Addressing the topic of the meeting, “specific ways to use web technology to move your cause forward,” I discussed with others a specific application of a web technology which I think was not ulilized through no fault of its own. I talked about (for those not at the meeting, here is my video shown at the meeting: The CNN political team chooses the videos, not you ) how CNN was unwilling to allow for a democratic selection of YouTube questions even though it not only could be achieved but the application to do so was already created: 10questions.com You can read about how it worked out at their blog: “10Questions.com Complete and a Success!”
I mentioned how it had a good number of big name sponsors and yet it still was marginalized. I mean, MSNBC, the New York Times and AOL and it still was marginalized? Here you have a great web application with BIG name sponsors yet I think the thing that kept it down was that the powers that be are resistant to giving the public so much say in the public forum. Think about it, there could have been a debate on MSNBC with all the questions taken from those voted on at the website. If MSNBC, the New York Times and AOL wanted it to be, they could have used their enormous power to publicize to make it happen.
Here we are thinking about helping grassroots projects and we have major power players sitting on there hands letting a web solution sit underutilized. I think this emphasizes some basic points, like you need publicity for something to be successfully utilized to its potential and that even if something is clearly better for the public, it doesn’t mean people with power will be willing to give it the publicity it needs to have a fair chance. Look at the mentality we face: “For all the talk about online voter empowerment, the web is still too immature a medium to set an agenda for a national debate”, says CNN senior vice president David Bohrman.
Marty Kaplan points out, “the notion that the CNN-YouTube debate represents a grass-roots triumph of the internet age is laughable.” I think Kaplan hits the nail on the head when he writes that 10questions.com is apparently too much democracy for CNN.
I make these points not to discourage anyone of course, but to help us keep in mind the real world obstacles we face. I do think we can think of creative ways to try to overcome these obstacles.
Hi, Tom:
Great post! What you said definitely has a lot of truth in it.
Since both you and me are in the Noam Chomsky and Anarcho-Syndicalism group, I think that it will be easier if I use some reference to Noam Chomsky and Anarcho-Syndicalism. As Noam Chomsky and Anarcho-Syndicalism talk about how people can self-organize without the (violent force) of the state, I think the great potential of the web is to empower people to self-organize. In other words, since we people are the majority, why should we be marginalized by the minority (the corporations and the politicians, who are controlled by the corporations)? Let’s organize together, with the aid of web, to marginalize them instead.
As I am watching Mike Gravel’s heroic efforts in running for the president this time, I think he is really testing the limits of the current political system. If Mike Gravel cannot succeed, I don’t have any hope for change through the political system anymore. American people should also not complain about having no real candidate any more. This country needs more serious fundamental changes.
Comment by freestone on March 17, 2008 at 11:00 pm
My partner wrote a post about the same issue - thought it might be of interest: “Do people in charge want to hear from us? Or do they just tell us that?” at http://www.mixedink.com/blog/?p=8.
Comment by Vanessa on March 18, 2008 at 11:21 am