Bring Life Back to Evolver
posted by Wind Rider | February 26, 2011
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IcerocketEvolver has stagnated. Old idea's are being repeated, redressed, rehashed, and reused, the same discussions are taking place. Social Movement? I don't see much that is moving. Not from here. Not yet. Isn't it obvious?
The year is 2011, and Evolver has less then 10 000 members worldwide (at least on the website) most of which are in North America. Where's the rest of the world? Where are the rest of the members?
If Evolver is to mean anything significant, (not that it has to), it needs a swift kick in the ass. It needs an electric shock. It needs life.
Some suggestions (just ideas really):
-A New, more open, inviting more structure and look for the website. Chat rooms! Make sync-link more accessible, and obvious!
-Network with other similar organisations, or organisations driving change. Wikileaks maybe?
-A more international approach.
-A more inclusive feel
-A more open structure; allow people to volunteer time to work on the website, to make changes, to contribute. Be less restrictive with "administrator" status.
-Make it feel like a more like a "hub," a central trunk of a tree with many branches and many roots.
-Frequent updates
Change can take many forms, but mark my words, Evolver, like society, or like any species meeting change, must Evolve or die. C'mon Evolver, put your money where your mouth is and Evolve like you mean it.
Much love.
Comments
Blogged it:
— Feb 27, 2011
Blogged it: http://www.evolver.net/user/absalom/blog/social_movement
What does that mean to Evolve? Sit here and continue to point out the obvious to which we may never have any control over in hopes that it gives in and gives what we think we want?; and then whatever that is, what would we do with it? I'm not completely sure, but I think what we see is what we get and not sure it can or even is intended to give us anything more than it currently is. The rest is up the individual.
"If we didn't realize the world needs changing would we get into the trouble of changing ourselves??" -Ana Tara
Perhaps Evolver gives us precisely what we "need", If there were a better alternative then surely a community would coalesce around it, wouldn't it?
"Seek not abroad, turn back into thyself, for in the inner man dwells the truth..."
What is a social movement?
— Feb 28, 2011
What is a social movement? It is movement, change, happening on a mass level, not orchestrated or created by any one individual or organisation, but emerging out of the synchronized actions of many.
What if inward gazers started coming together, around the world, in a single harmonized movement?
The world doesn't need changing. It doesn't not-need changing. Either way change is happening!
My question is: as a group of people, does Evolver wish to evolve in response to change, or does it wish to die with the old?
There is Evolver and there
— Feb 28, 2011
There is Evolver and there is the 'movement'. Certainly change happens ready or not and movement dependent on the individuals of the collective. I postulate that as/if/when individuals in fact do evolve there would be little to no coalescing around a social artifice. In other words the silent majority, which lurks, would be or is too busy 'doing' & 'movementing' to participate on a social level.
The less silent will/may roam until they're convinced there's no place to go so they might as well start where they're at and build their own input output conduit; ie Evolver. To which this now becomes a reflection of its creators intent.
If there are shortcomings which have not yet been addressed, this could be an indicator as to how much 'evolving' is going on with those who maintain control. Sure resources; i.e. time & money, could be an issue, if so what's the solution? The creators haven't figured it out yet, but has anyone else? I postulate that if anyone has, then it would be self evident.
Personally I don't have the hang-ups some do about money, but I know many others do. If Evolver charged a dollar or two a month subscription fee it wouldn't bother me in the least because I recognize it takes resources to build a society. But then for sure it would have to offer a lot more for that dollar. Unless you have unlimited resources to do it all yourself...
Which is another one of those things we all have to improve and overcome. How can one be 'self-determined ', if they have not mastered the art of resource gathering? Sure, we're all boot-strapped by the system and it's hard enough to just get by. Disdain for the system doesn't help matters because once anyone withdraws from the system, they no longer have any juice, no energy to evolve.
One way or another the resource to build the future is going to come from somewhere be it the privately sequestered resources of the creators of Evolver or what?
Whatever it is that's needed, whatever it is that's next, if Evolver doesn't figure it out, then someone else is going to have to step up. Dare I say that we all must regardless. Thus, whatever Evolver does should have no barring on what I do next.
"Seek not abroad, turn back into thyself, for in the inner man dwells the truth..."
The few and the many
— Feb 28, 2011
Perhaps Evolver doesn't need tenthousands of participients
to fulfill the evolutionary function it is designed for.
I start to see it more as a think tank in which people
with specific questions and approaches gather and connect,
while spreading the impulses coming from this
on other platforms and in reallife.
Many discussions taking place here are too far out for
many people who are, on the other hand, open for some of the solutions that come from constantly fishing in these "strange" waters.
So perhaps everything is fine
and Evolver just isn't Facebook.
The Movement Versus Tech Upgrades
— Feb 28, 2011
Hi Wind Rider, our hopes are to actually install the tech, visual, and collaborative upgrades you mention but this takes time, and let's face it, money. We're currently trying to raise funds for these changes but aren't there yet. Have you become a member of E+SM to help make this happen? We certainly appreciate everyone who has stepped up to allow this movement to grow, which it definitely has.
We now have more than 40 regional groups now (just over a year ago there was 1). This network has cleaned up rivers and beaches, shepherded local time banks and complimentary currencies, held women's healing circles, hosted city-wide environmental festivals, assisted flood victims in Hungry, staged protests against unfair labor practices, kick-started permaculture gardens, orchestrated urban forestry efforts, started its own book imprint with 10 books scheduled to come out next year, hosted tours for speakers, book readings, and documentary movie screenings across the US and Canada.
I invite you to heed the call to action and start up a Spore if you want to see what really can be done. You wouldn't believe the incredible transformations we read about in our post Spore questionnaires each month, coming from the 40 chapters (and growing). If interested, just email remi((at))evolver((dot))net.
As for functionality of Evolver.net, we all agree it needs a lot of improvement. We're trying to build revenue streams and find investment to do upgrades that could make the site much more helpful in collaborating and evolving our communities together. We'll get there, but these things take time and I appreciate all the evolvers out there that understand that, and for the ones who have supported the movement through E+SM members, which makes this all possible.
I'm not much of a techy, but
— Feb 28, 2011
I'm not much of a techy, but what about a more volounteer based approach? Is it possible to recruit a network of technologically apt people to get more of this done? What if Evolver had a more open format that allowed members to contribute work to the website?
technology is too complex
— Mar 02, 2011
Alas there is apparently no way to do the tech building with volunteers - we have tried!
Certain tasks like programming or film editing are very energy demanding and you have to pay people to do it right.
I am hoping we can raise enough money to create an awesome Evolver.net site within the next year. I would like it to be a platform for collaboration, not just blogging.
"Will the transformation."-Rilke
Capture, Analyze, Release
— Feb 28, 2011
That's true! I find stories here and post them on facebook to let my "normal" friends know what is happening. Get the information free and let it spread on it's own. It's not 1970 any more. We don't need teach ins and happenings to spread ideas, we have the tool right here, WE are the connectors. Take ideas that interest you here see how they evolve in the thread, summarize and release back into the population at large.
Those revolutions in Africa and the Middle East are not spontaneous. They are the result of conversations back and forth in cafes, then twitter and facebook. They took time to spread, (under the state media radar) and it became a mass movement, not just one faction's action. Look at the thousands at 66 capitols in the US on Saturday. That was organized in 4 days by moveon.org, but the Wisconsin situation has been going on for over a month.
But we are up against more than a few paragraphs of a misguided budget bill. We are up against a whole consumer economy participated in by billions of well meaning people. We are waking up one or two people at a time, and we still are forming what the possible alternatives are and testing them. It takes time.
2012 is fast approaching, but we're designing for the world beyond.
6 Tektite Serpent
----------------------------
"That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly" - Thomas Paine
"We never reflect how pleasant it is to ask for nothing" - Seneca
the natives are getting restless
— Mar 01, 2011
freak out............hamburgers...........Mah....I'm not sorry
allow people to volunteer time to work on the website
— Mar 01, 2011
-A more open structure; allow people to volunteer time to work on the website, to make changes, to contribute. Be less restrictive with "administrator" status.
I think this suggestion is the most important one from this post, and I believe a more open source approach to this website could create really amazing changes to the tech side of anythings really rapidly. Jonathan reminded everyone above of the amazing things the truly "living" and evolving network has been creating off-line, but we are definitely not utilizing this page, and its amazing domain name, to the greatest possible extent.
Why is this? Are we all tech illiterate? Are there any volunteers who know they can make improvements to the website and haven't come forth yet? If you're out there listening, please contact me or start a post explaining what you might have to offer. I agree that we can collectively make the necessary changes to this website without spending a fortune, but I myself definitely fall into the "tech illiterate" category above, at least when it comes to designing websites of this capacity. Surely some people on the network know how to do this though. Anyone? Hello, hello, hello, is there anybody out there?
Maybe "administration" can advertise/search for this help a little more clearly and make updating/revamping the website the #1 goal to fulfill this summer? I also agree that once the website is updated more clearly, the revenue stream will likely follow.
All bridges can be rebuilt.
no way to do it thru volunteers
— Mar 02, 2011
as stated above, there is no way to do the tech programming with volunteers.
what you proposed is what we are seeking to do... it is quite challenging to pull this off!!! The old system doesn't necessarily want to fund the new system that could be its potential replacement. We are getting there - making progress. It is taking a number of years more than I anticipated.
If you want to help us out, please do support the ESM and tell other people why this matters to you - the Evolver Regionals are growing stronger, and we have many wonderful people leading these groups. The movement is growing steadily, even if it seems less visible at times.
"Will the transformation."-Rilke
Bring Life
— Mar 01, 2011
Bring Life
I've posted on somewhat this subject before "Where's the solutions ? " and got a few responses.
Some rightly pointed out that not everyone is at the same place in their path. Some are just getting to the "holy shit!" stage and need to tell everyone. Some have made it back from falling down all the rabbit holes and are amazed there are still people just beginning to explore them.
Pretty much everyone is somewhere along their own path. We all seem to need validation, we need to say what we've experienced or found or imagined and we need the connection of someone (anyone) agreeing with us. Nothing wrong with that by itself, connection and validation are real needs, especially in the fractured cultures of today. Some people seem to need invalidation, they only post to disagree, disparage and dispute what other's have said. Oh well!
I rather like Evolver as it is, I'd like fewer updates ! I'd like fewer links to videos! I'd like more actual writing from the evolvers ! Is it kinda lame? Yes, I do wish it did not try to stay hip and current by aging posts, highest rated should not in my view decompose over time. I wish people could see there is more than the current top page of posts. Maybe writing titles or tags for your post could bring up links to related postings. Yet knowing that someone else already blogged about a similar topic, may not relive anyone of the need to say it their way.
Perhaps more relevant is what are YOU putting into evolver? Not seeing threads that you find interesting? Well put it up there! Old concept - stone soup - 'you can't get out what no one's put in', yet still true. With less than Ten Thousand (8,391 is the count on EWW) evolvers and some of them not actively posting, well it's just a smaller number of possible inputs.
I have enough problems with the current size and amount of noise (spam and posts only relevant to the poster) on here now! Yes there does seem to quite a few people only interested in spreading the news about their own chosen path. What's going to happen now that the Roman Catholic Church thru the pope has cleared the way for all it's members to go online and evangelize? Will a more popular Evolver also become more dilute? Less meaningful, more useless noise? Some will say I post a fair amount of noise myself, since they don't see the point of poetry. If you thought that posting some text or links or (worse) videos up here would somehow change the world overnight, you might need to dial back your expectations or dial up your participation. I feel it may be more important that the conversations simply occur, that ideas and concerns are shared. That connections are made, that the methods and values of differing paths be explored. That we are allowed to know we are not alone in our thoughts. That others, be they few or be they legion, also have similar thoughts. One of the finest effects from the mass gatherings in the late sixtes was the realization of the magnitude of numbers of people that the new Aquarians had attained. No one really knew before that. They were all isolated individuals and small groups. Sometime later they all seemed to just disappear. People even asked "Where have all the ....... gone?" and advanced ridiculous theories, 'sold out', 'gave up', 'cut their hair', 'got a job', 'became yuppies'. Nope they just dispersed back into the mainstream and either 'added leavening to the bread' ( and maybe some organic whole grains) or 'poisoned our once great nation' or added spice and 'awareness of the whole world' to the conversations. Depending on your position and sight and what you 'know' as well as what you dislike or don't want to hear.
One of the best ways I've found for removing the stasis from people's thoughts is to include them in the conversation, especially if you don't agree with them. Perhaps especially if they don't agree with you. There are more than a few people who no longer post on here because they were driven away by people posting their disagreement. I miss their voices, yes even those I disagreed with. I hope they are not staying away just because someone foolishly felt a need to point out the cracks in the foundation of the logical structure they were attempting to validate. When one excludes others from the table, I'm learning, it just means they become hungry and have no voice, then they resent the table and everyone sitting at it. I've yet to find a good way to disagree with someone, a way to point out errors without making others defensive and rigid about their ideas. I'd like to see a F.A.Q. and maybe a basic primer on how to use all the current tools on Evolver. Listing html format codes does not really tell anyone How to Use them. I still don't know what to click on to send a 'buddy-list request' or what the point is of 'friending' someone
nor the obligations of having 'friends' of the virtual type.
" A rising tide - drowns those without boats " - Cee Are
"The object under your feet is always the dance floor " - Cee Are
