"What's the equivalent for online discussion? It
might well be the use of the Internet to facilitate small group
conversation where everyone involved has a stake in a productive
exchange. This approach has proved fruitful in several
neighborhood-based discussion groups; indeed, the mayor of
Minneapolis, R. T. Rybak, says he decided to run for office because of
the Minneapolis-Issues list, an e-mail discussion list dedicated to
local political matters that Rybak initially participated in simply as
an avid poster. Gradually he made online friends, and, as the
discussion of the city's problems evolved, they persuaded him to run
and then helped him win."
This
rather flattering description of y'all can be found in the October 13
edition of the Boston Globe, in an article by Nicholas Thompson in the
"Ideas" section entitled "Freedom to flame". (I'm
utterly hopeless on a computer, hence I'm unable to provide a hot
link.) As the title of the article implies, flaming has driven out
intelligent talk from most political and public policy forums. But
since this list is a conspicuous exception, congratulations seem
to be in order. Nice going, folks, and special thanks to the List
Manager.
Paul Weir
Phillips
