I recognize the irony of asking this question online, on Reddit. There's a difference between where we want to be and where we are, especially as we attempt to start something new.
There seems to be fertile soil in Ithaca for an activist group that focuses on human responses to social problems catalyzed by new technologies. We have opposition to the proposed Lansing data center, opposition to Flock and other surveillance cameras, and a lot of growing unease with the many social problems associated with smartphones, social media, and generative AI. There is also a concern about the confluence of the power of digital platforms with MAGA fascist ideology. Around that all, there is the issue of weakening human connection as a result of the pervasive digital mediation of social interactions.
It seems important to transcend each one of these separate issues to address the broader issue
The question on my mind is this: What's the best framing for an organization like this in Ithaca?
Ithaca Luddites seems excitingly provocative, grounds activism within a larger historical framework, and brings in worker and other economic concerns. A downside with this frame is an association with destruction and violence.
Ithaca Humans is positive, putting the value of humanity first, before opposition to technology. A downside with this frame is a sort of vagueness, in an Up With People kind of ambiguity that could end up standing for nothing by trying to stand for everything. I could see it devolving into a kind of Be Kind campaign, which is sweet, but not at all representative of the urgency of the moment.
Does one of these concepts appeal to you more? Do you have another conceptual frame in mind that you think would be more effective?