I feel, as a reader mainly, that I cannot advice other people to read some diairies because I would be afraid they may just discard the text after reading a few over revendicative paragraphs.
I feel that the site may need some delicately phrased articles to sum up the work on some subject, and let it available to outsiders in a simple, comprehensive and welcoming way.
Perhaps the wiki should be started again, to become the place where keeping such welcoming texts, with a stronger anti-spam protection? A free fox in a free henhouse!
Well, I meant protesting, in a quite strident way.
What I just wanted to underline is that, given the tone of latest contributions to the website, it is quite difficult to just tell people "go to the website, they have quite a good analysis on that subject".
Because, doing so, when the guy actually comes to ET, what he feels is finding himself (or herself) in the middle of quite radical activism, and he(she) will then discard whatever is written on the site as "politically biaised".
I usually prefer, while debating, slowly demonstrate that the usual wisdom on a subject is false, giving facts and examples when I may, because I feels the result is more efficient.
and sorry again for the vocabulary mess
As an example, I would point to some of Jérôme "anglo disease" stories where facts are mixed with opinions, making it useful when answering to biaised contradictors, but also harder to use to convince some open minded correspondent. It often happens it the comments more. I hope I'm not sounding ungrateful really, because I'm not: I really read a lot of ET stories, and I'm usually wondering how to use the material in it elsewhere.
Jérôme, don't stop writing, I love your stories
I do try to cover the basics in my stories, or at least to link to older diaries arguing more in detail a particular point, but there is also a need to cover new ground and not just repeat endlessly the same thing (as it were, I already feel I'm repeating myself too much) - and that's where the earlier references, already absorbed by§ regulars, may not be obvious to new readers.
But that's why I'd like to be able to have the thinktank, where we can produce these summary papers that take a new reader through the whole process in a step-by-step fashion, using the arguments we've honed previously. Having such papers as handy references to our assertions would be a priceless support to the site.
but we need t odraft them, circulate them, and store tham online. Which brings us back to that ET thinktank idea I wrote about elsewhere in this thread. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
It will exist when it's quoted in old-style media. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
But bringing about change in the audience is a whole different kettle of whatever takes your fancy. Old style media are, unfortunately, old style. In the billions of words written every day, an LTE here or there is irrelevant. It may satisfy your own needs for communication and recognition, but that is a monologue, IMO, and the common failure of most of my clients in equating exposure with influence.
The true value of thinktanks is thinking. That is what we do and it is a reality. What is not yet a reality is how to translate this thinking into change that is perceptible to a large mass, such that it might have political impact. If we could apply more open thinking to this little conundrum, we might find more common ground. The solution is unlikely IMO to be old style media. Although, as I have written elsewhere, a literary agent could secure income for ET.
You have written elsewhere about your lack of knowledge about IT. This is a problem. The solution (though I don't know what it is, but have some ideas), lies in this very channel that we are using at this moment.
The thinktank exists as it accepts that it is primarily in new-media - not old. You can't be me, I'm taken
I thought you considered ET to be a collective entity - why do you seem to be expecting me, or any of the gnomes, to do the work? Why aren't you contacting that agent and bringing the options s/he will provide here on ET for these to be discussed? Why don't you put your ideas on the table? Why don't you make these things that you consider so valuable and important actually happen?
So forgive me if I ignore you or am skeptical - you asked for it with your inaction and/or superciliousness. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
As to ET Thinktank - you may remember that I have supported this idea for months and have stated that I will put $100 per month into the project. I used to suggest Migeru as the first employee, but, since he has a job now, I recommend Helen as an archivist/coordinator.
Concerning form - the comments, as in past discussions of this issue, are diverse but contain alternatives that could be organized for further discussion and decision by you, or the FPs, or the membership-at-large. This could be Helen's first task. paul spencer
I work all the time with projects that might bring about change à la ET. I spend a lot of time with your basic taxi driver, your shop assistant and your laundry lady. I lke these people. They make happiness in my life. And I will do only those things that I believe will ultimately benefit them or their offspring.
Sounds crazy, I know - but these are the people that will call the ambulance when I have a heart attack. These are the people that assist my life, and i try to assist them.
Yes, I am for ET, but you don't really need me, yet. Like some others here, (and I am a very minor partner in their endeavours) I believe that a fairly radical stance is needed and WHEN that stance is established, it needs to be communicated - in terms that everybody can understand and why. That is probably my unique skill - if you need it. You can't be me, I'm taken
As they say "watch this space"! In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
