The lack of any mention of these chats in any historical literature I can find is also suspicious. I could imagine the transcripts being lost until now, but if indeed Ronald Reagan, Edward Said, and Jane Fonda had an ARPANet chat in 1975, I would've expected to be able to find at least one person having mentioned it!
Additional reason: the supposed discoverers are media artists, and this project was presented at a new-media art festival, rather than, say, a history conference (and no mention of how the transcripts may have been unearthed, or from where). Feels very much like a media-art project.
Another objection: it's 1976. Would these folks have even known how to type? Governor Reagan wouldn't be complaining about the difficulty of typing, he'd have one of his secretaries come in and type while he dictates.
Also also, I just don't see Ronald Reagan agreeing to take time out to chat with Edward Said and Hanoi Jane at all.
I think it's fiction and attempts to be an art piece. It's presented at galleries, not in museums. Vol II mentions: "Featuring guest collaborator Khwezi Gule, a curator, artist and writer" (emphasis mine). Also all other people working on the site seem to be artists, not historians or techies.
Why they can't mention that somewhere on the page is beyond me.
It reads like a terrible script from one of those "House on the Hill" type of movies. I keep waiting for the evil mastermind to introduce himself and explain why he's brought everyone together.
And, at the same time, it also sounds a whole lot like every chat and message board I've ever been in.
MARCEL BROODTHAERS:
Students I think could benefit from this greatly. Vast networks of students. Youth must be provided with the means to grasp this opportunity.
I think Ronald Reagan basically defines himself as a communist here. He says communism is "the suppression of liberty in the name of a common good." But shortly before that, he suggests he is against Jane Fonda's "liberty" in the name of the "liberty of millions of Americans" (the common good).
MARCEL BROODTHAERS:
But I imagine you might not always appreciate her [Jane Fonda's] views Mr Reagan.
RONALD REAGAN:
No I dont care much for Communist sympathizers to be frank.
MARCEL BROODTHAERS:
But surely she is liberated in her freedom to do so.
RONALD REAGAN:
If ones liberty threatens to undermine the liberty of millions of Americans then I must disagree Marcel.
<SNIP>
MARCEL BROODTHAERS:
Thats a good point Edward. Can you even tell us what communism is Mr Reagan.
RONALD REAGAN:
Its the suppression of liberty in the name of a common good.
Exactly what I noticed. It's the central philosophical problem with classical liberalism right there! Before I sent this to friends: is this an April fool?
For those who are unaware, Francis Fukuyama is the Hegelian who said at the end of the Cold War that we have reached the end of history. I think it's one of the most provocative and misunderstood statements of the past 20 years.
who are these people? Marcel Broodthaers and Edward Said appeared incredibly smart in those chat logs. And Ronald Reagan? would it be politically incorrect to say that he sounded like a close-minded, conservative, ignorant prick? how this guy ever became a president? I wonder...
Compared to The Carter, Ford, Nixon sequence; Reagan was a lot better for America. At least they stopped writing those "Do we need a new form of government / Is the Presidency obsolete" editorials.
I am still wondering about some verification on identities. [edit: I guess zwischenzug found the hoax link]
Ronald Reagan was probably the last President who wrote long form letters often. There are several collections of his speeches and letters in various places. The writings tell a much different story than the media soundbites.
This was a refined version of the speech he had been giving for a number of years.
I dearly wished the Presidents after him wrote as much (from a historical record), but it seems like we will have to wait for someone with a blogger's mentality to win.
i think he came across as a patriot and presidential. after reading this, i am not surprised he went on to become president of our nation. and we are better off because of it.
MARCEL BROODTHAERS It should be encouraged to be freely available.
RONALD REAGAN Marcel nothing is free you know.
MARCEL BROODTHAERS I know Ronald. I know. We have your great nation to thank for this.
RONALD REAGAN Yes Marcel I do believe you have much to thank this great nation for. Indeed.
RONALD REAGAN America is great nation.
RONALD REAGAN I can think of no other nation that has contributed as much to ideas of democracy and free enterprise as my own.