The challenges for me for revitalizing the public in three assumptions:
1. To break the cultural doom loop around civic participation we need to break "the anti social century" (credit to Derek Thompson)
2. To break the anti social century we need severe changes to our relationship to technology.
3. People (mostly) derive pleasure from their current relationship to the technology, as much as they complain about it.
(I think (2) and (3) are contentious)
This feels like a collective action problem / prisoner's dilemma. I want to live in a society where other people are spending making the world of atoms better, but I want to still be able to spend as much time as I do reading blogs on substack and yapping about ideas.
A civic culture can present a solution to the prisoner's dilemma, but civic cultures also take effort to maintain, and also require people to be present in their community. People have been spending less time in their community (Bowling Alone is as relevant today as ever) and more time alone.
The techno-optimist in me says that what we need is a technology stack that is built from the ground up to be less addictive, to give more value in less time so people feel less need to be ever online. The techno pessimist in me says that a healthy society relies on a degree of boredom in its citizens incompatible with the ever present allure of content.
curious as to thoughts on the assumptions or what follows from them.
This is a trivial aside, but I can report from a locale surrounded on all sides by water; literally built *below sea level,* such that you can see boats on the river that are higher than your house; and semi-recently annihilated by weather disasters; but still within America that practically no amount of personal stake motivates us to actions as rigorous or intensive as those described here. I am pretty sure if given the choice between "organizing my trash to this degree" and "just abandoning everything when the water comes," many in New Orleans would have a revealed preference for the latter.
We're not usually that "American," but in some ways I suppose we really are! (Although it's not as though a former French-Spanish colony with lots of Caribbean cultural influence needs lessons from Americans in "living for this day alone" lmfao).
Great post, as ever! (And in case someone hollers at me: yes, I know some people here care; they are definitely in the minority, though).
Another great read! It reminded me of the following quote - tend to the part of the garden that you can touch. It's easy (and somehow comforting i think) to raise issues on these large-scale national/international problems, which of course are important, while neglecting the more direct and urgent issues in your community and circles. Or even our relationships with friends and family! When we can all focus on making that impact on our own "garden", that collective effort may in turn result in the grand large scale change we all hope to see. But like Jake said, even if that doesn't materialize at least we've made those efforts in our own communities.
I always look forward to reading your new pieces, keep it up Jasmine!
I live in India so I don't have a direct stake in US politics – but because US policy affects the entire world, I do keep up with it. The hopelessness I see around it worries me a lot. This article felt so honest and balanced. While staring directly at the reality that democracy isn't at its greatest point in the US and institutions/community initiative are very weak, it does offer practical things that anyone can do even if they don't have a "bag of cash."
It's very rare that I find posts that acknowledge the truth and also leave me hopeful (without yelling "just have more AGENCY!"). Loved this. Looking forward to reading more of your work!
I wonder if being a small country helps Taiwan's civic engagement too: a citizen feels like less of a drop in a bucket and less bystander effect if there are fewer fellow citizens to also chip in.
I've personally felt like national politics feels pretty intractable, but have been more motivated to get involved at the municipal level, and an hoping building skills there will translate to a more scalable impact eventually. But it's fine if not, having a small impact on a small city is still a lot for one person!
This gave me such a wonderful surprise - I lived in Taiwan for 3 years from 1988, moving there from my New Zealand home, and one of the things I fond hard was the lack of a recycling system! Although there were people who would rummage through the rubbish for aluminum cans to sell for recycling.
I remember too always telling shop assistants I didnt want extra plastic bags (in Chinese) but no-one understanding why I would ask for such a thing.
I’ve always admired Taiwan’s ability to transform, so I am delighted to hear of this transformation.
The challenges for me for revitalizing the public in three assumptions:
1. To break the cultural doom loop around civic participation we need to break "the anti social century" (credit to Derek Thompson)
2. To break the anti social century we need severe changes to our relationship to technology.
3. People (mostly) derive pleasure from their current relationship to the technology, as much as they complain about it.
(I think (2) and (3) are contentious)
This feels like a collective action problem / prisoner's dilemma. I want to live in a society where other people are spending making the world of atoms better, but I want to still be able to spend as much time as I do reading blogs on substack and yapping about ideas.
A civic culture can present a solution to the prisoner's dilemma, but civic cultures also take effort to maintain, and also require people to be present in their community. People have been spending less time in their community (Bowling Alone is as relevant today as ever) and more time alone.
The techno-optimist in me says that what we need is a technology stack that is built from the ground up to be less addictive, to give more value in less time so people feel less need to be ever online. The techno pessimist in me says that a healthy society relies on a degree of boredom in its citizens incompatible with the ever present allure of content.
curious as to thoughts on the assumptions or what follows from them.
Audrey Tang has lots of thoughts on technology that fosters prosociality & civic infrastructure, publishing podcast next week w/ lots of ideas here :)
This is a trivial aside, but I can report from a locale surrounded on all sides by water; literally built *below sea level,* such that you can see boats on the river that are higher than your house; and semi-recently annihilated by weather disasters; but still within America that practically no amount of personal stake motivates us to actions as rigorous or intensive as those described here. I am pretty sure if given the choice between "organizing my trash to this degree" and "just abandoning everything when the water comes," many in New Orleans would have a revealed preference for the latter.
We're not usually that "American," but in some ways I suppose we really are! (Although it's not as though a former French-Spanish colony with lots of Caribbean cultural influence needs lessons from Americans in "living for this day alone" lmfao).
Great post, as ever! (And in case someone hollers at me: yes, I know some people here care; they are definitely in the minority, though).
Another great read! It reminded me of the following quote - tend to the part of the garden that you can touch. It's easy (and somehow comforting i think) to raise issues on these large-scale national/international problems, which of course are important, while neglecting the more direct and urgent issues in your community and circles. Or even our relationships with friends and family! When we can all focus on making that impact on our own "garden", that collective effort may in turn result in the grand large scale change we all hope to see. But like Jake said, even if that doesn't materialize at least we've made those efforts in our own communities.
I always look forward to reading your new pieces, keep it up Jasmine!
Thanks for the kind words! And I love that saying.
I live in India so I don't have a direct stake in US politics – but because US policy affects the entire world, I do keep up with it. The hopelessness I see around it worries me a lot. This article felt so honest and balanced. While staring directly at the reality that democracy isn't at its greatest point in the US and institutions/community initiative are very weak, it does offer practical things that anyone can do even if they don't have a "bag of cash."
It's very rare that I find posts that acknowledge the truth and also leave me hopeful (without yelling "just have more AGENCY!"). Loved this. Looking forward to reading more of your work!
I wonder if being a small country helps Taiwan's civic engagement too: a citizen feels like less of a drop in a bucket and less bystander effect if there are fewer fellow citizens to also chip in.
I've personally felt like national politics feels pretty intractable, but have been more motivated to get involved at the municipal level, and an hoping building skills there will translate to a more scalable impact eventually. But it's fine if not, having a small impact on a small city is still a lot for one person!
I bet it does! IMO nationalization of our politics has been pretty destructive
I was there recently and captivated by the trash thing. Kind of charming actually, the utilitarian becomes theatrical.
This gave me such a wonderful surprise - I lived in Taiwan for 3 years from 1988, moving there from my New Zealand home, and one of the things I fond hard was the lack of a recycling system! Although there were people who would rummage through the rubbish for aluminum cans to sell for recycling.
I remember too always telling shop assistants I didnt want extra plastic bags (in Chinese) but no-one understanding why I would ask for such a thing.
I’ve always admired Taiwan’s ability to transform, so I am delighted to hear of this transformation.
oh interesting! Taiwan must've been so different then
So different!