Sometimes one only need know that a listening ear exists. I woke up this morning and wrote the following. What do you think?
An Open Letter to the Democratic Party: Friends, The past two elections have seemed nothing short of disaster for Democratic voters like myself. There is no need for specifics, who or what might be to blame. Enough has already been written about that. Rather I want to pose a solution which should be acceptable to all Democrats, a solution based in my own experience and technical background. I want to help create an Internet forum where everyone's voice may be heard, where the very best ideas America has to offer can be brought up, discussed, then turned into real solutions which benefit all Americans. There is no lack of good ideas in America. We have a wealth of intelligent creative individuals. But no mechanism exists to gather innovative ideas, refine them into concrete solutions, then offer these solutions to our leaders for implementation. A forum of 270 million people may sound impossible. It is not. At IBM I worked in technical areas involving networks and data base. If the Google search engine can process over three billion web pages, then find and group precise ones we are looking for, I assure you that our forum can do the same. The key is putting individuals together who share ideas, people knowledgeable enough in specific areas to say if an idea might work, then together turn these ideas into viable solutions. If such a mechanism did exist, it would invigorate the Democratic Party and the American political system as a whole. I offer my assistance in this task. Thank you and warm regards, Alan Silverman Innovative Technical Solutions Stone Ridge, NY Skaparlust wrote: > > Dear Alan, > Here is a link to the Swedish government web page with a summary of the > extensive report on A sustainable democracy, which was published 2000. > www.demokratitorget.gov.se/pdf/sustainable_democracy/pdf > It talks a lot about deliberative democracy and the role of the people. You > might find something useful there. After that came a proposition from the > government, of which I have not found a translation. > Another web page which has a lot of interesting papers on deliberative > democracy is www.co-intelligence.org. > Good luck and greetings from > > Agneta Falk... > ...who is passionately interested in democratic procedures and values. > I am currently looking into what the systemic worldview has to offer in ways > of expanding the definition of democracy and what practical implications it > can present. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Alan Silverman" <asilver...@hvc.rr.com> > To: <osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu> > Sent: Monday, January 13, 2003 9:46 AM > Subject: Re: Help with Idea / Democratic Party - Internet - New Technology > > > Birgitt, Mike, > > Thank you so much. > > > > Are there any editors or writers out there, who can help me write an > > absolutely clear brilliant essay/letter? Or perhaps you know someone > > else to refer me to? > > > > Thanks again, > > Al > > > > > > > > Birgitt Williams wrote: > > > > > > Alan, > > > Whatever you do with this is worth a pursuing because it is clear you > have > > > passion to move this forward. I found that the last few paragraphs of > what > > > you wrote was exactly what we say OST does. I get excited about any work > > > that I am aware of in which someone is assisting others to find their > voice, > > > their truth, their freedom, their right to make choices-all of which is > so > > > very much needed because people generally have lost touch with all of > this > > > and lost touch with their personal power. Bless you for pursuing this, > > > Birgitt > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu]On Behalf Of Alan > > > Silverman > > > Sent: Sunday, January 12, 2003 10:58 AM > > > To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > > > Subject: Re: Help with Idea / Democratic Party - Internet - New > Technology > > > > > > Dear Christine, Birgitt, Jim, BJ, Michael, > > > > > > Thank you for your responses. > > > > > > I guess my idea has always been to create a type of virtual Open Space. > > > Virtual, because of my experience at IBM. Commuting hours a day to do > > > the same work I could do at home seemed so foolish. (I was in software > > > support.) > > > > > > Having to physically travel to a specific place to participate in a > > > process, this immediately cuts out almost everyone - the disabled, the > > > poor, the dying, 99.9% of all of us, from participation. Which serves > > > the individuals who control powerful institutions. I want a virtual > > > Washington D.C., a virtual UN. I think it can be done, with specific > > > technologies. > > > > > > I appreciate your responses. But I feel some were really saying: "Do > > > this instead". Or "No, that can't be done". These are valid responses, > > > but should be said with a full understanding of what I'm saying. > > > Harrison came closest to understanding, but I had to clarify a key > > > point: Convincing the Democratic Party is not necessary for the idea to > > > work. > > > > > > "Is this what you mean?" ... "Or is it this?" ... "This might be a > better > > > way...." > > > The role of listener, understander, interpreter for other's ideas is > > > very important. > > > > > > A few more things, before I go into my letter. First, key to my system > > > of thought is trying to imagine all the ways something might possibly > > > work, before saying it won't. Second, although I do have the writer's > > > horror of having my ideas stolen, I also have a rather loose sense of > > > ownership. I'm not saying 'help me with my idea' so much as 'take it, > > > work with it, make it your own, whatever part, as much or little, as you > > > want." Third, content is important to me, not form. If you can say it > > > better, then say it. Take what I write, move it, slice it, dice it. > > > That's the beauty of software. Fourth, it doesn't matter who you are or > > > where you come from. Christine from Australia, if you understand what > > > I'm saying and can help create it, do so. Anything, just referring an > > > idea to someone else, can help. Think down the line. > > > > > > Now I'm being wordy. I don't want to be wordy. I want to boil things > > > down to their essence, else the core objective be lost. > > > > > > 1. My goal is to create and legitimize a virtual institution where > > > everyone can input their ideas and join to create solutions, not fuzzy > > > solutions but very specific well thought out solutions, to specific > > > problems. I believe the technology now exists to accomplish this. > > > > > > 2. I believe that at this specific time, right now, if we can find the > > > right words to express this, and find the right people to champion the > > > idea, and place those words in the right place, we have a decent chance > > > of creating such an institution. This is worth trying. > > > > > > I'm going to throw down my words, like characters on a Ouija board, > > > hoping they take shape and become something. Don't be too respectful > > > of specific words. They are just words, after all. > > > > > > Thank you. > > > Alan > > > > > > Letter I began to write: > > > > > > Over the past few years I have created innovative solutions for the > > > Democratic Party, concise well articulated plans with a high degree of > > > granularity, intended to address specific problems. Since I worked as a > > > software engineer at IBM, many of these ideas dealt with the Internet > > > and new technologies, areas where I felt the Democratic Party could use > > > assistance. > > > > > > At different times I presented these ideas in softcopy, hardcopy and in > > > person, to various arms of the DNC and individuals within the party, to > > > committees and liberal think tanks, and our elected officials. Because > > > these were good ideas well presented, they were discussed, sometimes at > > > length, before each idea finally disappeared, swallowed up by that great > > > confused institution, the Democratic Party. > > > > > > There is no lack of good ideas in America. We have a wealth of > > > intelligent creative individuals. But no mechanism exists to gather > > > innovative ideas, refine them into concrete solutions, and then feed > > > those solutions to the Democratic leadership for implementation. If it > > > did exist, such a mechanism would invigorate the Democratic Party and > > > the American political system as a whole. > > > > > > The problem is finding a process to efficiently gather and sort ideas, > > > winnow out good from bad, and then create solutions. This is the type > > > of problem I began working on at IBM in 1988, also the first year I > > > worked on the Internet. > > > > > > The Internet is another great confused institution, implicitly > > > democratic, offering enormous possibilities, but containing too much > > > information too easily created, and only with difficulty appraised. The > > > difference between this and the problems we faced at IBM are more of > > > scope than of kind. > > > > > > The solution lay within a matrix of four technological groups: > > > > > > 1. The Internet, search engines, sorting programs, heuristics. > > > 2. Huge data bases, cheap data storage, data mining. > > > 3. Digital signatures, encryption programs. > > > 4. Moderated forums. > > > > > > With these technologies we can build a forum where groups of individuals > > > can create intelligent solutions to better our party, our nation, and > > > our world. This open forum, open to anyone with access to the Internet, > > > open in the fact that the discussions, this solution manufacturing > > > process, would be in plain view, thus mitigating against the back room > > > deals that often dominate politics. > > > > > > The forums would be moderated and structured, not free form. Each > > > discussion would constitute communities of individuals most > > > knowledgeable in specific areas and most passionate about specific > > > problems, joining together from wherever they live, to break complex > > > problems into simple ones, attacking these simple problems in parallel. > > > > > > Get the very best people, no matter where they live and who they are, > > > working together. Ultimately these are the people who should create > > > actual policy and suggest solutions. The Democratic Party is the right > > > group to sponsor such a forum and champion its solutions. This may be > > > the only way we can compete with the Republican Party, which has more > > > money and better organization than we. > > > > > > (Al: OK, this is where it peters out. > > > > > > Question: > > > > > > Is it too pedantic, stiff, self-important? Does it matter I was at > > > IBM? Does this technological connection lend some credence? Mention > > > Google somewhere? Hot item now. When Google made it to the cover of > > > Newsweek magazine, I thought, 'of course, if Google can cull 3 billion > > > web pages and organize them to give you the web pages you want, we can > > > do the same, matching idea and people together.' > > > > > > But I don't want to just give Google the 'contract'. It is most > > > efficient to find things which already exist, people who have already > > > plotted out implementations to an idea. They are out there, for > > > virtually any idea or concept, quickly plugged into specific tasks. But > > > at every level, task... the actual implementation must be left to the > > > best possible solution in competition with all other like solutions. > > > The best as judged by ones peers, those individuals most knowledgeable > > > about that specific area. BJ, I think this is your distinction between > > > 'citizen democracy' and 'direct democracy'.) > > > > > > Further wisps, some dealing with actual implementation, which needn't be > > > in the letter: > > > > > > The problem with "innovation" in business movements of the 1990's, came > > > from three facts. 1. An idea created by one individual could be easily > > > stolen by others. 2. Innovative ideas were submitted through a > > > hierarchy of management people not capable of understanding or adding to > > > the idea, and usually hostile to new ideas in general, since new ways of > > > doing things endanger their own positions. 3. With software it's so > > > easy to generate ideas, most of them impractical. Assessing, grading, > > > and sorting them was simply too expensive. Output generally didn't > > > justify cost. > > > > > > Now, with the availability of digital signatures, dependable encryption > > > programs, and cheap data storage, literally every discussion could be > > > documented and archived in total. There would be no debate who first > > > came up with a suggestion and whose input was critical to its final > > > form. But the great weight of output could also be inexpensively > > > sorted and grouped. > > > > > > This would represent both democracy and capitalism at its very best. > > > Protocols would be developed to view ideas and refine them efficiently. > > > Heuristic searching, sorting, and summarizing programs make this > > > possible. > > > > > > >From a country of 270 million, or a world of 6 billion, there is almost > > > always someone who really sees what's going on. The problem is finding > > > that person and helping them refine that idea into a solution. > > > > > > For instance, it seems apparent that an FBI agent in Phoenix and others > > > in Minnesota were on the track of the 911 terrorists. Undoubtedly many > > > other individuals in other branches of the U.S. government also knew > > > something was up. But hierarchical institutions and organizations, such > > > as the FBI, and the Republican Party, are not good at finding this type > > > of person and putting her/him together with other people individuals who > > > can reasonably assess the value of their ideas, so they may begin to > > > work together to create solutions. Perhaps more accurately, these > > > institutions are not good at allowing such people to find each other and > > > work together. > > > > > > (too preachy and self-involved? I think so. But the 911 stuff could > > > touch a nerve.) > > > > > > The immediate question at hand is 'what should the Democratic Party do > > > in light of successful Republican strategy?" That's the button to push, > > > the hook. Do we push it accusingly, saying they've failed the Democratic > > > electorate? Helpfully? as a challenge? I don't know. > > > > > > In the long run, I think one of the most important things the Democratic > > > Party could offer in competition with the Republicans, is giving all > > > (frustrated creative) people the chance to have their ideas seen and > > > used. But to give you an idea what I'm thinking, following are specific > > > examples of the uses of such forums... > > > > > > (*** Important aside: The above two paragraphs will be the last time > > > you hear me say: > > > "I don't know"... > > > "But to give you an idea what I'm thinking"... > > > "I think..." > > > If you do see these statements, please delete them from my writing. > > > > > > I'm not a great believer in certainty. "I think", "I believe", "I don't > > > know for sure" are implied in my every statement. But saying so makes > > > for impossible reading.) > > > > > > Forum examples: > > > > > > 1. Suppose there is need for a policy decision concerning how farmers > > > should irrigate fields in the mountains of Peru. I give this example > > > because I remember reading something about this in a back issue of > > > Natural History magazine. > > > > > > I'm willing to bet there are at least three dozen people who know more > > > about these fields, farmers, and land use than anyone else in the world, > > > all the implications, connections, and complications. If a U.S. policy > > > decision were ever needed concerning this (I leave it to your > > > imagination why there might be need for such a decision), these are the > > > people who should make it, or at least be party to making it. > > > > > > This may seem inconsequential, but great disasters come from seemingly > > > inconsequential decisions. The complexity and size of our world leaves > > > open the opportunity for individuals and groups to secretly push their > > > own agendas, to the detriment of all. Computer data bases have an > > > unparalleled ability to model reality, to track the exact status, in > > > real time, of things which might otherwise fall between the cracks. > > > > > > 2. At least 50 people in the world today have thought of the idea which > > > I am discussing here, all aspects, from the technologies involved to the > > > structures of forums and rules and protocols to governing them. > > > Together we could quickly refine the idea, break it down into > > > constituent parts, then solve these as separate problems. > > > > > > When I was working at IBM there was always someone somewhere who 'knew'. > > > Of course you could figure out what they knew, but that might take days. > > > But if instead you found that person, and got the answer, the tiny bit > > > of information necessary to send the project forward, it might take her > > > or him only a minute. > > > > > > Because I thought of certain ideas, it doesn't mean I'm the best person > > > to organize them into an essay, write them down, etc. I want to own > > > those ideas and get credit for them. But I don't want to 'own' the > > > whole. I want to give ownership away, to all the people who best know > > > how to accomplish what should be accomplished, with each person getting > > > credit for the actual value of their input. > > > > > > Any project can be broken down into segments. This project: > > > 1. Base ideas > > > 2. Write essay > > > 3. Round up prominent support > > > 4. Place in prominent venue. > > > > > > Each is the basis for miniforums. > > > > > > What it comes down to is that already all the right answers are out > > > there somewhere. All we must do is find them, create a forum for the > > > people who understand them, then use them, while crediting all those who > > > deserve credit for a solution. This will constitute a great worldwide > > > institution. The key is to legitimize the institution and the solutions > > > it proposes. > > > > > > The people who should pose solutions are the community of all > > > individuals in the world most knowledgeable in certain specific areas > > > and most passionate about shared ideas. > > > > > > * > > > * > > > ========================================================== > > > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > > > ------------------------------ > > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > > > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, > > > Visit: > > > > > > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > > > * > > * > > ========================================================== > > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > > ------------------------------ > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, > > Visit: > > > > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > * > * > ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > ------------------------------ > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, > Visit: > > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
