Piratpartiets renässans
kincentricity in the "open" artificial intelligence age
“Piratpartiets renässans” – The Renaissance of the Pirate Party
Reconnecting
After decades of intellectual property lawsuits, institutional artificial intelligence has managed to plagiarize almost the entire work of humanity. Back in the dot com era, the heavy handed crack down on digital piracy movements set a dystopian precedent for our current artificial intelligence reality. Today, the legal double standard for the likes of OpenAI betrays the pirate party’s founding intentions of decentralization. To preserve autonomy against AI, lo-tek futures must redefine themselves as kincentric1 as opposed to the current emphasis on knowledge which AI may eventually absorb.
"Kincentric" refers to a worldview, often found in Indigenous traditions, where humans and the natural world are seen as part of an extended ecological family, emphasizing interconnectedness and mutual responsibility
Light not power
During the Enlightenment, Hobbes wrote “knowledge is power.” While knowledge is not inherently problematic, reinforcing power structures to assert dominance and control is. In the modern western context, knowledge is no longer a grassroots communal experience but a top-down threat. However, knowledge was not always seen in this way.
Malik said, “Knowledge is not knowing many narrations. Verily, knowledge is only a light that Allah places in the hearts.” 8th Century
Kincentricity underscores the importance of patiently understanding all life and developing a intimate relationship with each of its components. A paradigm shift from a utilitarian application of knowledge to one emphasizing holistic connection restricts OpenAI’s power over our lives.
A new order
Pirate parties are strong proponents of free and open-source software development2. However, OpenAI has received special government protection, power and privilege actual pirates traditionally never enjoyed. The danger lies in the fact that institutional protection of pseudo-pirates like Sam Altman better serves the nation-state government rather than civic liberties. Restoring this freedom requires for people to seek physical and metaphysical connections to their environments.
https://www.prosocial.world/posts/the-indigenous-notions-of-kincentricity-and-reciprocity-the-keys-to-sustainability-and-climate-change
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_Party