Most of us are learning about online interaction, a field that is constantly changing. Some of us are just starting to dip our toes into the water.
We're all trying to make sense of how the online component fits into the EvolutionarySalon?, and EvolutionarySpirituality.
Online discussion is a strategy, not a purpose.
It seems that we are all learning to find ways to bring our face to face practices into harmony with the virtual world. I'm intrigued by this. In BOulder last week I had my first immersion into the world of the wiki with some folks from the 2nd Evolutionary Salon. There is a slightly different language between wikis and I'm trying to figure that out. I am still exploring and learning in this environment. Where can we meet in irc for real time conversations? If we're all online, but we have these separate sandboxes we're playing in. How can we know where we each are and support each other? Thanks Lion for setting this up and giving us an opportunity to check out this space and see if it resonates more powerfully. I'd love to see us thrive in a generative online space.
We could claim "#evonexus" on FreeNode. That's what most Free Software & activist groups use.
I hear what you're saying, about being online simultaneously, but not seeing each other.
"Virtual Presence" technology is still very primitive. We can use an open instant messaging system, like Jabber or Google Talk, and then hook into that for presence information. So, you'd see a little lightbulb light up, whenever we're online. (Like you see on CommunityWiki, in it's sidebar.)
Bill asked during the 2006-03-16 conference call about what the purpose of our communications online were.
I, personally, would respond with: "What's the purpose of any communication?" If you have something you want to communicate, then the purpose is clear. The choice of online vs. offline is purely a strategic decision, then.
The most obvious strategic benefit of communicating online, is time shifting. You write a message in at your convenience, and you receive messages at your convenience. It's not like the telephone, where everyone has to arrange their times to correspond.
But there are other strategic benefits.
So let's make a small inventory:
That search is very important, much more so than "I want to find something I or you wrote." Because often times, it's a total stranger, who happens to be interested in what you are interested in, who discovers something you wrote by way of Google. This leads to, what on CommunityWiki we call, "the Internet Concentration." That is, just the mere act of talking online (in written form) causes a concrete attraction between people.
But let's not stray too far from the question: "What's the purpose?"
We know that the purpose is not in the choice of medium, (which represents a strategy,) but rather, within yourself.
So I suspect we should all ask ourselves, (and perhaps write down,) "What do I seek to communicate."
Speaking for myself:
This wasn't my original intention: When I first went to the Evolutionary Salon, I really thought everyone there would know about the things that I know about. I was a tad surprised to find out that this was not the case. It felt like… …like going to a programming convention, but then finding out that most people hadn't programmed before. They had some ideas, and some groups of people were figuring out some bits and pieces on their own, and stuff like that, but that there were no bona fida "I've written a complete program and it works" programmers.
As a programmer, I'm thinking: "Oh, look, there's a Chemist! I don't know a thing about Chemistry, but that Chemist– if he knew about how to program computers, oh, the things he could do!" Or you go: "Oh, look, there's a bridge builder. I don't know a thing about building bridges, but if she knew how to program computers, oh, the things she could do!"
It's the same thing with CollectiveIntelligence here. I was surprised that many people did not share my understanding (though I hear it's being called a "vision," or "Lion's idea") of how NetworkActivism? works. But, geeze: If they only knew it, and did it, what amazing things they could do!
So, the purpose of my communication online is to help you see how your purpose can go much further with NetworkActivism?. Using the Internet. And to impart a theoretical knowledge of how it works, why it works, so that you can work from first principle, rather than just: "So-and-so said blah, so that's what I do."
I recognize that there are people who will likely reject what I'm talking about. The mere mention of computers, which are toxic devices, repells many. I understand that, even sympathize, to a degree.
If what I offer does not contribute anything, then: That's okay. I understand. There is ambiguity in all things. I don't take offence.
(Does this help answer the question of: "What is the purpose of communicating online?") The purpose is whatever it is you are seeking to achieve. Online interaction is part of the strategy. If we then want to talk about "Why is OnlineInteraction strategic?"… …then that's an excellent question, and we can persue it.
But I want to clear this "first base" of purpose, first.