AfroGeeks: From Technophobia to Technophilia
May 7-8, 2004
Center for Black Studies
University of California, Santa Barbara
Free and Open to the Public
In recent years, African Americans, especially, have been portrayed as poster children for the digital divide discourse. Though rarely represented today as full participants in the information technology revolution, black people are among the earliest adopters and comprise some of the most ardent and innovative users of IT (information technology). It is too often widespread ignorance of African Diasporic people's long history of technology adoption that limits fair and fiscally sound IT investments, policies and opportunities for black communities locally and globally. Such racially aligned politics of investment create a self-fulfilling prophesy or circular logic wherein the lack of equitable access to technology in black communities produces a corresponding lack of technology literacy and competencies.
Among the topics addressed at this "AfroGEEKS" conference are: concerns with structural barriers to IT access; effective models of innovative IT use and adoption; the influence of traditional science education on black youths' tech skills; black technophobes and Luddites; computer gaming; black IT leaders; IT commodity consumption versus production; black blogs and virtual communities; high-tech racial surveillance and profiling after 9-11; digital arts; the geek identity problematic, and more...
Woody said at 11:12 PM 04-06-2004: They may be on the cutting edge of IT, but they are on the bleeding edge of linguistics and fashion. Mo' bling bling fo shizzle!
brianbibbly [email] said at 1:29 PM 04-07-2004: I think it is a funny commentary on a subsect of a community. The same thing, and worse, are said about white people every day and nobody screams 'racist!' (See damn near every single black comedian act around today.)
Denee1 said at 2:08 PM 04-07-2004: I'm not surprised by your response. I think it's interesting how you use the phrase "screams racist." My statment was not angry (implying a scram)and said nothing about calling anyone a racist. You are creating drama where there isn't any. Why do you feel a need to be defensive? You didn't make the comment. I have a right to find the comment offensive. Anyone, no matter what their race is can find comments like that offensive. It's not my job to educate, so I will leave my comments at that. Take care!
brianbibbly [email] said at 2:55 PM 04-07-2004: First, I do not use the word 'scream' literally. Obviously this is a blog and you can't 'scream.'
Second, if your argument is based off of what you subjectively think is racist, then I cannot respond. Surely you have the 'right' to take offense to anything you want to, but I am questioning whether Woody's statement is racist objectively.
Third, why do I get defensive? Because, as a white male, I find that the race card is played far too impulsively. Calling someone 'racist', particularly a white male (and I make no distinction between a person being 'racist' and a person making 'racist comments' as you impliedly do)carries very serious consequences and social stigma. Oftentimes it is hurled out there without any foundation or basis whatsoever. Yet, people almost always side with the person 'crying wolf' if you will.
Here, Woody made an attempt at humor. I guess he was making fun of the hip-hop culture which birthed the phrase 'bling-bling.' (By New Orleans' own BG no doubt!) I don't see how that can be racist. I mean, made up slang words like 'bling-bling' and 'shizzle' are funny, regardless of race. A stupid joke, maybe, but racist? Not by a long shot.
Anyway, I have to get back to work and I can't continue on here, even though I would like to. I just wish people would really examine what in this world is truly racist before branding an innocent person with such a stigma.
Denee1 said at 3:59 PM 04-07-2004: Wow! You are so angry and defensive. I'm not surprised. Your reaction was so typical. Obviously, someone in your past has branded you as a racist and you we're really offended. Well, I apologize if they were wrong. :( Poor Brain, white male privilege isn't enough for you. :) Now, that's funny! :)
brianbibbly [email] said at 5:22 PM 04-07-2004: "white male privilege" *sigh* I should have seen this as a baited post from the get go. How stupid of me.
Denee1 said at 6:47 PM 04-07-2004: Hey, I apply logic to most things. Plus, I don't take things too seriously. One of my favorite shows is The Dave Chappelle Show. If I can laugh at that stuff, obviously I have a sense of humor because no group (race, class, sexuality, gender, etc.) is safe on Dave Chappelle.
Woody said at 3:23 PM 04-07-2004: I have a right to find the comment offensive.
Go ahead and be offended. But that isn't what you said. You said This is a really ignorant and racist comment.
So, from Merriam-Webster:
ignorant: lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified
Racism: a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
So, making satirical generalizations about black or "urban" culture, in my opinion, qualifies as neither of those. If you do not take offense when black comedians make satirical generalizations about black culture, then you should probably be quiet now.
Woody said at 2:01 PM 04-07-2004: If growing up means discarding one's sense of humour and ability to see the lighter side of social issues... then no thanks.
brianbibbly [email] said at 5:27 PM 04-07-2004: It's ok if you're scared of the issue sweetie, but don't try and censor me because I'm not. Run along now. . .
anotherben.. said at 1:15 PM 04-07-2004: In recent years, African Americans, especially, have been portrayed as poster children for the digital divide discourse. i have never had that impression. the "digital divide", in my opinion, has pretty much been split along generational lines.
milky [email] said at 1:22 PM 04-07-2004: It's SES, dude. I studied it in media quite a little bit. Older populations with access catch on very quickly. Some psychologist came in to speak about it.
ed [email] said at 2:54 PM 04-07-2004: If SES stands for Socio-Economic Somethingorother, I totally agree. I don't think it's race or age, I think it's money. And, well... duh. If you can't afford the technology, then you're not going to have enough exposure to it to be proficient.
Mane said at 6:26 PM 04-07-2004: although my gran is scared of technology - she only recently got a telephone and really isn't convinced of the benefits of electricity, she always complains I do not write often enough and I tell her if she had email I would write all the time, but she has 'techno-fear' and will not allow a computer in her house.
