Rushkoff Remembers Barlow

As I went down the digital rabbit hole of John Perry Barlow, I remember this Team Human where Douglas Rushkoff looks back on the life of cyber culture pioneer, and co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation John Perry Barlow. Rushkoff remembers Barlow and their shared optimism for cyberspace back in that hopeful moment before the commercialization and corporatization of the internet. It was pretty classic and decide to make a nice lil clip of it to share with hyperspace/

Barlow entered my life 30 years ago when I was 14 years old. I was just a gangly confused teenager trying to find my way in the world. During the span of these 30 years there were phases in my relationship with Barlow where we’d be in each other’s orbit frequently and fondly, possibly sharing a laugh at a trademark “Barlow Frenzy.” Many years could also pass, sometimes awkwardly, that would eventually come to an end in the form of a loving reunion. It mustbe said that elements of these eras sometimes had their fair share of complex tensions having to do with the very strong personalities of both my family and his. My time with Barlow is not without its warts. They were gracefully balanced out with countless intimate moments of dancing in each other’s consciousness that could only be achieved by Barlow’s brilliance at understanding complex eco-systems and then knowing how to rebuild them. (Zach Leary)