Hamish Campbell<p>For a nuanced take on the <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/geekproblem/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/geekproblem/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#geekproblem</a>, we need to highlight challenges and cultural dynamics in tech development. Standards as foundations, everything in tech is built upon layers of “open industrial standards,” which provide value and interoperability. Ignoring these foundations to create isolated systems is akin to “building sandcastles”—fragile and ephemeral. The process of defining standards, however, is itself flawed and sometimes exclusionary, reflecting broader social issues like tribalism or nationalism.</p><p>Tribalism in tech, manifests as innovation and community-building but can also create fragmentation, gatekeeping, and resistance to collaboration. Comparisons to nationalism suggest that, like nations, large <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/dotcons/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/dotcons/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#dotcons</a> (e.g., Facebook, Google) exert power rivalling traditional states, creating their own “tribes” with significant social influence. Tribalism in tech isn’t inherently bad; it can build strong, purpose-driven communities. However, when it turns exclusionary and disconnected from real-world issues, it becomes counterproductive. </p><p>Critique of dotcons and deathcult, the dominance of for-profit platforms (<a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/dotcons/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#dotcons</a>) and the neoliberal ideology (<a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/deathcult/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#deathcult</a>) underpin much of the dysfunction in society, including within the tech world. Life “inside the dotcons” involves uncritical participation in harmful systems, perpetuating cycles of <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/stupidindividualism/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/stupidindividualism/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#stupidindividualism</a> and environmental degradation (<a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/climatechaos/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#climatechaos</a>). Platforms like Facebook and Google exemplify prioritizing profit over public good. Moving away from this requires alternatives rooted in the <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/4opens/" target="_blank">#4opens</a>: Open data, Open source, Open standards, Open processes. Projects like the <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/omn/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/omn/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#OMN</a> exemplify this shift.</p><p>Mediating harm in tech development with the broader social and environmental impacts of technology, pushing against <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/stupidindividualism/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/stupidindividualism/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#stupidindividualism</a> and toward collective, sustainable solutions. Much of the “blocking energy” comes from entrenched systems and social inertia rather than active conspiracies, though intent exists in places like <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/traditionalmedia/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/traditionalmedia/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#traditionalmedia</a>. Developers have a responsibility to build systems that mediate harm and foster collective well-being. This means rejecting solutions that exacerbate individualism and embracing technologies that empower communities and address systemic issues like climatechaos.</p><p>The <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/geekproblem/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/geekproblem/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#geekproblem</a> as dysfunction, the geekproblem reflects a 20th-century tribalism that fails to embrace the ethical, collaborative potential of the <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/openweb/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/openweb/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#openweb</a>. Examples include failed projects like <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/diaspora/" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/diaspora/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Diaspora</a>, which had technical merit but struggled due to cultural and governance issues. The dysfunction stems from a narrow focus on technical solutions without considering social or ethical dimensions. Bridging this gap requires integrating diverse perspectives into tech development, emphasizing simplicity and human-centric design.</p><p>We do need a call for change, addressing these challenges head-on, with ethical interventions rather than drawn-out or overly complex solutions. The geekproblem highlights the limitations of tech communities in balancing their technical expertise with broader social responsibility. Ultimately, the solution lies in rekindling the spirit of the openweb while actively composting the “shit heap” of the dotcons. One path is addressing the geekproblem, to shift tech culture toward collaboration, accountability, and sustainability, to create tools that serve people rather than profit.</p> <a class="" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/mastodon?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fhamishcampbell.com%2Fshifting-tech-culture-toward-collaboration-accountability-and-sustainability%2F&linkname=Shifting%20tech%20culture%20toward%20collaboration%2C%20accountability%2C%20and%20sustainability" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a class="" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/bluesky?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fhamishcampbell.com%2Fshifting-tech-culture-toward-collaboration-accountability-and-sustainability%2F&linkname=Shifting%20tech%20culture%20toward%20collaboration%2C%20accountability%2C%20and%20sustainability" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a class="" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/threads?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fhamishcampbell.com%2Fshifting-tech-culture-toward-collaboration-accountability-and-sustainability%2F&linkname=Shifting%20tech%20culture%20toward%20collaboration%2C%20accountability%2C%20and%20sustainability" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a class="" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/x?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fhamishcampbell.com%2Fshifting-tech-culture-toward-collaboration-accountability-and-sustainability%2F&linkname=Shifting%20tech%20culture%20toward%20collaboration%2C%20accountability%2C%20and%20sustainability" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a class="" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fhamishcampbell.com%2Fshifting-tech-culture-toward-collaboration-accountability-and-sustainability%2F&linkname=Shifting%20tech%20culture%20toward%20collaboration%2C%20accountability%2C%20and%20sustainability" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a class="" href="https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fhamishcampbell.com%2Fshifting-tech-culture-toward-collaboration-accountability-and-sustainability%2F&linkname=Shifting%20tech%20culture%20toward%20collaboration%2C%20accountability%2C%20and%20sustainability" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><a class="" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a> <p><a href="https://hamishcampbell.com/shifting-tech-culture-toward-collaboration-accountability-and-sustainability/" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://hamishcampbell.com/shifting-tech-culture-toward-collaboration-accountability-and-sustainability/</a></p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/4opens/" target="_blank">#4opens</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/climatechaos/" target="_blank">#climatechaos</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/deathcult/" target="_blank">#deathcult</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/diaspora/" target="_blank">#diaspora</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/dotcons/" target="_blank">#dotcons</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/geekproblem/" target="_blank">#geekproblem</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/omn/" target="_blank">#OMN</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/openweb/" target="_blank">#openweb</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/stupidindividualism/" target="_blank">#stupidindividualism</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://hamishcampbell.com/tag/traditionalmedia/" target="_blank">#traditionalmedia</a></p>