What would you think about using DU for brainstorming sessions

[Capitalocracy]

for actual grassroots action for change?

Would you participate in something like that?

[jotsy]

1. Yes.

I've thought the state forums were a good place to start something to that effort. It would probably work as well in issue driven forums.

[Capitalocracy]

7. How do we get started?

I've never been successful at organizing people...

[jotsy]

8. Give me an hour

and check your pm.

[social_critic]

2. No way

I don't brainstorm unless I get to use a white board and lots of colored markers, have access to computers to run simulations, a reference library available near by, and people who are willing to argue and bitch and moan. I brainstorm for a living, and these are the basic ingredients.

Maybe if you used some kind of Java chat you can get to about 20 % of what's needed. Otherwise what you get won't be useful.

[deutsey]

3. That does happen here sometimes

For some reason, thuough, it doesn't get very far.

[Capitalocracy]

6. The herding cats theory

but we've got the numbers here to really organize something, and I think it would be worth it to try.

[bluestate10]

12. That is because of intolerance.

Some members are so loaded in their viewpoints that even when confronted with compelling facts that they are wrong, their response is to shut out questioning voices. A brainstorming utility would disallow the ignore feature, anyone that wants to participate should come prepared to fight for the merits of their ideas. I am ok with prevention of excessive ridicule and name calling in the utility, those have no place in civilized discussion anyway.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[social_critic]

5. Well, it is their site

I wouldn't expect a site like this to be open to everything. They do exercise editorial control. I try to keep my more radical ideas under their radar. :-)

[defendandprotect]

16. But ... suppressing the truth of our feelings doesn't really work for progress ....

and obviously limiting the scope of discussions here, limits the

discussions. IMO, those discussions have to begin to happen --

[formercia]

9. Disruptors and agent-provocateurs will infiltrate in no time

We won't cause change by buying a bigger pickup, shopping at mega-corporate stores, eating processed food, buying the latest cell-phone, using our credit and debit cards, buying a big-screen TV, using cable TV and any number of things that feed their profits to the top 1% and the Oligarchs. Give them Money, you give them power. Change happens one Dollar at a time.

[bluestate10]

13. So, what is your point?

Most of us know that what was pointed out is a problem. Infiltrators get crushed when sound ideas and well reasoned concepts confront them, so why fear their activity in a brainstorming activity?

[formercia]

25. I'll let someone else be Fed Bait.

I have played that game for too long. Let someone else learn the hard way. Ideas are great, but in the end, each individual must decide what they can do best to change the Country's direction, as long as it's lawful and non-violent.

[bluestate10]

10. The brainstorming would need to be a self standing section, independent of GD.

And, participants should not be allowed to put anyone on ignore, each participant should be forced to fight for the merits of their ideas.

[NYC Liberal]

11. Bring back the DU Activist Corps?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3995904

[Capitalocracy]

14. How did that turn out?

That was before my time on DU

[NYC Liberal]

18. Kind of fizzled out.

Here's what Skinner had to say:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=437&topic_id=893

I think if people got into it and really participated it could definitely work.

[Capitalocracy]

20. I don't think it's necessary to sort of try to get ALL of DU on board with an idea

I think it would be great to have either a site structure that encourages organizing and activism, or just enough people actually doing it to make it part of the culture here, and then they'll organize on an issue-by-issue basis among the people who agree on that particular issue, rather than trying to get the whole site to move in the same direction

[defendandprotect]

15. As long as we could fantacize freely about what needs to be done ...

[EFerrari]

17. It's my favorite part of DU.

:)

We used to do it more before the Democrats took the White House and, to be fair, before the crash which has affected a lot of people.

[Poboy]

19. I think if there were any realized thinking that diverged from the 'party line', such a group

and participants would be CRUSHED.

[Capitalocracy]

21. Crushed by what?

There's a lot we can do within the rules, and anyone starting an argument just kicks the thread to the top, so I don't think the divisions necessarily detract from the ability to organize

Edit to add: Not to mention the fact that there are some party line issues that could use our support as well, sometimes

[patrice]

23. wow.

:eyes:

Obviously, you have missed the ego inflated, self-absorbed, flattery and sycophantic cheer-leading that goes on around here.

[patrice]

22. Isn't it too public? You don't want your opposition inside your strategizing.

[Capitalocracy]

26. It's not like we're talking about anything secret here

I'm referring to public stuff, petitioning, protesting, you know, getting the word out. Public is good.

[patrice]

27. I'm not talking about secret. I'm talking about the ability to make effective counter decisions.

Oppo research informs any group of activists, out of the thousands of things that they could choose to do; out of the millions of words they could employ in press releases, blogging, LTTEs, phone calls, whatever; out of the hundreds of different orders of priority they could adopt, which ones would most effectively counter whatever the other side is doing.

Certain kinds of information help you decide how to direct your resources more effectively.

[The Backlash Cometh]

24. Mostly, yes.