Rekeeb

Yesterday I managed to leave work early, to go and see Lawrence Lessig (http://www.lessig.org/blog/) at the Meet the Media Guru in Milan, Italy. Lessig is an American expert on law and technology and is probably most known for his statement: code is law. With this expression he investigates the implicates of computer code (source code) fullfiling the same role as legal code.

Not fully familiar with Lessig’s books and ideas I was quite exited and went with high hopes to the Mediateca Santa Teresa. I was wrong.

When I arrived (ten minutes before the official opening) no more people were allowed entrance. That is no “normal people” weren’t allowed entrance — people who knew people obviously could enter without problems. It didn’t look so packed that public security was a serious issue, but since the event is free of charge I didn’t really feel like making a scene. So far no big problem.

From the edge of the balcony I could still see the screen on which Lessig was to be projected. Along with 30 or so people we enjoyed our balcony view of the projection. I could see all the people inside were already enjoying their cold beers. A quarter of an hour later it actually begun. I was about to hear Prof. Lessig!

The first speaker was a lady of the organisation of Meet The Media Guru which applauded all the sponsors involved. And she continued to talk, and talk, and talk. Word to the official sponsor of the Community of Milan who also was very happy with this event. Then again the lady from Meet The Media Guru, she and applauded some more people. She used all the right techno-jargon: open source, freedom, internet, et cetera. A person (sponsor?) from the audience took the Mic, and urged the need for freedom on the Internet in Italy. They even started their own embryonic movement. Great. At this point I was already sighing and complaining fiercely. It’s my nature, yes I am a bit short tempered (mea culpa). Is this event about an interesting speaker or is it a big advertising event?

Finally Prof. Lessig took the word. Obviously he spoke in English. The organisation had arranged a translator to translate *live* Prof. Lessig’s words in Italian. It sounded horribly, and it was confusing to follow. I went home.

It’s probably my ignorance or naitivity. But next time I prefer to miss the Media guru.