[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.00,0:00:03.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Internet's Missing Link:\NTools for Turning Talk Into Action
Dialogue: 0,0:00:03.96,0:00:06.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ben Knight
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.13,0:00:09.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Personal Democracy\NForum 2014
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.22,0:00:15.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks a lot Micheal and thanks everyone
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.64,0:00:17.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for having me this very faraway place.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.18,0:00:23.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A few years ago I started a PhD
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.98,0:00:26.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,researching the evolution of
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.20,0:00:28.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,collective intelligence and humans.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.29,0:00:31.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was really obsessed with this
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.27,0:00:33.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,one question which was why is it that
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.63,0:00:35.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,humans as far as we know are the only
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.79,0:00:38.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,species that's getting collectively more
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.71,0:00:40.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and more intelligent over time ? With
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.65,0:00:42.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,every generation we're able to do things
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.84,0:00:47.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that are more complex than the previous
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.52,0:00:49.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,generation. Naturally I was
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.44,0:00:51.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sent to Texas and ended up working with
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.66,0:00:53.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,chimpanzees, teaching them to use
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.67,0:00:58.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,touch screens so to try and get to the
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.68,0:01:01.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the bottom of this.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.45,0:01:03.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The question that i was asking every
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.15,0:01:05.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,night when I went home from the primate
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.16,0:01:07.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Center I'd open my computer and I'd see
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.50,0:01:09.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all this evidence of things going
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.03,0:01:12.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,seriously wrong in the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.55,0:01:14.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Things like ecosystem collapse,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.16,0:01:17.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,out-of-control extractive economy on a
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.98,0:01:19.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,global scale and income inequality just
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.65,0:01:21.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,going through the roof and everywhere
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.51,0:01:24.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you look. My initial research
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.100,0:01:27.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,question was pushed out by a much more
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.10,0:01:29.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,urgent question which is how is it that
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.49,0:01:29.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if we're getting so much smarter all the
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.26,0:01:31.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,time
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.95,0:01:33.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how is it that our biggest institutions
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.87,0:01:36.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are just behaving in a way that's less and
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.88,0:01:39.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,less intelligent. So unintelligent
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.85,0:01:42.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that it's putting the future of the
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.04,0:01:45.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,planet and everyone on it at risk.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.91,0:01:47.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The internet has been heralded for
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.73,0:01:50.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,decades now as a potentially
Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.89,0:01:52.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,transformative force. In terms of
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.80,0:01:55.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,accumulating knowledge and making
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.99,0:01:57.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,communication instantaneous and
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.09,0:01:59.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,accessible at connecting people more
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.34,0:02:01.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than they've ever been connected. And it
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.74,0:02:03.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,really does have that potential when you
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.18,0:02:05.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,see things like Wikipedia which we take
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.40,0:02:08.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for granted every day where a group of
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.86,0:02:10.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,people have set up to to make the sum
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.83,0:02:13.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,total of all human knowledge accessible
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.78,0:02:18.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to anyone anywhere. And they're doing it
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.12,0:02:20.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's amazing. That brings up
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.04,0:02:22.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,another question which is
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.14,0:02:25.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you know if this is the case, why has the
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.48,0:02:28.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,internet not helped in terms of, you know,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.27,0:02:29.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,our largest institutions behaving in a
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.03,0:02:32.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,severely unintelligent way that's
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.59,0:02:36.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,putting everything at risk.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.50,0:02:39.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well at the moment, the internet feels
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.28,0:02:41.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like immensely powerful but
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.19,0:02:43.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,disembodied brain. You hear this metaphor
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.62,0:02:45.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a lot about the internet being like this
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.03,0:02:47.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,distributed global brain. At the moment
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.31,0:02:49.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it feels like it's sort of floating off
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.02,0:02:52.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,somewhere in space disconnected from the
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.99,0:02:55.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,distributed global body or like the
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.96,0:02:57.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,limbs in the physical world that are
Dialogue: 0,0:02:55.21,0:03:00.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,deeply impacting on our environment.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.82,0:03:02.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's where the big institutions are
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.55,0:03:05.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,coming. The things that really affect
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.89,0:03:08.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,our ecology and our living
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.77,0:03:11.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,conditions on a huge scale. These are
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.92,0:03:14.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,things without a brain. Theses are huge
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.17,0:03:17.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,institutions driven by self-interest and
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.50,0:03:20.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,without anyone really at the helm.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.47,0:03:21.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Just driven by these processes
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.14,0:03:23.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that would we've put in place over decades
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.91,0:03:25.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and totally disconnected from this
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.65,0:03:27.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,amazing wealth of collective
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.99,0:03:32.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,intelligence that's increasing
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.31,0:03:34.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,exponentially. In 2011 something
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.11,0:03:37.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,really interesting started happening.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.33,0:03:38.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have been sitting in Texas getting so
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.21,0:03:41.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,disillusioned with the slow pace of
Dialogue: 0,0:03:38.98,0:03:44.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,academic research, translating into
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.59,0:03:46.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,real-world impact that I started feeling
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.59,0:03:48.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,more and more guilt. I've started feeling
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.06,0:03:50.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,irresponsible for pouring my life into
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.13,0:03:53.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this academic pursuit that was
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.26,0:03:54.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,interesting but just felt so slow
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.17,0:03:56.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,compared to the urgency of the problems
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.73,0:03:59.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we're facing. So I came back to New
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.50,0:04:01.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Zealand and i got involved in grassroots
Dialogue: 0,0:03:59.50,0:04:04.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,community organizing and social justice
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.63,0:04:06.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,activism. I just felt this real need
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.30,0:04:09.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to connect with real people in real
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.28,0:04:12.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,communities. Then in 2011,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.88,0:04:14.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,largely through social media
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.76,0:04:16.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,seeing as many people
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.95,0:04:18.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in this room would have experienced
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.42,0:04:20.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,seeing these images flooding through
Dialogue: 0,0:04:18.13,0:04:21.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all the new kind of social movement a
Dialogue: 0,0:04:20.59,0:04:23.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,social movement that looked
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.58,0:04:25.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,distinctively different to anything I've
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.17,0:04:28.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,seen before. Starting in Tunisia
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.96,0:04:29.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in january 2011 and then
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.15,0:04:31.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,spreading through to the arab spring
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.80,0:04:33.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,protests in Egypt and then the
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.66,0:04:35.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,indignados and 15M mouvements
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.30,0:04:36.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Latin America and Spain and then
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.31,0:04:39.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Occupy movement and Wall Street
Dialogue: 0,0:04:36.84,0:04:42.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,starting in Wall Street and then spreading
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.57,0:04:44.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to literally hundreds of cities around
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.03,0:04:48.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the world even as far away as New
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.37,0:04:51.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Zealand. So this felt to me and I'm sure
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.96,0:04:53.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to many other people here like the first
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.27,0:04:56.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,time the internet had spoken out into
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.25,0:04:59.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the real world. The first time this
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.46,0:05:02.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sort of massive interconnexion had lead
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.52,0:05:05.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,people in really large numbers to get
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.31,0:05:07.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,out on the streets. And so if this is
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.70,0:05:08.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the first time the Internet has really
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.14,0:05:11.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,spoken
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.55,0:05:13.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what do you think its first word was ?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:11.25,0:05:14.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The internet more than anything else
Dialogue: 0,0:05:13.29,0:05:16.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that was seen in the last few years has
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.73,0:05:18.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,provided this massive infrastructure
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.32,0:05:20.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,immensely powerful for mobilizing huge
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.81,0:05:24.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,numbers of people to come together and
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.64,0:05:25.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all say no at once. But then what
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.30,0:05:26.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,happened ?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.05,0:05:30.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We were sort of left with this
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.91,0:05:32.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,situation this vacuum once the
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.72,0:05:35.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,oppressive regime has been deposed once
Dialogue: 0,0:05:32.70,0:05:38.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the petition has been successful
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.55,0:05:40.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the sort of once something's been
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.67,0:05:41.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,taken away when you mobilized in
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.17,0:05:44.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,opposition to something
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.25,0:05:48.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how do you then transition to sustain
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.91,0:05:51.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,constructive collective action ? So how do
Dialogue: 0,0:05:48.12,0:05:53.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we get from this situation to this
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.09,0:05:57.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,situation how do we get from the angry
Dialogue: 0,0:05:53.85,0:05:59.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,infant that doesn't say yes until
Dialogue: 0,0:05:57.12,0:06:03.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're you know six months further down
Dialogue: 0,0:05:59.55,0:06:05.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the track ? And how do we sort of take
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.00,0:06:07.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this mass of information that we're all
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.37,0:06:10.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,exchanging at an ever-increasing pace
Dialogue: 0,0:06:07.92,0:06:14.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and translate it into constructive
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.80,0:06:17.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,generative shared action ? That's
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.58,0:06:20.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what a bunch of us in Wellington,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.94,0:06:22.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a bunch of technologists open source
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.07,0:06:25.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,developers facilitators and activists
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.50,0:06:28.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have been working on for the last 18 to
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.29,0:06:30.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,24 months. It came out of
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.29,0:06:32.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this experience of collective
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.39,0:06:35.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,decision-making on a large scale and
Dialogue: 0,0:06:32.79,0:06:37.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,knowing that this was happening in
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.67,0:06:38.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,cities all over the world on every
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.38,0:06:41.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,continent that people who've never met
Dialogue: 0,0:06:38.79,0:06:43.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are coming together were talking they
Dialogue: 0,0:06:41.82,0:06:46.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were deliberating and they were
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.98,0:06:49.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,organizing a directly democratic way,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.35,0:06:50.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where every voice\Ncould be heard with diverse
Dialogue: 0,0:06:49.17,0:06:52.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,perspectives could contribute to a
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.91,0:06:54.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,process that would lead groups to come
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.95,0:06:56.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to better outcomes than any individual
Dialogue: 0,0:06:54.72,0:06:58.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,would buy themselves. Seeing the
Dialogue: 0,0:06:56.88,0:07:02.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,power of that process and the potential
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.98,0:07:04.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on a really large scale for it to have a
Dialogue: 0,0:07:02.10,0:07:07.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,transformative effect. But also seeing
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.68,0:07:09.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the flip side of that. Seeing the just a
Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.32,0:07:10.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,practical constraints of needing to be
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.12,0:07:12.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the same place at the same time
Dialogue: 0,0:07:10.38,0:07:14.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,seeing what happens to people when
Dialogue: 0,0:07:12.96,0:07:15.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're in meetings for five hours and
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.46,0:07:17.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,nothing gets decided.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:15.90,0:07:19.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or when the loudest voices in the room
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.79,0:07:21.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dominate the discussion have a
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.17,0:07:22.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,disproportionate influence over the
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.06,0:07:24.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,decision-making and over the course of
Dialogue: 0,0:07:22.92,0:07:27.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,weeks seeing the disintegration that
Dialogue: 0,0:07:24.96,0:07:31.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,selection pressure leads to. The
Dialogue: 0,0:07:27.69,0:07:33.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,same entrenched power structures emerged
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.50,0:07:36.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from these groups that had an explicit
Dialogue: 0,0:07:33.54,0:07:39.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,commitment to and two deep deliberative
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.24,0:07:41.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Democratic inclusive process end up with
Dialogue: 0,0:07:39.09,0:07:44.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these emergent informal sort of
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.10,0:07:47.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,accidental dictatorships. We felt like
Dialogue: 0,0:07:44.40,0:07:48.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we're using the internet to communicate
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.58,0:07:50.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,every day
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.45,0:07:52.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,surely there's tool out there surely
Dialogue: 0,0:07:50.31,0:07:56.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's some way of using that
Dialogue: 0,0:07:52.92,0:07:59.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,infrastructure to not just talk but to
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.16,0:08:02.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have discussions, then lead to
Dialogue: 0,0:07:59.37,0:08:05.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,building a shared understanding and
Dialogue: 0,0:08:02.76,0:08:08.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,eventually to agreed outcomes that can
Dialogue: 0,0:08:05.31,0:08:10.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,be implemented. The platform
Dialogue: 0,0:08:08.64,0:08:13.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we came up with came to be known as
Dialogue: 0,0:08:10.65,0:08:15.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Loomio which has got two
Dialogue: 0,0:08:13.62,0:08:17.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,elements in the name via the idea of a
Dialogue: 0,0:08:15.45,0:08:20.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,loom weaving disparity threads
Dialogue: 0,0:08:17.85,0:08:22.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,together into a coherent whole. Also
Dialogue: 0,0:08:20.40,0:08:23.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the illumination that comes with from
Dialogue: 0,0:08:22.29,0:08:25.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the collective wisdom of a group of
Dialogue: 0,0:08:23.76,0:08:29.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,people with diverse perspectives feeding
Dialogue: 0,0:08:25.47,0:08:32.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,together. Where we're at now is
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.97,0:08:35.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we've got a robust beta
Dialogue: 0,0:08:32.82,0:08:37.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,prototype that's being used by thousands
Dialogue: 0,0:08:35.10,0:08:39.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of groups around the world and it looks
Dialogue: 0,0:08:37.35,0:08:42.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a bit like this. It's a really
Dialogue: 0,0:08:39.18,0:08:45.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,simple user-friendly tool that allows
Dialogue: 0,0:08:42.42,0:08:50.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,groups to have a discussion, start a
Dialogue: 0,0:08:45.72,0:08:53.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,discussion on any topic. If the group
Dialogue: 0,0:08:50.01,0:08:55.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gets to a point where it makes sense to
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.13,0:08:58.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,try and make a decision together it
Dialogue: 0,0:08:55.86,0:09:00.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then anyone can put up a proposal. So a
Dialogue: 0,0:08:58.29,0:09:01.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,good proposal is just a very clear
Dialogue: 0,0:09:00.00,0:09:05.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,course of action I think the group
Dialogue: 0,0:09:01.68,0:09:07.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,should do this. Like an in-person
Dialogue: 0,0:09:05.79,0:09:11.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,group that works really well together
Dialogue: 0,0:09:07.38,0:09:13.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you have this flexibility where
Dialogue: 0,0:09:11.40,0:09:15.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can change your position at any time.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:13.11,0:09:17.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So someone makes a compelling point that
Dialogue: 0,0:09:15.72,0:09:19.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you hadn't thought of you can go from
Dialogue: 0,0:09:17.28,0:09:22.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,disagreeing to agreeing. This is sort of
Dialogue: 0,0:09:19.53,0:09:23.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,taking the basic protocol the sort
Dialogue: 0,0:09:22.11,0:09:26.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the name of collective
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.43,0:09:27.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,decision-making that was so that was
Dialogue: 0,0:09:26.10,0:09:29.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,really spread through social media
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.48,0:09:31.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,around the Occupy movement and around
Dialogue: 0,0:09:29.37,0:09:34.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the other the other social movements and
Dialogue: 0,0:09:31.47,0:09:35.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the wave in 2011 and putting it into the
Dialogue: 0,0:09:34.02,0:09:38.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the most accessible online environment
Dialogue: 0,0:09:35.73,0:09:40.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that that we can design. When you
Dialogue: 0,0:09:38.91,0:09:43.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,get to the end of the process you always
Dialogue: 0,0:09:40.41,0:09:47.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have a clear outcome. An actionable clear
Dialogue: 0,0:09:43.71,0:09:48.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,outcome. This is where
Dialogue: 0,0:09:47.10,0:09:50.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all of these groups that are currently
Dialogue: 0,0:09:48.81,0:09:51.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,trying to make decisions through
Dialogue: 0,0:09:50.61,0:09:54.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,facebook trying to make decisions
Dialogue: 0,0:09:51.84,0:09:55.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,through email these platforms that were
Dialogue: 0,0:09:54.60,0:09:58.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just not built for having that
Dialogue: 0,0:09:55.92,0:10:02.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,convergence around a shared outcome that
Dialogue: 0,0:09:58.23,0:10:05.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,works for everyone. As soon as
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.88,0:10:09.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we had a prototype up and running it was
Dialogue: 0,0:10:05.94,0:10:13.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,taken up by just such a diverse range of
Dialogue: 0,0:10:09.93,0:10:15.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of groups that it ended up being
Dialogue: 0,0:10:13.44,0:10:17.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,used for things that we could never have
Dialogue: 0,0:10:15.27,0:10:20.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,anticipated. One of the first groups
Dialogue: 0,0:10:17.49,0:10:22.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,use in a large-scale was the same city
Dialogue: 0,0:10:20.04,0:10:24.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,council that 12 months previously had
Dialogue: 0,0:10:22.38,0:10:26.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,been sending us eviction notices to
Dialogue: 0,0:10:24.27,0:10:28.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,clear us from the City Square. They used
Dialogue: 0,0:10:26.73,0:10:30.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it for a large-scale public consultation.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:28.44,0:10:33.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Just in the last little while we
Dialogue: 0,0:10:30.96,0:10:35.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have groups set up in a group of
Dialogue: 0,0:10:33.03,0:10:37.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,community gardens in Bulgaria a
Dialogue: 0,0:10:35.25,0:10:40.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Community Hospital in Vietnam we've got
Dialogue: 0,0:10:37.74,0:10:41.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bitcoin mining coops using it right
Dialogue: 0,0:10:40.29,0:10:43.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,through two groups of twelve-year-olds
Dialogue: 0,0:10:41.52,0:10:46.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,making decisions in their school
Dialogue: 0,0:10:43.47,0:10:49.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,councils.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:46.98,0:10:51.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Something that's appealing
Dialogue: 0,0:10:49.80,0:10:52.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to everyone from anarchist
Dialogue: 0,0:10:51.33,0:10:54.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,collectives through to government
Dialogue: 0,0:10:52.92,0:10:56.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,departments feels like something that's
Dialogue: 0,0:10:54.93,0:11:02.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,got a lot of potential for widespread
Dialogue: 0,0:10:56.97,0:11:04.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,uptake. We've built this
Dialogue: 0,0:11:02.16,0:11:06.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,beta version over the next six months
Dialogue: 0,0:11:04.71,0:11:08.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we'll be bringing out of beta to a full
Dialogue: 0,0:11:06.93,0:11:10.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,mobile release. We've just run a
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.85,0:11:12.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,crowdfunding campaign that I know some
Dialogue: 0,0:11:10.53,0:11:14.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,people in this room contributed to.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:12.65,0:11:17.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we're deeply grateful for now having
Dialogue: 0,0:11:14.57,0:11:21.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,resources to take it through to a full
Dialogue: 0,0:11:17.54,0:11:24.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,release that can scale.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:21.92,0:11:27.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're really just driving forward
Dialogue: 0,0:11:24.08,0:11:29.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and building with the open source
Dialogue: 0,0:11:27.05,0:11:31.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,community something that we see as
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.33,0:11:37.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,public infrastructure for distributed
Dialogue: 0,0:11:31.28,0:11:41.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,group decision making. Some of the groups
Dialogue: 0,0:11:37.58,0:11:46.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that are using it. Where we're at now
Dialogue: 0,0:11:41.75,0:11:50.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I feel in history is a really really
Dialogue: 0,0:11:46.22,0:11:53.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,interesting place to be. And it's a
Dialogue: 0,0:11:50.42,0:11:54.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a really hopeful time in some ways and I
Dialogue: 0,0:11:53.30,0:11:56.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,think that's what the the spirit of this
Dialogue: 0,0:11:54.65,0:11:59.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,conference really captures, that we've
Dialogue: 0,0:11:56.90,0:12:01.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,got this infrastructure with more
Dialogue: 0,0:11:59.87,0:12:05.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,potential for liberation for inter
Dialogue: 0,0:12:01.97,0:12:08.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,connection. For genuine distributed
Dialogue: 0,0:12:05.63,0:12:10.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,meaningful democracy. And with the same
Dialogue: 0,0:12:08.18,0:12:13.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,infrastructure is increasingly under
Dialogue: 0,0:12:10.67,0:12:15.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,threat. We've got this digital Commons
Dialogue: 0,0:12:13.46,0:12:18.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's increasingly being enclosed.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:15.74,0:12:22.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We've got all these these spaces that
Dialogue: 0,0:12:18.32,0:12:23.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,feel public and really are not. Space
Dialogue: 0,0:12:22.43,0:12:26.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that feels like you can freely
Dialogue: 0,0:12:23.96,0:12:28.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,participate when every single behavior
Dialogue: 0,0:12:26.63,0:12:30.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you perform is being monetized, and
Dialogue: 0,0:12:28.70,0:12:38.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is being sold to the highest bidder.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:30.50,0:12:40.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The challenge now is to support the
Dialogue: 0,0:12:38.33,0:12:42.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ecosystem of tools that are developing
Dialogue: 0,0:12:40.22,0:12:45.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that are held publicly but held in the
Dialogue: 0,0:12:42.86,0:12:48.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,public good that a purpose-driven not
Dialogue: 0,0:12:45.14,0:12:49.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,profit maximizing. And they're some
Dialogue: 0,0:12:48.23,0:12:51.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,really amazing tools coming out.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:49.85,0:12:54.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's a group in Argentina called
Dialogue: 0,0:12:51.65,0:12:57.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Democracy always" who've built the first
Dialogue: 0,0:12:54.47,0:12:59.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,user-friendly platform for liquid
Dialogue: 0,0:12:57.35,0:13:03.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,democracy for proxy voting. Really
Dialogue: 0,0:12:59.81,0:13:06.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,impressive project. And I feel like the
Dialogue: 0,0:13:03.53,0:13:06.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,challenge is really to to look at what's
Dialogue: 0,0:13:06.14,0:13:09.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,already there.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:06.98,0:13:12.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This burgeoning sphere of publicly-held
Dialogue: 0,0:13:09.05,0:13:13.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Civic tech infrastructure and support it
Dialogue: 0,0:13:12.08,0:13:16.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and see what we can do to support other
Dialogue: 0,0:13:13.76,0:13:19.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,projects coming up. As it's only when
Dialogue: 0,0:13:16.67,0:13:23.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we're all participating in meaningful
Dialogue: 0,0:13:19.100,0:13:26.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,democracy. Democracy as a distributed
Dialogue: 0,0:13:23.57,0:13:28.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,network of real people in real
Dialogue: 0,0:13:26.27,0:13:30.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,communities coming together to make
Dialogue: 0,0:13:28.55,0:13:32.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,decisions that work for everyone.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:30.35,0:13:35.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Only then will the public internet have
Dialogue: 0,0:13:32.06,0:13:40.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,delivered on its real potential.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:35.15,0:13:40.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you very much.