Jun 24, 2006
Responding to Mark Oehlert.
The 'asymetric competition' metaphor is of course drawn from the term 'asymetric warfare'. So once again we see a military metaphor - and all that entails - being used to describe things.
This should be done cautiously, if at all, especially at a time when these metaphors are loaded with meaning pumped up by wartime propaganda. If the metaphor holds, for example, then open source advocates play the same role as al-qaeda -- and isn't ad-qaeda evil or something?
My own preference is to stay away from military metaphors, and my observation is that their almost automatic use is an indication of a pervasive - and unnoticed - militarization of a society.
--
p.s. Why am I writing so much here recently? I don't know. Though, my normal state is to be writing almost constantly, so take this as a good sign (I do). Will it last? Who knows. But it feels nice to be writing again, especially in this my 'secret blog', the one without readers.
The 'asymetric competition' metaphor is of course drawn from the term 'asymetric warfare'. So once again we see a military metaphor - and all that entails - being used to describe things.
This should be done cautiously, if at all, especially at a time when these metaphors are loaded with meaning pumped up by wartime propaganda. If the metaphor holds, for example, then open source advocates play the same role as al-qaeda -- and isn't ad-qaeda evil or something?
My own preference is to stay away from military metaphors, and my observation is that their almost automatic use is an indication of a pervasive - and unnoticed - militarization of a society.
--
p.s. Why am I writing so much here recently? I don't know. Though, my normal state is to be writing almost constantly, so take this as a good sign (I do). Will it last? Who knows. But it feels nice to be writing again, especially in this my 'secret blog', the one without readers.
