The Trap - What Happened To Our Dreams Of Freedom
This is the latest documentary series from Bafta award winning producer Adam Curtis (The Power of Nightmares). It's called The Trap, also a three part series, showing on BBC2 from 11 March at 21:00.
The first episode covers John Nash (as portrayed in A Beautiful Mind) and his work on Game Theory. Using examples like the Prisoners Dilemma and the Nash Equilibrium Curtis shows how these tecniques and models were applied in the political world. Utilised as a way of ordering the world by individuals working alone, and systems based on numbers like Thatcher's NHS restructuring of the late 1980s. Curtis examines the notions of freedom, and how a pretty simplistic model of human beings as self-serving, robotic creatures has led us to today's version of freedom. Looking at current affairs he explains that we are in a trap of our own making, showing how narrow and limited the present idea of freedom is.
The next episode (The Lonely Robot) shows how the model of freedom using numbers and the market was applied to other areas of society.
Should be fun!
posted by Jon Grant, 東京 @ 19:50
5 Comments
5 Comments:
first two episodes are here:
http://blogomnibus.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the link -- unfortunately that page is using Adobe Flash format instead of an open/accessible format like Theora, or even XviD MPEG4! Head over to UKNova and grab Ep1: The Trap: F**k You Buddy and Ep2: The Trap: Lonely Robot directly with BitTorrent and you'll be sorted ;)
How is XviD MPEG4 open/accessible? MPEG4 is loaded with license fees and patents.
And why are you using Blogger? It's not open either...
Glad to see that you support websites that condone copyright violations.
What's wrong with Flash? It works.
XviD is a great free/open software implementation of MPEG4. I've highlighted before, (as you point out), MPEG4 is patent encumbered and requires a licence in *many* situations from MPEG-LA. That's why XviD can only be a second choice; as there is only an open implementation. Theora is my first choice and hopefully Theora will "take off" more in the future.
Blogger not being open is a whole debate in itself. Web applications are something that GPLv3 is looking to address. I'm probably leaning towards remote (web) and local running software effectively being the same; I'll post on this area at some point.
Re supporting websites, as I understand it, UKNova is a UK website which makes available programmes for a limited period that are not available on DVD or VHS after they are broadcast. If people have paid for the TV license, why shouldn't they be able to record or watch the programs they've paid for in their own time?
Re Flash, it doesn't work, there is no 64bit build (and I don't count running applications in a 32bit chroot workaround as viable). GPLFlash does have a 64bit build, but then I don't work with proprietary formats unless I have too.
So come on BBC, provide us those Theora+Vorbis versions of the series for us to download! ;)
watch all three episodes of the TRAP by clicking HERE
Post a Comment
<< Home