Orgware virtual districts: empowering citizens to manage government (call for feedback)

[Michel Bauwens]

Via Matt Cooperrider:

This new paper examines the potential for a social network platform that empowers citizens to manage government. It is authored by Britt Blaser, David Weinberger, and Joe Trippi, for submission to the Digital Governance Society of North America 2009 conference.

http://dotorgware.com/documents/DGSNA-SocialNetworks435VCDs1.pdf

What the paper doesn't tell you is that this platform is almost built. There is a very un-beautiful and still-buggy installation at http://newgov.us.

I'd love to hear any feedback on the paper.

Cheers,
Matt Cooperrider

[Tom Crowl]

Thanks Matt, I'm glad it's beginning to get through...

I agree about finished flowcharts and images... I'll see about that... but my time is constrained.

And as for Open Source... I'll look when I have a chance... I'm familiar with the concept in basic form... I just meant I'm not famiar with the arguments for going one way or another in a particualar situation.

Frankly, I'm needing to move fast and I hope we get the chance to talk! I believe I know how to put together a comprehensive system that will work, attract users AND change the political playing field for the better.

I hope I don't need to stop and finish a bunch of flow charts before I find those ready to move forward since I believe I have enough ready NOW (even just the microdonation with instant feedback) and can clearly lay out how it fits together with the rest and specifics on what needs to be built... to begin an organic process of voluntary growth.

You guys have a great vision... and I would welcome exploring possibilities.
But you must also know that there's a lot of places out there trying to be a successful non-partisan site.

And, at this stage of things, for personal reasons, I can't pause and must keep searching for the assistance I need.

I've never wanted to be king... this isn't an idle statement... I have issues with "hierarchical" structures which I'm sure are slightly pathological.

To the point that back at SJSU in the late '60's (Joe Trippi's alma mater) I refused my student deferment because I thought the system was elitest and then refused induction... that and other things caused me to somewhat "disengage" from the mainstream... which has meant few credentials and no money. But I've always been one to follow my own drummer.

So I have no desire to be king... and you never would have heard of me...

But while disengaged, I have not been non-observant. In fact I may have perspectives that are unique. Nevertheless, when it became apparent to me that I had practical solutions I could not be silent.

I believe I know how to get built what needs to be built. And while it seems to be costing me everything including the roof over my head, I will eventually get this built. So, while wishing to be as slight a king as possible... I hope you will forgive my assertion that I believe one or the other of these sites is going to figure that out.

And further, the perspective I bring leads to other "solutions" besides Chagora... much following ideas you present as well... finding ways to "readjust" motivational systems, especially in large organizations for better social results. So in many ways, I want to get Chagora going, hand it off and be working on other solutions. That's what my company, Civilization Systems is about... I work for its viability... and my own.

[Tom Crowl]

A note on the relationship of the disconnect between leaders and citizens and the need for better systems for citizen involvement from my blog if interested:

Leadership & Trade - Understanding System Failure

[Tom Crowl]

So in some vague theoretical sense we start to see a shape for scaling representation with a possibility for self-organization...

whereby we end up with an empowered commons with both government and private enterprise as more properly employed tools of that commons...

yet retaining capability for the individual to expand to the extent of his/her abilities but only to the point where the trade-off is no longer beneficial for the whole.

Of course this is only late at night after your intoxicant of choice...

and/or after centuries of struggle with multiple ever-changing conditions, responses and their butterfly-effects when we could arrive at some vague approximation of the ideal for a moment or two before drifting off course and looking for the next model...

till the universe cools down...

or we figure some other way out.

Figured I'd end this on a happy note!

[Tom Crowl]

Excellent Paper! I believe I have a missing element and the formula for natural creation of the platform you substantially describe as well as additional benefits.

Cause/Candidate/Charity MicroDonation (under $1) WITH Electoral/Geographic Networking DRIVES the natural growth of a Distributed Network Powered by Individuals with BOTH Speech & Association for OPINION & ACTION in the COMMONS.

The Dedicated Individual Account for Commons Functions is a necessary (but not sufficient alone ) technology for scaling representation. Once established, it may have uses in connection with new economic policies and methods.

Chagora should be founded under a For-Profit basis with pre-determined Exit Strategy by sale to the donor base.
I'm ready to go.

[Tom Crowl]

Excellent Paper! I believe I have a missing element and the formula for natural creation of the platform you substantially describe as well as additional benefits.

Cause/Candidate/Charity MicroDonation (under $1) WITH Electoral/Geographic Networking DRIVES the natural growth of a Distributed Network Powered by Individuals with BOTH Speech & Association for OPINION & ACTION in the COMMONS.

The Dedicated Individual Account for Commons Functions is a necessary (but not sufficient alone ) technology for scaling representation. Once established, it may have uses in connection with new economic policies and methods.

Chagora should be founded under a For-Profit basis with pre-determined Exit Strategy by sale to the donor base.
I'm ready to go.

[Sepp Hasslberger]

As an aside, this research

http://www.physorg.com/news153150016.html

seems to confirm the importance of a system as that proposed by Tom that affords individuals a wide range of choices in their political interactions - who to support and who not to support.

[Tom Crowl]

Thanks MUCH! I've started scanning it and it looks very interesting!

You'll find great perspective on networks, scaling and a lot more at Eyal Sivan's blog The Connective

This paper here by Trippi et al has great research and understanding about the necessity for geographical localization and addressing distortions in motivational systems.

The two go together... we're talking speech and association adapted for changes in social structure and scale!(political contribution is speech!)

What I like about the Chagora model is that it's self-generating... it doesn't need to be imposed but will grow because of it's own intentionally self-reinforcing design.

A dedicated account for commons activities has many possible future evolutionary paths as well.

In anything from public finance of elections, to new economic forms for neighborhood barter, and others for farther down the road not here discussed...

These are for the future... first things first!

[Tom Crowl]

Some thoughts on the issue of Self-Interest vs Altruism in scaling representative systems on my blog this morning at...

http://culturalengineer.blogspot.com/2009/02/self-interest-vs-altru...

Also may have possibility of some serious backing but need some management help... we should really talk.
My sense is the more credible the management help... the more serious the funding! (since I'm not experienced entrepreneur/biz guy)

[Josef Davies-Coates]

Sounds interesting, will take a look...

Josef.