About

Purpose

We are humans and might as well get used to it. So far, remotely done power and glory—as via government, big business, formal education, church—has succeeded to the point where gross profits obscure actual loss. In response to this dilemma and to these losses a realm of intimate, community power is developing—power of communities to conduct their own education, find their own inspiration, shape their own environment, and share their knowledge with others. Practices that aid this process are sought and promoted by the DAMAGED EARTH CATALOG. 1

Function

The DAMAGED EARTH CATALOG functions as an evaluation and access device. With it, the visitor can discover what they might want to learn more about and where and how to do this learning.

An item is listed in the CATALOG if it is deemed:
1. Useful as a practice,
2. Relevant to collective learning,
3. High quality and low cost,
4. Forgotten common knowledge,
5. Easily available by mail.

This information is continually revised according to the experience and suggestions of CATALOG readers and writers. 2

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Whois

The Damaged Earth Catalog is a project by Marloes de Valk in the context of their PhD research project at the Centre for the Study of the Networked Image in collaboration with The Photographers' Gallery.

  1. This text is an adaptation of the 1968 Whole Earth Catalog's introduction, which reads: "We are as gods and might as well get good at it. So far, remotely done power and glory—as via government, big business, formal education, church—has succeeded to the point where gross defects obscure actual gains. In response to this dilemma and to these gains a realm of intimate, personal power is developing—power of the individual to conduct his own education, find his own inspiration, shape his own environment, and share his adventure with whoever is interested. Tools that aid this process are sought and promoted by the WHOLE EARTH CATALOG" (emphasis added). Brand, S. (ed.) (1968) Whole Earth Catalog. Fall 1968. Menlo Park: Portola Institute.↩
  2. The 1968 Whole Earth Catalog introduction reads: “The WHOLE EARTH CATALOG functions as an evaluation and access device. With it, the user should know better what is worth getting and where and how to do the getting. An item is listed in the CATALOG if it is deemed:1. Useful as a tool, 2. Relevant to independent education, 3. High quality or low cost, 4. Not already common knowledge, 5. Easily available by mail. This information is continually revised according to the experience and suggestions of CATALOG users and staff” (emphasis added). Brand, S. (ed.) (1968) Whole Earth Catalog. Fall 1968. Menlo Park: Portola Institute.↩