Subject: Re: An invitation
From: Linda A. Seltzer (lseltzer@phoenix.Princeton.EDU)
Date: Wed Nov 24 1999 - 19:57:35 EST
>In short, by making a once-in-a-lifetime contribution of $100,
>you'll support our projects and at the same time become a part
>of our professional circle. You'll have an inside track to
>information
I wish to comment on this solicitation from the EMF. I dislike
being asked to contribute funds "to support our projects"
as opposed to being asked to join, where joining would give
me an equal voice as a decision maker. I think it is very
dictatorial and typical of the power conscious mentality that
exists in computer music to ask for a contribution and then
not give the contributor a role as a decision maker in new
ideas. Personally I have no interest in making contributions
to supporting the status quo in computer music, and if I
made the contributions I would probably find the money used
to support points of view which I disagree with, views of
history that do not correspond to my actual experiences as
a participant in the history, and persons who have treated
me viciously.
I do not wish to "become a part of" someone else's
"professional circle." I am in favor of ignoring,
disregarding, and demolishing any cliques, although I, of
course, have seen certain people in computer music surrounded
by flatterers heaping accolades upon them.
I am not interested in anyone's "inside track" to information.
If there is a clique then that is inimical to any ideas I
have about music as an art. If there is important information,
send it out to everyone and make it everyone's information.
Otherwise I question how "important" it really is.
Therefore, if the EMF wants me to contribute I would
want to know: what support is there for me for my own
ideas, not contributing to policies made by others?
how can I guarantee that the point of view of history
presented will take into account the experiences
I and other women have had as opposed to being a whitewash
that presents a warped and distorted view? If I make
a contribution, to what degree are proposals and practices
carried out via a democratic vote of members and to
what degree can I feel free to volunteer to participate in
any committees I want to? How can I assure that the histories
presented would include my values concerning the sociology
of computer music, and not just be a rubber stamp of
an Establishment including persons who have behaved in
a cruel or excluding manner towards me? How can I know
that the approach to history will not be one of creating
yet another canon as opposed to a more anthropological
view? How can I know that people will not be presented
as leaders if in fact I and others have suffered from
those persons behaviors which are not at all admirable?
I am really not interested in "circles" and "inside
information." I am interested in the abolition of the
cliques in computer music and in the real opening up
of the field and of the telling of the real history,
not whitewashed versions. The latter, is, of course,
hard to do while people are still alive, as opposed
to musicologists examining the documentation and collecting
the facts and also asking what is missing, and forming
points of view in later generations. Are the people
creating these "museums" willing to criticize the
"powerful" and the "influential" or will this represent
more of the culture of accolades which I detest?
Linda Seltzer
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