the black and white approach to life.

All of you (and me) who use the Internet need to be aware at just how far off the path of good legislation for the Internet has gone. This is (and apparently always has been) about control pure and simple. The Internet is another source of power that enables control on a global scale. Our institutions and governments do not see it in this digital domain in the same manner that we do, as a means to protect democracy. People see it as a Land of the Free, and are quite capable of wrangling in the uncontrollable when it harms the greater good. Organizations see it as a means to generate more for themselves, with little thought about common good. Which way you see it is up to you, but how it’s protected is up to us all…together. Because currently, status quo has a negative batting average if you’re following the news.

Read about the latest of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), and then look carefully at the news to see how our leaders treat OUR world. Here’s a sample:

• US Travel Restrictions to Cuba doesn’t stop a visit by a celebrity couple, and certain politicians don’t like it – from the Guardian UK
• Greece is once again in the Troika’s target – another from the Guardian UK
• ICIJ’s coverage of the Global Offshore Money Maze – Secrecy For Sale
• India’s Red Brigade – from the Guardian UK

Notice a trend in just a few day’s worth of small-scoped news? People are finally stepping up to the plate and questioning this ongoing belief that everything in existence is meant to stay the same perpetually. Nothing is meant to stay the same. NOTHING! Look at our planet and our universe. They are continually evolving, with the old moving out of the way for the new. Not being eliminated but reconstituted into something better because it is learning from its history. That is how all of life exists. And that is what hacking is about, and what Aaron (and many others ) stand up for.

These stories are all related because we all share one life on one tiny planet. And that means that this ME mentality needs to shift now. If our institutions are failing, it’s partially because we are not involved in them as we should be. Removing the bad aspects. Using our knowledge to make our society better for the whole. THAT is what Aaron would have wanted each and every one of us to do. Learn and create. Rebuild so that more people benefit, and not just the few.

There are lots of people grumbling because certain peoples won’t just follow the norm. They are comfortable with their lot. Those who aren’t…well, they’re hacking with the skills that they have:

• Building communities for business and social – Read more from Yes Magazine and Marjorie Kelly
• Online Activism can teach so that we can move forward and not backwards – read a brief synopsis of Internet Activism on Wikipedia
• We can talk to one another in a global online and active conversation that might just inspire the next big seismic quake that will change the world (like Reddit and many online blogs and forums)
• Even kids around the world are aware of the dangers that we ourselves create and are moving to spread smart change – remember Severn Suzuki from way before we hit 7 billion with so little changing because of status quo

The next few days, you’ll be seeing another digital quake trying to awaken us all as we attempt to put the spotlight on the disaster known as the CFAA. Read more about it on Techdirt, EFF, and CDT to name a few authorities on the subject. Because this won’t stop until we make our voices heard together and offer a viable alternative that has nothing to do with blind profit-mongering. We are no longer able to just stand on the sidelines and lament about how nothing will ever change. It’s up to each and every one of us to show an interest in all aspects of life! This is important: CFAA goes too far, so click on the badge above to take you to Fix The CFAA.

Perspective. Dan has a brilliant understanding of just what ails social business. Because we focus exclusively on money and how it’s used, we continually limit just how much change we’re capable of bringing about. He quoted that charitable giving is stuck at 2% since we first started to measure it in the US. Considering that we’re considered a wealthy country (though we now know this to be unequal), that is a frighteningly small number when compared to the population size – especially the population that understands the importance of non-profit organizations. Listening to Dan lay out his argument of just how skewed our view of charity really is, we need to change our perspective towards a healthier view that allows for proper growth that can help solve the multitude of problems that exist in our world. Because when you look around at our world, it’s evident that change is desperately needed.

What percentage of my donation goes to the cause rather than the overhead?

Dan considers this to be the single most dangerous question that we ask when we give money to charity. We do indeed see overhead as something that should continually decrease so that our share of the pie will increase (or so more money goes to the actual cause, as we all like to exclaim out loud). But if we’re only concerned about our own share, then are we really seeing that there are so many others who also deserve a share of this pie? How fair is it that for-profit organizations can spend money for the glittery PR campaigns that make them look successful, while the same style of campaign in the non-profit world would only bring derision from those who thrive on demolishing any chance of real change?

Today, there are so many people out there who are willing to dream of a change that really solves problems. And many of them are going toward callings that won’t be paid enormous amounts of money. But the sad thing is that there will always be someone out there who questions the sanity of those who don’t pursue the most reward for their efforts. As long as we only concentrate on ME, there’s little chance that WE will all live in equal prosperity.

So how do we get business as usual to change, so that it stops destroying true opportunities that rarely make it past their infancy? Whoever discovers that answer will truly be a hero to the world. Much like Dan Pallota and those like him already are. Thank goodness for such people who inspire. Because this group needs to expand much faster to tackle the innovations that are waiting to be discovered so that change not only takes firm root, but also flourishes. Social business is not like any business, and deserves its own chances of success. Because their profit isn’t linked to stock values, but to the value of life itself.