The Resoc Interview

1. At a public talk someone asks you, "okay, I understand what you reject, but I wonder what you are for? What institutions do you want that you think will be better than what we have, for the economy, polity, gender, race, ecology, or whatever you think is central to have vision for?

Panarchical institutions:

1) peer to peer, 2) many to many, 3) do it yourself

I am "for" any action that breaks down hierarchy and distributes activity, responsibility, and rewards to everyone. Mutual aid and mutual respect are the foundations of network culture.


2. Next, someone at the same event asks, "Why do you do what you do? That is, you are speaking to us, and I know you write, and maybe you organize, but why do you do it? What do you think it accomplishes? What is your goal for your coming year, or for your next ten years?

Because if you bow deeply to the universe, it bows back.

Ultimately, peer to peer culture is about treating Others ethically. We are entering The Age of Ethics and Compassion.

To establish a network of like-minded people who consistently produce good work related to thinking provocatively about the future.


3. You are at home and you get an email that says a new organization is trying to form, internationally, federating national chapters, etc. It asks you to join the effort. Can you imagine plausible conditions under which you would say, yes, I will give my energies to making it happen along with the rest of you who are already involved? If so, what are those conditions? Or - do you think instead that regardless of the content of the agenda and make up of the participants, the idea can't be worthy, now,or perhaps ever. If so, why?

If participating in the organization contributes significantly to my the world's and my family's livelihood, then I'll play.


4. Do you think efforts to organize movements, projects, and our own organizations should embody the seeds of the future in the present? If not, why? If yes, can you say what, very roughly, you think some of the implications would be for an organization you would favor?

I don't know what 'seeds of the future in the present' means. If it means that we have a reasonable knowledge of what the future will look like, and we begin incorporating those practices in our organizations now, then YES I think this is a great idea.


5. Why did you answer this interview? Why do you think others did not answer it?

I answered it because I had the time at the exact moment that I received the email. I think that timing is the crucial overlooked factor for conversation in the digital era.