I'd like your input on an idea

I'm thinking of starting a blog or perhaps just doing a journal here; its focus would be collecting signs that we are in a Depression, the breakdown of Empire, the end of an Era.

My goal is to give voice to people who feel they are being ignored, show that they are not alone, and help them turn to each other to build community. I also hope to wake up others, the ones who are still wearing blinders.

Is this too negative? I think you have to identify the problem before you can resolve it.
If you think my idea is too negative, can you help me make it more positive?

That's the general idea behind both of these efforts, by Mark Horvath, focused very specifically on homelessness:

http://invisiblepeople.tv/blog/

http://wearevisible.com/


I don't think it's negative, and I agree that awareness is the first step...and for people to realize they aren't alone. One of the things I've wanted to do at Wishadoo! is open up the blogging platform, with someone (or several people) doing as you're describing and documenting the State of Our Union, so to speak...but then offering options to move forward in a positive way by working together.

I'd say that would be a great project, and I support you wholeheartedly! :)

I feel it is equally if not more important to share ideas how to people are dealing with changes. Both of my parents grew up in the aftermath of the Depression and it was such a different way of life. Poeple, alone or with friends and neighbors, survived, although it wasn't easy. My Dad told stories of being so grateful for an Uncle who would bring groceries - without that, they had nothing. I would not want to just hear that we are in a depression; I would also want to hear how folks are getting through it. I would find that not only useful but inspiring.

It helps that you are aware that it could become negative, but that isn't necessary at all. It would only become negative if you frame the content that way. I am guessing that it will be a beacon of light. It is all about adjusting to the new reality of globalization, and a corporate mindset that people are expendable. The disturbing trend is the disappearance of the middle class. All you have to do is cite facts, and identify trends. My guess is that it would have more broad appeal and ability to educate if you stay away from terms like "breakdown of an Empire." But honestly, I rather believe that! But the main thing is that you have to follow your heart, and that will make it authentic.

Shine the light on all things, that the darkness may skitter away. We judge a society on how it treats its weak. And until all people are free...

:loveya:

expressing what you are thinking other than here on DU and starting a discussion on it. I've been thinking of a blog too, not like yours but about things I want to get off my chest and not necessarily about politics.

:hi:

Do you feel a private online forum is needed for people -- anyone and everyone -- to simply share their stories, in the attempt to, as you said, let them know they're not alone?

I tend to view things from a different perspective and often lose sight of how important it is for people to simply be able to express themselves, without the need to DO anything about what is being expressed. The expressing and sharing IS the doing. ;)

It's hard to find such a place that isn't devoted to some sort of ideology or belief system that draws people there, be it politics, spirituality, or other interests which can prevent others from connecting.

I can create a private discussion forum...a compassionate gathering place at Wishadoo! for this purpose.

I wouldn't, however, be a good moderator of such a forum, as my tendency would be, after people share the same issue or situation three times to dive in to try to offer ways to move forward and out of that situation.

The tools are already there (with more coming) at Wishadoo! for those who are inclined to take action, even if it's allowing others to take action on their behalf, to request assistance or heal and move forward in other ways.

But I'm wondering if you feel there is a need for a "Compassionate Community Corner" where people share their stories...and have others listen and acknowledge them, acknowledge their existence. I fully recognize that that alone can be an INCREDIBLE gift.

And I wonder if some of you can envision being caretakers of such a forum...reaching out to others, letting them know they matter and someone is paying attention.

Your blog idea seems symbiotic with this question in some way, and I thought I'd pose the question to you and invite others to share their thoughts, of course.

:hi:

edit for typo

I have actually discussed with OGR about doing this on Wishadoo, have about 3 + (guests) blog 1x a week about getting by, creating community-- reporting from their locality like "tales from the front", frugal tips, lifestyle changes, creating microeconomies, bike workshops, car shares, libraries, swaps, how to to things, dreams of better times, referrals to resources etc. I wonder if anyone here would be interested? It would be a once a week gig with links back to your own blog or website. Michael Ruppert is doing this on a larger scale with his Collapse.net site. His are blogs by people who are "creating Lifeboats". I like the lifeboat idea but don't want to steal his stuff.

(Edit to add that whoever reads this, please also read my other post above in this thread: "I have a question in response to your question" :))

I'm going to take this opportunity here to outline another aspect of Wishadoo! I've always envisioned. When I can explain an aspect more clearly, as given the opportunity here in Sanity Claw's thread and your post, I'll do so. Speaking in hypotheticals is really hard, and I realize people are still trying to wrap their brain's around my Wishadoo! vision.

It's a big vision...far beyond the Wishlist...so here is another piece to the puzzle:

A blog collective that has the potential to become a publishing co-op.

Having people contribute at Wishadoo! via blogs -- blogs with the focused intent of showing how to create more cooperative, compassionate, creative communities -- has always been a given. The basic blog feature is already available and ready to go, and we can launch blogs after the first of the year.

Just as the Wishlist is "a craigslist of compassion"; the blog collective can be "a HuffPo of compassionate communities."

The author maintains the copyright to their content, not Wishadoo, btw. ;)

I created this page ages ago, as it's always been my intent to have grassroots blogging, part of showing a "new way" from a variety of perspectives, as part of Wishadoo!

http://wishadoo.com/wp-daily-wishadoo-2/spirit-of-wishadoo

The beauty is that the "gathering" areas are already in place at Wishadoo! So, whenever anyone blogs about something, inviting people to share (such as the case with Sanity Claws' blog idea, for example), we can set up a space -- a Group, for example -- where things can be discussed further and multimedia items shared and collected. The blogs have the potential to put the Wishadoo! tools into action, showing the way, you know?

I think these different blogging approaches that a handful of people have in mind can show what Wishadoo! is all about. They can show -- as SC said in her OP -- how we can all come together in community...sure, online at first, but once the connection is made (via perhaps different geographic- and issue-oriented groups at Wishadoo!), make use of existing and pending tools at the site, and this all then translates into the real world in our local communities.

Some may want to be guest bloggers, sharing blogs that pertain to the Wishadoo! focus on a regular basis, as you've said eilen, and others may want to be official Wishadoo! bloggers, with a more official setup at Wishadoo! for their blog (with them still retaining the copyright for their content, of course). The latter is where the publishing co-op can come into play...eventually.

;)

:hi:

giving people voice. It's definitely dark and most people are scared of the dark, so it will probably have its ups and downs.

I would read it.