Ming the Mechanic:
A revolution in three steps

The NewsLog of Flemming Funch
 A revolution in three steps2003-04-09 23:59
2 comments
by Flemming Funch

Lee Felsenstein is an Internet oldtimer and activist. Here's a thing from his weblog:
"HOW TO MAKE A REVOLUTION in three easy steps

OK, here's the method for making sweeping, positive social change.

FIRST, everybody gets a project.

Join one or start one, but the project has to be directed toward making things better. That's what's called a "positive vector".

SECOND, everybody talks with everybody else about their projects.

That's "talks with", not just "talks to" or "talks at". This sets up a "field of communication", with information flowing in all directions. It's very important to the process, and we now have the tools (the Internet and the phone system) to make communication available without much hierarchy.

THIRD, be prepared to change your project based upon what you learn by communicating about it.

This is also very important. It "closes the feedback loop" by making the communication consequential, and, with everyone's good sense, sets up a "converging system" in the general direction of the vector.

That's it. Act, especially in concert with others, communicate and re-evaluate. Repeat as often as possible. Oh, yes - keep records of what you try and what happened , both good and bad. The system needs an element of memory to function. "
OK. Organization based on each person actually having something meaningful to do, and on a process of continuous dialogue.


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2 comments

12 Apr 2003 @ 15:53 by dwig : OK, here's my project
I've had a project going since last summer, at a very low level -- a few hours a week, with occasional long lapses and short bursts. You can read about it on my log, under the title "Humanity's Final Exam". I'd love to dialogue about it with others, especially those with their own projects; a field of communication is just what I need to move it forward. The third principle is expressed in somewhat different words in the last paragraph of the Introduction.

Ming, from your viewpoint, what projects (in or out of NCN) would be good candidates to begin interworking? I'm thinking both of the openness of the workers and the opportunities for synergy in the natures of the projects.  



12 Apr 2003 @ 16:18 by ming : Internetworking
Well, I mostly focus on creating environments where such interworking might happen. But I'm not always the best at keeping track of all that is out there.  


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2008-07-06 23:20: Laws of social networks
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2008-02-21 21:16: Open social networks
2007-11-08 01:49: The value of connections
2007-11-07 00:51: Diversity counterproductive to social capital?
2007-07-13 23:42: Plan vs Reality



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