How do we make civic crowdfunding awesome? - Ethan Zuckerman
ethanzuckerman.com
How do we make civic crowdfunding awesome? - Ethan Zuckerman
Communities thrive because of their contributors. But, people only contribute to communities if they trust that their time and energy are going to be put to good use.
Peter Yuan Pan • Hard thing about communities
But it also seems clear that reinforcing local community structures should not be the only approach. So many towns and neighborhoods in the United States are effectively mini-one-party states. With the demographic sorting that has taken place over the last 40 years, focusing our attention primarily on local politics and participation in local decis... See more
Alex Pentland • Rediscovering the Pleasures of Pluralism: The Potential of Digitally Mediated Civic Participation — Digitalist Papers
This is also inspired by Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s First Minister of Digital Affairs, on increasing the bitrate of democracy by creating more opportunities for people to participate. Can we increase the bitrate of neighborhoods?
Deborah Tien • 👋 🏘️ Why don’t we know our neighbors?
Imagine a geographically-local-oriented digital social space that’s funded by a mix of local city government (tax $$) and local big philanthropy, plus allows for small individual donations too. Like the ‘bricks’ or signage in a local library or museum, the people who contribute would be recognized publicly for their support. The money would go towa
... See morecollaborate with the public to fund and refine new products and projects. This model of collaboration invites input and support from a broad audience, validating ideas and ensuring they meet the needs and desires of potential users.
Audrey Tang • ⿻ 數位 Plurality: The Future of Collaborative Technology and Democracy
The fundamental idea is revolutionary: communities have always created the best stuff; now, they can finally capture the value, which will crowd in more creation.