I’m still in Seattle for an academic conference on youth media. I’m struck by how essentially normative (value-laden) our definitions of “politics” and “civic engagement” are. Ask yourself whether the following behaviors are “political”? It depends on whether you think their goals are worthy:

Using the raw material of an advertisement to create an anti-corporate parody (“culture jamming”).

Providing free technical guidance to assist fellow users of proprietary software.

Organizing a petition to persuade a record label to give your favorite artist a new contract. (Does such a petition stake a claim of partial ownership to the music, therefore challenging corporate capitalism?)

Organizing a reform movement within a massive multiplayer game? (Is the virtual world of the game a public good worthy of such concern?)