c y b o r g   m a n i f e s t o   2 . 0   ::   s t r a t e g i e s
::   p a r a s i t i n g

The American anarchist and cultural critic Hakim Bey proposes in his book "The temporal Autonomous Zone" a concept of the 'temporal autonomous zone' (TAZ) as an effective strategy for new media activism. He argues that in this highly technologised era, the idea of mass revolution is outdated. Instead, far more effective in the long run would be to create temporal and spontaneous uprises by minority groups.

He calls the TAZ a 'nomadic war machine' that, invisible from hegemonic powers, like a guerilla operation parasites upon the gaps and possibilities of the Internet. Bey then makes a difference between the parasiting, non-militarised and non-capitalist Web on the highly militarised and capitalised Web. The TAZ will therefore necessarily exist as a temporal alliance, connected together as a network and based on affinities or partly-shared goals; there must be no centre or main base so that it can move around and away from dangerous areas fastly and invisibly; fast dissolving of the alliance should avoid commodification into the late-capitalist motor of overproduction. Bey warns that, although partly the TAZ will exist in cyberspace and calls for some desire for transcendence and virtuality, at the same time TAZers should be very aware of the fact that material bodies are of crucial importance to activist agency and power structures.

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