Can Communication Agents Organize And Act?

	Critical Questions

Applicant Luigi Bertuzzi aka ZigZag writes in one of his comments:

As you say Robin, I am preparing to send in my Communication Agent applicationhowever, I have indicated that my decision is

subject to the outcome of convenient arrangements

because, if I may borrow a statement from your post on The Raise of Emergentism:

Having seen first-hand, many tmes, the power of networked groups, I hold out not hope, but a task, to organize and act, no matter who you are and no matter what it takesUnfortunately, we are now experiencing a paradox, because holding out such a task is far more difficult today, in the age of networks and collaborative (or social) software, than it was thirty years ago, in the early days of computing, before networking existed at all.

To which I have promptly responded:

"It really sounds all fine to me.

Your points are right and well taken but my view on what is taking place offers a slightly different point of view than the one you so skilfully outline.

Small groups, self-defining shared-ethos (a-la-Bala http://www.ryze.com/go/Bala) networks of like-minded individuals that utilize communication tools to meet, collaborate and address specific issues, do not need to go through great organizational work efforts (times are too fast-changing now to be able to plan organizational frameworks at this level of granularity that can be better and more adaptable than the ones naturally forming around issues and events to address).

They self-organize.

It is also true that groups are also their own very worst enemy (http://shirky.com/writings/group_enemy.html) and in that respect key principles protecting group cohesion should be embedded in the loose organizational framework to guarantee stability and extended lifetime to it. These may include:

a) some fundamental group ethics,

b) a clear and well stated mission,

c) a well defined picture of our enemies (as we have several specific ones to address), and

d) complete transparency for how our operations are being run.

That weblogs, blogs and in general the use of new media tools and online technologies is greatly misunderstood is also true. This is a too great opportunity we should not let go by so easily. Nonetheless the ocean of blogs, wikis and other apparently "non-professional" independent publishing tools may apparently clog relevancy from becoming more accessible online, this is like saying that proliferation of soft drinks may make a quality wine brand become useless or hard to find. Nonsense. Or better yet, quite the contrary.

That is:
The more vast and pervasive the ocean of irrelevant conversations, blogs, posts and comments, the more easily relevant become those few, highly linked, cited and articles (on blogs or not on blogs) that deserve the authority given to them by other readers.

That visibility and authority is naturally awarded to them by info searchers, readers and by other online information sources linking or citing them. That is if you have any value, within topics to be dynamically identified, you will show up in search results.

The Communication Agents Initiative is related to blogs as much as Ferrari is related to helmets. Yes, we are now using a popular weblog publishing technology to empower each Communication Agent to achieve is ambitious goals, but that says little of all the related and complementary methods, tactics and other technologies that, if well used, can make indeed a Communication Agent a uniquely powerful agent of social change.

Let me state this clearly and officially, once and for all:
Communication Agents are not bloggers.

I do not share the common view that if you use Blogger.com, MovableType or any other weblogging technology what you produce whit it is one, predetermined product/content item.

With this technology the outcome does not have to be personal diary as we see on 90% of the blogs around. With what you call blog technology (and I would better refer to as Personal Publishing System in line with MT original vision), I have already produced a successful online catalogue, an online shop, an information clearinghouse, and also the three pioneer Communication Agents Web sites, which while incorporating the features of popular online bloggers, have a unique approach, focus and depth in their publishing efforts.

As a matter of fact I openly invite you to find other online weblogs that address anyone of my clearly outlined Areas for Change in an independent fashion and through the effective use of such technologies.

There are very few, next to none. The ones that I have identified are mostly linked in the Robin Sources blogroll that you can find at: http://www.masternewmedia.org/

Re you worries about what it takes to talk to large organizations when it comes to utilize these tools and appropriate team mentality to use them, you do not need to be any clearer.

I live the problem on my skin as a key consultant of some large international organizations operating in the fields of research, development and education. They are scared as shit of what is happening and they are holding very tight to their few, so hardly conquered fix beliefs. They are staying top-down, they are not opening their ears.

But you know what?

Their people, individuals armed of anger, exhausted by too much top-down exerted control and censorship are taking back the initiative and are speaking up.

And when they do, they have a profound effect.

Just like that person leaving first at a party and making everyone else suddenly leave too. They also have a profound effect because they rapidly link-up and synergise with other like-minded people who have already been moving in the same direction.

Information is shared and updated and higher more complex issues can be addressed.

I am not scared, discouraged or put down by your open comments. They represent the position where everyone is at.

My intuition tells me that this the correct road to take and my data shows me that effective change can be brought about through a new level of communication born out of highly independent, visionary individuals.

Luigi, while I gently return to you the opportunity for a little break to reflect on your points, please see how tuned-in, qualified, skilled and motivated you are in addressing one or more of the issues so clearly outlined in my Areas for Change.

The road ahead is not easy nor downhill, but it is a road.

It is not paved but it is visible.

It is not on the map, but there are people who know and have long studied about it.

The road is there to be taken for those who have prepared themselves for this.

This is a mission that takes some real balls and large shoulders.

I would suggest reflection on well pondered steps for all involved.

Robin Good
Ideas, Tools and Resources To Get There
http://www.masternewmedia.org/

July 21, 2003 in Critical Questions | Permalink

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/33694

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Can Communication Agents Organize And Act?:

 

Powered by Robin Good