Cory Doctorow Meets DJ Spooky: A CBLDF Benefit Mashup!

“A robust exchange of ideas between two of new media’s most adventurous thinkers.”

On Thursday, August 21^st, the CBLDF welcomed Cory Doctorow, and Paul Miller, a.k.a. D.J. Spooky That Subliminal Kid in their first ever joint appearance.  Held at the Helen Mills Theatre in New York City, the event raised over $2,000 for the CBLDF's legal work.

During this special event, Cory Doctorow and DJ Spooky delivered presentations on their respective projects. At the end, they held an open forum discussion, including audience participation -- an intellectual a treat for attendees.

Doctorow's latest work, Little Brother, addresses issues of privacy, freedom of speech, and other civil liberties we would like to keep. Doctorow "hopes it'll inspire you to use technology to make yourself more free." In addition to co-editing Boing Boing, one of the internet's most widely read blogs, Doctorow is the former European Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties group that works to keep cyberspace free. During his talk, he discussed how he sees current generations viewing their use of technology and information.

DJ Spooky just released Sound Unbound: Sampling Digital Music and Culture, a new book / literary mixtape collecting writing by artists and thinkers including Brian Eno, Jonathan Lethem, Saul Williams, Steve Reich, Moby, Chuck D, and more.  Using the idea that "young artists regard sound as a language they may freely sample to construct new compositions," DJ Spooky has created an impressive intellectual collage of concepts from today's most prominent authors and musicians.  He presented a multimedia presentation of concepts from the book at the event, and afterwards spun a rare small-venue set at Sutra Lounge.

The blog at Tor.com has YouTube video of the entire event.  The Daily Crosshatch also features a write-up and FLICKR Set .