<eyebeam><blast> MAI/GAT etc.

[Merja Puustinen <pussy@meetfactory.com>]

Simon Biggs wrote:

"…pissed off with any form of protectionism. In the end the MAI/GAT
agreements seem entirely reasonable to me in terms of late-capitalist
macro-economics. People can complain about it (nothing is perfect) but
it surely beats the gold standard. In the end this debate is about
global economics and a political recognition that power no longer lies
with governments (democratic or otherwise) but with corporate
structures. This is a necessary realisation, if the issues are to be…"

I feel very unconfortable with Simon Biggs's conclusions:

1) Multinational corporations overtaking the political power of national
governments might be the direction of cultural development envisioned by
poststructuralist theory (though the implication is negative rather than
positive as Biggs states, no matter how often orgasm is connected to
simulacrum). Anyhow this is not like a natural law -take gravity for an
example. Politics is one of the cultural products and therefore in our
hands.

2) Accepting multinationals as the 'genetically' well adjusted winner of
the game means that the only politically meaningful act left is
comsuming. Consumers' 'shopping power' has proved versatile, yet I find
it highly arguably to draw dramatical conclusions. By my mind
legislative changes driven by political pressure (and national
governmental control) in a long run MIGHT work for more fundamental
stability and definitely for cultural autonomy of some kind. 

I am based in Finland were approx. 80% of primetime tv programmes and
films come from anglo-american countries ie. US & UK (some from Canada).
The reason for this is purely economical: vast domestic distribution
market for US film and tv industry guarantees very economical production
budgets which enables cheap rating for European market. And this has
nothing to do with quality. 

In order to produce any Finnish film, video, tv programme or art it has
to be heavily subsidised, as the domestic distribution hardly ever
covers the production costs. Another strategy of course is to produce
your stuff in English to compete within the international art and media
market, which itself is a another story (or a bad joke actually)...

Sorry for the length,
Merja Puustinen

"I've found my bunny again. And she is cuddly as ever."

MEET Factory Ltd
Tallberginkatu 1 BOX 45 00180 HKI Finland
tel/fax: +358 (0)9 6949348  
meat@meetfactory.com

til 16.3.
The Banff Centre for the Arts, 
Media & Visual Arts Dep., BAG 6000, STN 34
Banff, Alberta Canada TOL 0C0
tel: +1 403 762 6637
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