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 GLOBAL MOVEMENT FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE

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Question: Internet for a culture of peace, how can we use it better? CPNN article: TFF Shows the Potential of Internet News
Guest
Posted: Mar. 19 2004,15:12
I think that we can, and eventually will, make much greater use of the Internet for a culture of peace.  CPNN is part of a new frontier of "participatory communication."  This is the term we used in the  United Nations resolution on a culture of peace, see especially paragraphs 93 and 94.

One can argue that this is the third great revolution in communication, the first being writing, the second printing, and now the third being participatory electronic communication.  Writing and printing were one-way streets, from the writer/printer to the audience, and television has not really changed that.  On the other hand, Internet and radio talk shows are forms of participatory communication which are two-way streets.  And we can guess that there will be new forms of participatory communication coming in the future.  Also, more linkages between Internet and radio.

Of course like any tool they can be used for good and for bad.  That was true for writing and printing in their days.  It is up to us to make sure that we use them for a culture of peace rather than a culture of war.

In working on CPNN, I have found that most CPNN readers have not yet "found their voice."  They remain readers only and do not act as writers.  Hopefully, as time goes on this will change, and we can hope for the day when a large percentage of visitors to CPNN do not leave before adding their own contribution, whether in the form of an article or an event or a discussion reply.  One could say that we are just at the beginning of a "second literacy" of participatory communication for peace.

As time goes on, there should be more and more Internet sites like CPNN, including a world-wide network of CPNN sites in all languages, with interchange of translated articles.  CPNN itself should grow and change in its capacities.  And it should be joined by many other participatory sites using different techniques and tapping into different themes and audiences.

As readers encounter some of these new sites, like TFF, I hope that you will send in articles about them, like Jim's article about TFF, and I hope you will make use of these other sites, as well as CPNN, to strengthen the global movement for a culture of peace.
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rob111
Posted: May 03 2004,20:23
Great to hear of the "second literacy" of participatory communication that you wrote of recently.  I think you're right in noticing the curve - the internet, free-wheeling-free-thinking media is still in development & hopefully this learning & useage curve will gain momentum.

For me, this all points to activism vs. apathy.

Certainly  a lot of folks out there are not really apathetic... they just don't get excited about social justice & peace issues because of all the negative talk associated with politics.  Negatives, like the anger & angst within the political scene, and the way in which quality dialoge really isn't easy to foster in the era of soundbyte newscasting.

My hope is that people will voice their concerns regarding these & similar such things, so we can look at ways to make political dialogue a worthy yet more positive subject and generate more communication so as to counter the couch-potato culture that's risen from the one-way, linear attitude of tv.

This isn't easy... people have a lot going on in their lives, & more avenues of light-speed gadgets & games are jumping into the equation all the time.   Just competing for a vioce among all the noise is enough of an issue.

Perhaps someone will read this & think about what they'd like to see in the net-based "paricipatory" realm that you've written about.  Something to help make it enjoyable enough so as to counter the massive, negative political banter.

There's also the simple problem of quantity: how many issues can people track, with so many open channels of talk available in the web based medium that allows anyone with a file-server to instantly become a publisher.

Definitely a busy new paradigm.
How to balance the cacaphony against the idea of the old world of tightly controlled networks?

Rob

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From a Tikkun member, I offer to collaborate for peaceful unity in diversity, understanding & freedom.  As the Lakota native Indians say, Mitakuye Oyasin... Rob M.
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curiousdwk
Posted: July 02 2004,07:11
Great article on TFF (and yes, I have signed up for their PressInfo ListServ).  This looks like a great work and I'm interested to start receiving their e-mails.  Their web page looks very interesting.

Good post by David (Super Adminstrator) also.  Especially the appeal for more participation by the e-activists to writing.  One of the things I like about CPNN is its opportunity/encouragement to write.  I'm a firm believer that one doesn't really know what they think or feel until they try to express it - either verbally, written, or some other medium.  

And Rob111 makes a good point that one of the problems with e-involvement is the super-inundation of information.  And there are no good filters, and I don't know that I would trust the filters if there were.  I hestitated subscribing to the PressInfo because I have so much already and receive so many items.  And CPNN also provides a lot of excellent resources.

As for writing, I have found other forums to be not effective in that many of them are excuses for fringe people and others who want to form a close-knit community to Instant Message.  I would sometimes take an issue, work off-line for up to an hour before posting it, only to have it immediately followed by a radical (left or right) post and then all responses after that were on the radical one.  Or two or more members would get on immediately after mine and go back and forth for 15 or more posts.  I have given up on most of them.

I joined a group for Strong UN hoping that the group would be able to help me learn about the UN and what can be done locally to promote its activities.  However I seem to be the only one that ever posts anything there.

The problem with CPNN that I see (and I'm a newbie so I have much to learn before making too many generalizations) is one similar to Strong UN.  I see these interesting discussion forums, and really great, well thought out posts, but no responses to them.  It seems that most forums have only a couple of posts and they are generally several months old.

What can we do to encourage more active postings and getting people engaged in these discussion for Peace?  The best way to "Make an Effective Peace Movement" is to get people engaged.

Any suggestions?

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May your days be such that your nights are filled with joyful dreams.
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Joe
Posted: July 02 2004,11:08
Thanks for the post, curiousdwk. I think you've put your finger on one of the key issues of internet organizing - and certainly one of the most important issues for CPNN.

For a while now, the moderators and peace promoters have been discussing how to increase the scope of CPNN and how to retain visitors and get them involved (whether it be writing an article or posting a quick one-sentence response). The consensus so far has been 1.) that we need to re-think the structure of CPNN, making it more accessible and more empowering and 2.) that we need to increase our outreach to diverse groups and individuals.

Of course, how we go about this is the hard part. But, the cool thing about CPNN is that it's participatory, empowering, critical, optimistic, and all that good stuff. Most of the people I talk with about news media feel cheated and disempowered by mainstream reporting. So the demand for a place like CPNN is there. And the fact that it is affiliated with the UN and UNESCO gives it universal appeal.

Though isolated and infrequent, most of the back-and-forth here on the CPNN board has been really insightful (for me anyway). This can be expanded and sustained. It will probably invite diatribes and bickering from left and right "extremists" - as you say. But that's why we have moderators.

I'm starting to ramble now....but let's keep the discusssion moving! Any thoughts on what exactly can draw people in and get them to participate in CPNN? What exactly was it that prompted you to come back and post something here?

Edited by Joe on July 02 2004,11:11
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