Thursday, 20 November 2003

A third morality?

crw from #joiito pointed me to Chris Phoenix's extension to three of Jane Jacob's two moralities:
According to Jane Jacobs, the Commercial and Guardian systems each have developed a distinct and identifiable set of ethics. You will be able to identify these ethics in governments, police departments, and a variety of commercial organizations. The Information ethics, and this table, are a synthesis of the work of several authors. If you are not familiar with any organizations that operate by creating information and then giving it away, think of your friends who are avid hobbyists - chances are that they have written articles or put up web sites without being paid.





Information - Spread InnovationCommercial - Improve the Status QuoGuardian - Maintain the Status Quo

Imagine a programmer working at 2 AM to add a feature to an Open Source program he didn't write. The programmer is not paid for this work; he does it because he wants the program to be more usable and more popular; he has been working for ten hours without a break.  At 2:30 AM he adds his name to the list of authors, uploads the improved program to a web site for free distribution, then spends the next hour reading free articles on-line.

Imagine a small neighborhood shop. The employees should be ready to do business with anyone who walks in, and must maintain a reputation of honesty with both suppliers and customers. The store must continually improve, or the other stores will lure away its customers. A small business owner does not have a lot of free time and must work efficiently.

Imagine a fortress guarding a frontier. The soldiers must always be prepared to fight, but most of the time they are training or relaxing. Strict discipline is necessary to make them a unified fighting force. One traitor, or paid spy, can get them all killed. Visiting merchants are a distraction and a security problem; too much money floating around can weaken their dedication to the task.

Shun forceShun force[Rely on force]
Shun trading[Rely on trading]Shun trading
Use intelligence Use initiative and enterpriseExert prowess
Publish all informationBe honestDeceive for the sake of the task 
Be idealisticBe optimisticBe fatalistic
Ignore comfortPromote comfort and convenienceMake rich use of leisure
Respect authorship; Ignore ownershipRespect contracts

[Defend your territory]

Demonstrate the superiority of your own idealDissent for the sake of the taskBe obedient and disciplined
Invent and createBe open to inventiveness and noveltyAdhere to tradition
Shun authority[Adapt to the system]Respect hierarchy
Collaborate easily with strangers and aliensCollaborate easily with strangers and aliensBe exclusive
Accept largesseBe thriftyDispense largesse
Be unique; Develop a reputationBe industriousBe ostentatious
Be productiveInvest for productive purposesTake vengeance
CooperateCompete[Fight, when necessary]
Be skillfulBe efficientBe loyal
Gain mindshareCome to voluntary agreements Show fortitude
Treasure reputation[Treasure financial success] Treasure honor

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