I’m in a pile of excellent people opposed to the TESCREALists at this trying time in history. We need a name.
We have a list of possibles, but it’s actually hard to pick a nice name that doesn’t sound like an EA front group!
An initialism for S.N.E.E.R. probably won’t be the sort of thing we’re after lol.
What’s a name that’s (a) nice and polite sounding (b) says at least a bit what it actually is (c) doesn’t sound like an EA front group?
Stable Technology Initiative! Uhhh wait that’s not right…
Seriously though, something emphasizing stability would probably be quite effective, if overemphasizing the bad guys’ shitty software products in contrast to their destructive social attitudes. Stable Technology Society, Society for Stable Technology, Stable and Equitable Technology Society…
Software quality is already generally pretty terrible; heavyweight, buggy software is crammed into more places than it really needs to be; and people are going to have even worse experiences with shoddy technology in the years ahead. Emphasizing stable technology that just works and continues to do its job for years, or even a human lifetime, is pretty hard for the “move-fast-and-break-things” crowd to assail, especially as the bill for living in their world continues to come due.
PATTERN
People Against Technocracy Transformation by Evangelical Rich Nazis.
Association Opposing Greed and Idiocy.
Doesn’t lend itself to snickering. Gets the point across. Hard to turn into “well actually the real greed is sharing”.
the human frame
I feel like so much of the TESCREAL narrative is about a particular kind of line-goes-up futurism that something about an egalitarian or democratic future could help demonstrate where our vision differs and foreground where their ideology is fundamentally authoritarian. The word “democratic” is probably unusable in a US context, regrettably. I’d also like to snipe at the longtermists specifically and emphasize making the future better by solving the problems that are right in front of us now rather then ignoring them and hoping they go away.
Working Today for a Free and Equal Tomorrow or something?
Honestly, I say we just mug what’s left of the Situationist International and take their shit over
Society for Egalitarian Technology and Ethical Computation
Tech Cult Watch ?
What kind of activities are intended exactly, journalism, lobbying?
I think anything with language about advocacy, speaking out, justice, fairness etc. is good because it contrasts with the EA belief that public policy must only be discussed in a totally values neutral way with any personal standpoints optimized out.
Hmmm…
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Reaction Watch (like retraction watch but, you know. reactionaries)
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Mad At Reactionary Techies
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Action Against Computer Cults
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Computer Users Against Reactionary Losers
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Silicon Valley Antifa
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???
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poo poo pee pee gang
Nowtermism
Or otherwise something drawing attention to the problems that exist in the world today, as I feel that’s the big antithesis to everything TESCREALists worry about (besides the racism, of course).
Actual altruists.
If you form a band you could be the Death Spirals.
not pitching an alternative because your suggestion is better, but I’m always tickled when I get to use the phrase “Actually Existing”, e.g. “Actually Existing Altruists” (see: “actually existing socialism”)
the Association for Software Sanity
with corresponding conference the Association for Software Sanity Home for Originating Less Entropy
Global Organisation Against TESCREAL (and) Surveillance Entrepreneurship
“Hmmmm… let’s see if a relevant domain name is available… com, no… org, no…maybe something less common… let’s try cx,…GRAHHHHHHH!!! NOOOO!!!”
WressLong?
