Couple of smart video presentations we've come across recently.
We're huge admirers of Clay Shirky of course. Here he is at TED@State (that's a sort of mini-TED hosted by the US State Department... that's how influential TED has become), riffing on the role of digital and social media in politics, in the spread of democracy in the dissemination of a message. There's too much in here for us to really single out any observation, but if we were forced to it'd probably be that (and this is a familiar Shirky-ism) that it's not novel services which are interesting, but rather ubiquitous, or at least mainstream ones.
And - a little older this - a presentation to Google's Zeitgeist 2008 conference by IPR lawyer
James Boyle arguing that human beings have a systemic inability to see the importance of open, networked systems, and consequently are prejudiced in the beliefs, generally preferring to support closed systems. That's hamfistedly put. Watch Boyle instead... he's remarkably clear-thinking while discursive and wide-ranging in his topics.
Simon
Two things that helped our thinking this week.
One - this very interesting little tool called Vote Match, which takes the user through a range of statements on European policy, asking you to agree or disagree, so that you can find out how which party best suits your own views. The first thing I found, which acted as a useful reminder as a person very keen to end political party style representation, is just how little knowledge or frankly opinion I had on a number of the policy issues raised. After a bit of use it really got me thinking about just how some kind of web based voting mechanism that focused on issues rather than parties might work. It would be tricky - no doubt about it, but it gave me faith that there may well be a way to unbind ourselves from having to represented by MPs or MEPs at all.
The other site that really got me thinking is the MacArthur digital learning site which has recently announced which projects it has awarded funds to this year. The award supports 'projects that demonstrate new modes of participatory learning, in which people take part in virtual communities, share ideas, comment on one another’s projects, and advance goals together.' - which sounds like a good measure of the kind of project we'd be interested in; and they are. There are 14 projects awarded this year and all of them look really exciting and have something different to tell us about the ways in digital tools and connectedness are completely changing the way we learn and teach. Lots of clever partnerships, useful data mash-ups, global collaboration and the use of mobiles to connect teachers and learners in different countries to improve literacy - a bit overwhelming but thoroughly inspiring stuff.
Justin
Obama's use of comms tech to help win the White house have been well-documented. The BBC report that he's now using the web to help with the transition, not least in soliciting views from the public about their wants of the new administration.
The rather excellent Paid Content website writes today that Senator Obama is already appointing technology experts to his transition team. In particular they think that the appointment of Julius Genachowski "could signal the prominence of high-tech policy in the new administration." Add that to the lists of high hopes.
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