2013 ndn consensus report final (l) ·...

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!!!2013%National%Dialogue%Network:%

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”Where’s%the%Consensus?”%

Viewspaper®%Report%

Summary!of!Opinionnaire®%Survey!findings!to!a!2013!national!conversation!

exploring:!Poverty(&(Wealth(in(America!%

2013%NDN%Viewspaper%Volunteers:!John!Spady!([email protected]),!John!Perkins,!Galen!Radtke!2013%NDN%Working%Group%Members:!John!Spady,!Mary!Dumas,!Colin!Gallagher,!Ben!Roberts,!Craig!Paterson,!Roshan!Bliss,!Vanessa!Roebuck,!John!Perkins,!Dyck!Dewid,!Fedor!Ovchinnikov,!Mark!Frischmuth,!and!Michael!Briand!2013%NDN%Advisory%Group%Members:!Linda!Blong,!Stephen!Buckley,!Daniel!Clark,!Lisa!Heft,!Peggy!Holman,!Don!LaCombe,!Stephanie!Nestlerode,!Steve!Strachan,!Sarah!Thomson,!Faith!Trimble,!and!Rosa!Zubizarreta.!!Viewspaper%Design:!Sigurd!Gustafsson!%

Date:%December!2013!

”Where’s!the!Consensus?”!Viewspaper®!Report!–!Summary!of!2013!NDN!Opinionnaire®!Survey!on!Poverty!&!Wealth!in!America!

! www.NationalDialogueNetwork.org!!|!page!|!2!

1. I’m%too%busy%to%read%all%this%–%what’s%the%bottom%line?%%

1.1 What'is'the'National'Dialogue'Network'The!National!Dialogue!Network!(NDN)!envisions%a%distributed%system%of%loosely%coordinated%

but%collaborative%organizations%and%individuals!that!can!be!used!to!collect!the!opinions!and!values!of!millions!of!people!in!local!scale!conversations!about!important!national!issues!using%any%preferred%methodology%but%which%includes%a%common%survey!element!to!link!all!participant!opinions!and!values.!

The!NDN!is!a!nonpartisan,!voluntary!working!group!of!practitioners,!educators,!and!researchers!in!the!fields!of!public!engagement,!governance,!creative!leadership,!civic!renewal,!dialogue,!deliberation,!and!participatory!decision_making!in!public!issues.!We’re!modeling!a!voluntary!civic!infrastructure!(drawn!from!nearly!50!years!of!practical!models!at!city,!county,!and!statewide!scales!in!Washington!State:!www.bit.ly/NCDD2012_AD)!that!connects!conversations!across!the!U.S.!among!folks!who!wish!to!examine!many!difficult!and!complex!community!issues!with!others!who!see!the!situation!or!challenges!from!differing!perspectives,!disciplines,!or!ideologies.!The!NDN!was!kickstarted!with!a!2012!Catalyst!Award!grant!from!the!National!Coalition!for!Dialogue!and!Deliberation!(NCDD):!www.ncdd.org/10940.!

1.2 Poverty'&'Wealth'in'America:'Participant'Highlights'How!this!topic!was!selected!is!reported!here:!www.ncdd.org/11527.!This!report!presents!all!

participant!responses!to!a!specialized!survey!from!September!21!through!November!23,!2013!(and!still!available!online:!www.is.gd/2013NDNWebSurvey.)!Over!seven!hundered!visitors!came!to!the!NDN!2013!conversation’s!“virtual!front!door”!at!www.NationalDialogueNetwork.org!with!free!access!to!the!common!Poverty(&(Wealth(Conversation(Kit!(www.bit.ly/1iRhhCv).!One!in!seven!visitors!(105),!completed!the!entire!process!and!answered!an!Opinionnaire®!Survey!at!an!in_person!forum!or!online.!(An/additional/45/responses/were/contributed/in/late/March/and/early/April,/2014,/but/they/are/not/included/in/this/analysis/of/the/original/105/responses.((

Our!inaugural!process!focused!on!three!topics!regarding!Poverty!&!Wealth!in!America,!outlined!as!conversation!starters!in!the!2013!NDN!Conversation!Kit:!

1. What'Should'Be'The'Purpose'of'Wealth?'

2. Conversations'About'Economic'Inequality'and'Opportunity'

3. What'Should'Our'Society'Aspire'to'For'Our'Future'Generations?'

This!report!summarizes!the!results!of!the!national!survey!component!completed!by!the!105!self_selected!individuals!who!fully!engaged!in!the!process.!Information!in!these!analyses!include:!!

PCORating™:!A%proprietary%calculation%of%the%Forum%Foundation%(and%used%with%permission)%

that%neatly%relates%both%the%majority%and%minority%responses%to%a%survey%question%or%statement.!It!provides!a!solid!mathmatical!representation!of!the!amount!of!consensus!of!opinions!in!broad!(or!increasingly!specific)!demographic!categories!in!any!official!Opinionnaire®!Survey.!

Response%Demographics:!Specialized!crosstab!of!demographic!categories!that!show!interesting!differences!and!similarities!(primarily!geographic!region!by!political!self!identification!—!see!page!24.)!

Response%Comment%Samples:!All%questions%included%options%to:%abstain,%object%to%the%wording%of%the%question,%and%provide%open%narrative%comments.!Representative!comments!from!participants!for!each!survey!response!are!provided.!! !



Table%of%Contents%

1.' I’m!too!busy!to!read!all!this!–!what’s!the!bottom!line?!..................................................!2'

1.1' What'is'the'National'Dialogue'Network'............................................................................'2'

1.2' Poverty'&'Wealth'in'America:'Participant'Highlights'........................................................'2'

2.' Process!Methodology!..................................................................................................!6'

3.' About!the!National!Dialogue!Network!.........................................................................!6'

4.' What!is!a!PC_Rating™?!................................................................................................!8'

5.' Survey!Questions!–!Consensus!Summary!.....................................................................!9'

6.' Observations!on!2013!Discussion!Topics!&!Survey!Responses!....................................!10'

6.1' What'Should'Be'the'Purpose'of'Wealth?'........................................................................'10'

6.1.1' TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'

statement,'"Those'with'wealth'bear'a'social'obligation'to'society.”'(TR4)'.................................'10'


statement,'"A'society’s'abundance'of'resources'should'be'invested'toward'the'creative'and'

adaptive'support'of'that'society’s'wellRbeing'and'sustainability.”'(TR1)'.....................................'11'


statement,'"It'is'an'individual’s'responsibility'to'direct'and'balance'private'accumulation'and'

allocation'of'resources'toward'the'common'good.”'(TR3)'..........................................................'12'


statement,'"There'is'a'lot'of'trial'and'error'with'innovation'and'progress...'so'there’s'risk'

involved.'And'where'there’s'risk,'there'needs'to'be'a'potential'for'adequate'and'appropriate'

return'on'that'investment.”'(TR2)'...............................................................................................'13'

6.2' Conversations'About'Economic'Inequality'and'Opportunity'...........................................'14'

6.2.1' TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'"Although'America'is'a'‘land'of'opportunity’'in'principle,'it'fails'to'live'up'to'this'

promise'in'practice.”'(TR11)'.........................................................................................................'14'


statement,'"Large'differences'in'income'are'necessary'for'America’s'prosperity.”'(TR10)'........'15'

6.2.3' Given'that'education'is'necessary'to'rise'from'poverty,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'

disagree'with'the'statement,'“It'should'be'the'paramount'duty'of'a'state'to'make'ample'

provision'for'the'education'of'all'children'residing'within'its'borders'without'distinction'or'

preference'on'account'of'race,'color,'caste,'or'sex.”'(TR12)'.......................................................'16'




statement,'"It'is'essential'that'local,'state,'and'federal'governments'balance'the'needs'of'

humanity'with'the'practices'of'corporations.”'(TR9)'...................................................................'17'


statement,'"Only'consumers'can'increase'opportunity'for'all'people'by'using'the'power'of'the'

market'to'hold'corporations'accountable.”'(TR7)'.......................................................................'18'


statement,'"In'the'United'States,'a'free'country,'people'already'have'all'the'opportunities'they'

need.'Opportunity'is'being'limited'by'encroachment'on'those'freedoms.”'(TR6)'......................'19'


statement,'"Only'a'wellRregulated'economy'can'provide'opportunity'for'all.”'(TR8)'.................'20'

6.3' What'Should'Our'Society'Aspire'to'For'Our'Future'Generations?'....................................'21'


statement,'“I'aspire'to'a'future'in'which'all'citizens'have'equal'opportunity'for'economic'

prosperity.”'(TR15)'.......................................................................................................................'21'

6.3.2' GENERALLY'SPEAKING,'how'strongly'would'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'idea'that'

society'should'encourage'“familyRsupportive”'policies'just'as'it'might'“businessRsupportive”'

policies?'(TR16)'............................................................................................................................'22'


statement,'“Unregulated'markets'and'private'and'corporate'businesses'offer'the'best'

guarantees'for'all'citizens'to'realize'their'‘American'Dream’.”'(TR14)'........................................'23'

6.3.4' 'TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'

statement,'“Regulations'and/or'laws'should'be'passed'(whether'locally'or'nationally)'because'

political'solutions'offer'the'best'guarantees'for'all'citizens'to'realize'their'‘American'Dream’.”'

(TR13)' '........................................................................................................................................'24'

6.4' 2013'NDN'Participant'Reflections'...................................................................................'25'

6.4.1' "Overall,'I'believe'that'the'National'Dialogue'Network'is'on'the'right'track."'(PR4)'......'25'

6.5' Demographic'Tallies'.......................................................................................................'26'

6.5.1' Do'you'live'inside'or'outside'a'formal'incorporated'city,'town,'or'village?'...................'26'

6.5.2' Do'you'consider'yourself'to'be'a'religious'and/or'a'spiritual'person?'...........................'26'

6.5.3' What'is'the'gender'identify'you'most'closely'identify'with?'.........................................'26'

6.5.4' What'is'your'age'range?'.................................................................................................'27'

6.5.5' What'is'the'racial'or'ethnic'heritage'you'you'most'closely'identify'with?'.....................'27'

6.5.6' Which'empoyment'category'best'reflects'your'current'status?'....................................'28'

6.5.7' What'is'your'primary'employer'type?'............................................................................'28'



6.5.8' What'is'the'higest'level'of'education'you'have'completed?'..........................................'29'

6.5.9' What'general'income'range'did'you'report'to'the'Internal'Revenue'Service'(IRS)'in'

2012?' '........................................................................................................................................'29'

6.5.10' All'things'being'equal,'when'comparing'your'current'income'and'life'style'to'that'of'

your'parents'when/if'they'were'your'age'now,'would'you'say:'.................................................'30'

6.5.11' Have'you'received'TANF'(Welfare)'or'public'housing'assistance'from'any'source'

during'2013?'...............................................................................................................................'30'

6.5.12' Are'you'responsible'for'the'care'of'a'vulnerable'child,'adult'child'with'a'disability,'or'

an'elder'family'member?'............................................................................................................'30'

6.5.13' Do'you'consider'yourself'to'be'“civically'active”'(e.g.'participated'in'a'public'hearing,'a'

petition,'political'campaign,'volunteer,'etc.)?'............................................................................'31'

6.5.14' Which'formal'political'party'(represented'in'the'2012'presidental'elections)'do'you'

most'closely'identify'with?'..........................................................................................................'31'

7.' Appendices!................................................................................................................!32'

7.1' Observations'from'contributor'Galen'Radtke'.................................................................'32'

7.1.1' Introduction'....................................................................................................................'32'

7.1.2' Participatory Resistance'..................................................................................................'32'

7.1.3' Process'............................................................................................................................'33'

7.1.4' Findings'..........................................................................................................................'33'

7.1.5' Conclusion'......................................................................................................................'34'

7.2' Observations'from'contributor'John'Perkins'...................................................................'34'

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2. Process%Methodology%

This!“Viewspaper®(Report”!highlights!the!consensus!and!differences!of!opinion!and!values!observed!in!the!2013!NDN!Poverty(&(Wealth(in(America(Opinionnaire®!Survey.!Perspectives!are!presented!for!each!of!the!survey!questions!asked!with!additional!detail!on!interesting!demographic!differences.!!The!Opinionnaire®!Survey!utilized!by!the!NDN!is!not!a!scientific!poll!in!the!typical!sense!because!it!invites!the!opinions!of!self_selected!participants!–!anyone!who!wants!to!participate!can!participate.!NDN’s!mission!is!to!bring!people!together!to!talk!about!issues!that!matter!in!their!communities!and!across!our!nation.!We!seek!to!coordinate!dialogue!and!information!exchange!among!the!many!local!conversations!already!taking!place!across!the!U.S.!!!NDN!offered!participants!in!2013!an!opportunity!to!share!their!views!through!both!online!and!in_person!conversation!forums!and!provide!feedback!using!either!online!or!paper!surveys.!All!participants!were!asked!to!complete!the!survey,!but!completion!was!not!mandatory.!And!so,!like!voting!itself,!this!report!accurately!represents!only!the!opinions!and!values!of!the!people!who!participated!fully!and!completely.!

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3. About%the%National%Dialogue%Network%

NDN!is!not!an!advocacy!organization,!it!does!not!make!policy!recommendations,!and!it!does!not!represent!the!policy!positions!of!our!partner!organizations.!Instead,!insights!gathered!from!dialogue!participants!are!meant!to!foster!increased!public!awareness!and!to!assist!creative!thought_leaders!to!address!the!biggest!challenges!we!face!in!communities!throughout!our!country.!!!At!the!heart!of!the!National!Dialogue!Network!is!an!adaptive!and!collaborative!energy!supported!by!a!2012!Catalyst!Award!grant!from!the!National!Coalition!for!Dialgue!&!Deliberation!(NCDD)!to!strengthen!the!civic!infrastructures!of!national!conversations.!The!inaugural!2013!NDN!process!relied!on!the!actions!of!resonate!individuals!and!volunteers!to!help!as!they!could!to!collaborate!with!other!volunteers!and!their!personal!and!corporate!social!networks!while!using!shared!and!common!resources.!At!its!launch!NDN’s!vision!was:!"to!create!an!adaptive!and!collaborative!infrastructure!that!enables!any!participant!to!learn!about,!and!respond!to,!selected!national!issues."!The!following!principles!guided!development!of!the!2013!Conversation!and!Opinionnaire®!Survey.!!Support(existing(civic(infrastructre((community(conversation(organizations(and(volunteers)(with(common(conversation(tools(for(a(national(conversation.(

• The'NDN'is'responsible'for'developing'a'"core'materials'kit"'on'an'issue'of'national'interest'with'

basic'resources'for'engaging'participants.'.''

• This'"basic'set'of'core'materials"'does'not'attempt'to'convey'all'aspects'of'the'issue'selected'by'

citizen'participants.'instead'it'serves'as'a'starting'place'for'the'conversation.'Key'terms,'topics'of'

interest,'and'national'statistics'on'current'conditions'to'get'people'thinking,'talking,'and'

listening'to'insights'and'personal'opinions'of'others,'as'well'as'sharing'their'own.''



• The'core'materials'includes'a'national'scope'survey'to'analyze'and'better'appreciate'local,'

regional,'and'national'degrees'of'consensus'or'disagreement'arising'from'participants’'review'

and'interaction'with'the'core'materials.'

!Be(adaptive(to(a(variety(of(conversation(forums,(from(dialogue,(to(deliberation(and(decisionKmaking.((

• The'basic'set'of'core'materials'can'be'privately'extended'by'local'conversation'hosts,'as'long'as'

it'continues'to'be'referenced'or'incorporated'into'new'materials,'and'final'materials'include'the'

core'survey'for'all'participants'to'offer'input.'

• NDN'offers'participants'an'opportunity'to'share'their'views'on'important'topics'through'both'

online'and'inRperson'forums,'encouraging'all'to'voice'their'opinions'The'core'survey'can'be'

extended'to'include'additional'questions,'allowing'local'conversation'collaborators'to'gather'

additional'insights'and'opinions'from'participants'on'the'topics'discussed'and'conversation'

process'used.'This'“child'survey”'or'extension'can'be'easily'incorporated'into'additional'

conversation'materials.''

!NDN(tools(and(processes(will(rely(on(a(citizenKdriven(input(using(transparent,(accessible(processes.((

• The'NDN'tapped'the'interests'and'efforts'of'a'selfRselected'and'voluntary'“Working'Group”'of'

practitioners,'educators,'and'researchers'in'the'fields'of'public'engagement,'governance,'

creative'leadership,'civic'renewal,'dialogue,'deliberation,'and'participatory'decisionRmaking'in'

public'issues.'We’re'building'a'voluntary'civic'infrastructure'that'connects'conversations'across'

the'U.S.'among'folks'who'wish'to'examine'difficult'and'complex'community'issues'with'others'

who'see'the'situation'or'challenges'from'differing'perspectives,'disciplines,'or'ideologies.''

• The'free,'public'access,'webRbased'platform'supports'participation'in'a'wide'range'of'faceRtoR

face,'phone'conference,'online,'and'live'forums'in'each'stage'of'preparing'for'and'conducting'

one'or'more'nationalRscale'conversations'(from'topic'selection'to'issue'naming,'framing,'kit'

development,'survey'analysis'and'documentation.'

!NDN(tools(and(processes(will(be(accessible(to(a(broad(mix(of(civic(and(public(forums,(spanning(political(perspectives(and(values.((

• As'a'national'public'engagement'platform,'NDN’s'mission'is'to'bring'people'together'to'talk'

about'issues.'We'present'different'perspectives'on'topics,'inform'citizens,'and'encourage'open'

dialogue'for'the'purpose'of'discovering'where'we'agree'on'possible'solutions.''

• NDN'is'not'an'advocacy'organization'and'does'not'make'policy'recommendations'or'represent'

the'policy'positions'of'our'partner'organizations.'It'is'our'hope'and'goal'that'insights'gathered'

from'dialogue'participants'are'useful'to'policymakers'in'creating'a'more'solutionsRbased'

approach'to'the'biggest'challenges'we'face'in'our'communities.'

!The!National!Dialogue!Network!was!first!made!possible!by!a!2012!NCDD!Catalyst!Award!grant:!www.ncdd.org/10940!—!Future!rounds!are!possible!with!additional!modest!financial!support.!!Use!@NatDialogue!to!follow!us!on!Twitter!and!/NatDialogue!on!Facebook.!



4. What%is%a%PCORating™?%

The!proprietary!“Polarization_Consensus!Rating”!(PC_Rating™)!uses!two!percentages!to!show!degrees!of!participation!and!accord!within!one!or!more!demographics!along!a!scale!from!0%!to!100%.!The!ratings!themselves!can!be!visualized!as!a!seesaw!with!people!sitting!on!it!or!standing!beside!it.!!The%PCORating™%neatly%relates%both%the%majority%and%minority%responses%to%a%survey%question%or%

statement.!

A%Polarization%Rating%of%100%%means!that!all!participants!answered!the!question!and!nobody!"abstained"!or!"objected"!(everyone!sits!the!seesaw.)!

!!!A%100%%Consensus%Rating%

means,!“all!responses!favor!the!original!sense!of!the!question”!(they!are!“in!accord”.)!!!!!!!!

A%Polarization%Rating%of%30%%means!that!3!out!of!10!answered!while!7!out!of!10!abstained!or!objected!(they!stood!away!from!the!seesaw.)!

!

!!A%50%%consensus%rating%means,!“there!is!no!consensus!—!people!were!equally!split”!(no!accord).!!!!Photo!credits:!http://www.themarionchurch.org!/img/p_seesaw_b.jpg!!

!!

A%0%%Consensus%Rating%means,!“all!responses!favor!the!opposite!sense!of!the!question”!!(they!are!still!“in!accord”!but!in!an!opposite!sense).!! !

Figure%1:%Demonstrates%100%%polarization%(all%are%participating)%

and%consensus/accord%is%stronger%to%the%right.%

Figure%2:%Demonstrates%30%%polarization%(70%%Abstain%or%Object)%%

and%consensus/accord%is%equally%split.%



the!PC_Rating™!BLUE!Cloud=!general!consensus!in!agreement!(60_100%)!

!

WHITE!Cloud=!general!consensus!is!neutral!(41_59%)!!

GREY!Cloud!=!general!consensus!in!opposition!(0_40%)!

5. Survey%Questions%–%Consensus%Summary%

The!survey!focused!on!three!topics!regarding!Poverty!&!Wealth!in!America,!outlined!as!conversation!starters!in!the!2013!NDN!Conversation!(www.bit.ly/1iRhhCv).:!

1. What'Should'Be'The'Purpose'of'Wealth?'

2. Conversations'About'Economic'Inequality'and'Opportunity'

3. What'Should'Our'Society'Aspire'to'For'Our'Future'Generations?'

This!report!summarizes!the!results!of!the!national!survey!completed!by!105!conversation!participants.!Information!included!in!these!snapshots!include:!!!Survey%Question:!The!survey!question!and!#!is!presented!for!each!of!the!topics!#1_3!above.!!PCORating™:!This!ranking!provides!a!general!sense!of!the!consensus!of!opinions!in!participant!responses!regarding!the!statement!provided.!Survey!questions!are!presented!in!descending!order!with!the!highest%levels%of%consensus%at!the!top,!see!key!below!on!classifications!of!PC_Rating™!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Response%Demographics:!Value!percentages!for!the!question!are!provided!numerically!and!graphically,!and!additional!demographic!details!!Response%Comment%Samples:!All!questions!included!options!to:!abstain,!object!to!the!wording!of!the!question,!and!provide!open!narrative!comments.!Representative!comments!from!participants!for!each!survey!response!are!given!below.!!!

! %



Polarization-Consensus (PC) Rating™:

94% had 86 Consensus

6. Observations%on%2013%Discussion%Topics%&%Survey%Responses%

6.1 What'Should'Be'the'Purpose'of'Wealth?'

6.1.1 TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'"Those'with'wealth'bear'a'social'obligation'to'society.”'(T\4)''

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “I translate as: Those with power-based wealth bear stewardship responsibilities to our planet.” ! “Personal moral opinion, not legal/political - cannot mandate charity without strong democratic

consensus.” ! “Everyone bears a ‘social obligation’ to the government which has a ‘social obligation’ to the

society.” ! “And those without wealth too.” ! “Everyone should give freely as God and their heart directs them—not as an obligation.”

!! !





6.1.2 TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'"A'society’s'abundance'of'resources'should'be'invested'toward'the'creative'and'adaptive'support'of'that'society’s'well\being'and'sustainability.”'(T\1)'

!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

'

!!!!!!!!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “I believe in mindful consumption and that abundant resources should also be conserved. Those

that are consumed should most definitely go towards society's well being and sustainability. Sustainability also requires conservation.”

! “This question assumes its conclusion—that ‘society’ owns wealth and should therefore decide how to ‘invest’ it through government taxing and spending.”

! “Abundance is the key word for me—then again getting a consensus on defining ‘abundance’ might be tough.”

! “Provided there is a component of social justice, I can agree with the statement.” !!!% %





6.1.3 TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'"It'is'an'individual’s'responsibility'to'direct'and'balance'private'accumulation'and'allocation'of'resources'toward'the'common'good.”'(T\3)'

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “I feel I need to use my personal resources for the common good, and society should direct some

resources, but persons should have the right to decide for themselves how they will behave as individuals.”

! “Government has a role to play in helping to establish this balance, through tax policy. However, the role of government in that regard MUST be Constitutionally limited. Otherwise politicians will inevitably drive the economy into decline.”

! “An individual should promote and develop the ‘common good’ but not necessarily through his accumulated wealth. (Efforts would be better)”

! “It's good karma. And individuals are always and eventually affected by the common good or lack thereof.”

! “It it an individuals responsibility to develop the ability to collaborate with other individuals and create a shared vision for the use of accumulated resources.”

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6.1.4 TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'"There'is'a'lot'of'trial'and'error'with'innovation'and'progress...'so'there’s'risk'involved.'And'where'there’s'risk,'there'needs'to'be'a'potential'for'adequate'and'appropriate'return'on'that'investment.”'(T\2)'

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “The problem is bigness. Big government in particular imposes excessive risk upon taxpayers.

Trial and error should occur on relatively small scale, to minimize risk.” ! “Where 'return on investment' of course includes social good, ecological, and economic and

community good.” ! “In a product based setting I would agree, but fixation on ROI in regards to the process of evolving

community and society is a barrier. This is because the afore said functions best when it is an ends within itself. Treating this process as a means to an ends will ultimately corrupt the process because the underlying agendas cased by ROI thinking will create separation.”

! “Risk is not only borne by the investor, but also by the community as a whole and the employees of the venture, so return on investment should also be adequately spread among those who take the risk also. Excessive return on investment should be curbed.”

! “Not all risks are socially beneficial. Plus, who defines adequate and appropriate? If someone collects more than that, what then?”

! !







6.2 Conversations'About'Economic'Inequality'and'Opportunity'

6.2.1 TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'"Although'America'is'a'‘land'of'opportunity’'in'principle,'it'fails'to'live'up'to'this'promise'in'practice.”'(T\11)''

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!!!!!!!!!!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “You can be anything you want to be in this country. With hard work any one can be successful.” ! “Again, the relevance of privilege must be understood.” ! “It fails in some respects, but on the whole, America lives up to the promise of being the ‘land of

opportunity’.” ! “I believe in personal responsibility. There is opportunity for many that choose not to exercise the

opportunity. I also believe there is much opportunity repressed by ignorance.” ! “Maybe I am more patriotic than I think. Something about this question rubs me the wrong way. I

think this is still a pretty great country, and many citizens and immigrants are able to achieve their goals.”

! “Being human (and the ‘United States of America’ being a human created system of governance) we will all fail in practice. But ‘the principle’ is still very important and an ideal to recognize and aspire to. It allows us to judge ourselves and recommit ourselves individually to the restoration of ‘the principles’ in our lives. Perhaps overly idealistic... but ideals are like lighthouses and just as necessary.”%




94% had 9 Consensus

6.2.2 TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'"Large'differences'in'income'are'necessary'for'America’s'prosperity.”'(T\10)''

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!!!!!!!!!!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “Transpose please: "Small differences in income are necessary for human prosperity.” ! “I don't want to agree with this, but observation suggests that some concentration of resources is

necessary for complex economies to work.” ! “Large yes... obscene no...” ! “Large differences in income create large disparities in opportunity. It is a myth that people will not

produce if they cannot make exorbitant amounts of money.” ! “I objected to this question because I have no idea what ‘large’ differences in income are.

Assuming ‘large’ differences is a reference to the current distribution of income, I do think there will always be some low-income people. However, I also believe that we can dramatically reduce their relative percentage of the population by dramatically improving educational opportunities in urban areas through school choice and competition. Raising taxes beyond 50% on job creating innovators will flatten the distribution of income, but it will also reduce growth and job creation, negatively impacting America's prosperity.”

! “Nothing has trickled down to me.”'





6.2.3 Given'that'education'is'necessary'to'rise'from'poverty,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'statement,'“It'should'be'the'paramount'duty'of'a'state'to'make'ample'provision'for'the'education'of'all'children'residing'within'its'borders'without'distinction'or'preference'on'account'of'race,'color,'caste,'or'sex.”'(T\12)''

[Editor’s!note:!This!statement!was!drawn!from!the!current!Washington!State!Constitution!but!substituted!“should!be!the!paramount!duty!of!a!state”!instead!of!“is!the!paramount!duty!of!the!state”!as!now!exists!in!the!preamble!of!Article!9!of!the!state!constitution.!Ref:!http://is.gd/2013NDNRefT12!

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!!!!!!!!!!!!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “The question is constructed to suggest that the key distinctions/issues are race, color, caste, or

sex. However, the question also slips in ‘all children residing within its borders,’ which is controversial now due to concern about immigration. As a consequence, it will be impossible to interpret the answers. Did the respondent agree or disagree on the basis of race, color, caste, or sex? Did the respondent agree or disagree on the basis of citizenship? Can you argue that all those who answered in agreement also agree that non-citizens should be educated or did they just skip over that?”

! “But education won't do jack if racism continues to dominate our criminal justice system, and other components of our society.”

! “It is the Parents responsibility—not the State.”'





6.2.4 TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'"It'is'essential'that'local,'state,'and'federal'governments'balance'the'needs'of'humanity'with'the'practices'of'corporations.”'(T\9)''

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!!!!!!!!!!!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “It is not the responsibility of corporations to bear the burden of taking care of people. People

need to care for themselves and if they do not they should live with the result.” ! “Corporations should serve the needs of humanity. There should be no balancing between the

corporations wealth for money and the needs of the general populace.” ! “This question pits people against corporations. Such a dichotomy is not required. The purpose

should be meeting the needs of humanity. Part of this involves creating ways of organizing human effort and resources, like corporations.”

! “I objected to this question because it assumes it own conclusion. Obviously, the ‘needs of humanity’ outweigh everything else—especially the ‘practices of corporations’ (whatever that is).”

! “I think that you'd get strong democratic consensus on this one, at least after deliberation.” % %





6.2.5 TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'"Only'consumers'can'increase'opportunity'for'all'people'by'using'the'power'of'the'market'to'hold'corporations'accountable.”'(T\7)''

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!!!!!!!!Selected!comments!from!respondents: ! “Entrepreneurs can create new opportunities that consumers may not have envisioned. However,

yes, consumers, acting together through social media, can foster corporate accountability far better than government bureaucrats.”

! “Government and corporations themselves have the responsibility to increase opportunities for the general population.”

! “Corporations also have responsibility to self-govern and self-limit, setting minimum standards for giving back to the community and maximum salary levels for executives.”

! “The word ‘only’ is a problem for me. I think consumers have a role, but its not only the consumer that can increase opportunity.”

! “There are many ways to increase opportunity for all people and to hold corporations accountable. If the word ‘only’ was removed, I would have strongly agreed with the statement instead of strongly disagreed.”

! “This is not the only or best way to hold corporations accountable. Government regulation in the public interest is a better way.”''

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6.2.6 TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'"In'the'United'States,'a'free'country,'people'already'have'all'the'opportunities'they'need.'Opportunity'is'being'limited'by'encroachment'on'those'freedoms.”'(T\6)''

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!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “We don't, for example, have equal educational opportunity across this country. Even within my

geographical area, the disparity between public schools is significant. Even so, opportunity is limited by eroding freedoms such as voting rights and the right to be represented by your elected representatives.”

! “Inequality of opportunity, lack of social safety nets, and unfair distribution of wealth upward contribute to lack of freedom to succeed for most people.”

! “Opportunities abound if you are a minority or a woman. However white men are left out of opportunity. They are the ones who have to work extra hard if they want to succeed.”

! “I feel that we don't have all the opportunities that we need, because of either unlawful regulation or oppressive governments (and individuals...) but I do agree that opportunity is being limited by encroachment on certain freedoms and rights.”

! “Systemically we reward the promotion and acquisition of wealth and maintain the barriers of poverty.”'





6.2.7 TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'"Only'a'well\regulated'economy'can'provide'opportunity'for'all.”'(T\8)''

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Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “I expect that regulations would be fair and ‘blind’ (like Lady Justice) and not favor any one part of

society over another. The ‘rule of law’ (aka regulations) should favor no one but promote all opportunities equally.”

! “A well-designed economy has a bigger potential for giving freedom and opportunity to everyone rather than just a well regulated one.”

! “Regulation of markets can prevent abuse, but has little to do with equalizing opportunity.” % %





6.3 What'Should'Our'Society'Aspire'to'For'Our'Future'Generations?'

6.3.1 TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'“I'aspire'to'a'future'in'which'all'citizens'have'equal'opportunity'for'economic'prosperity.”'(T\15)''

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!!!!!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “This is a slippery slope, for everyone to have equal opportunity some would have to be helped

and others hindered.” ! “But when individuals are unable to care for themselves due to issues beyond their control we as

a people should step forward to care for them for the common good, but providing the honorable opportunities to contribute to themselves and the communities I which they live (CCC, WPA).”

! “When everyone HAS equal opportunity, then the only set of problems we have to deal with are the fundamental reasons why some people do not thrive.”

! “Why ‘equal’? Why not just ‘opportunities’? Again, the questions are framed in a way that seems to reproduce the tired old divided arguments.”

! “I have a problem with the word equal opportunities. It is unrealistic to believe that everyone will have equal opportunities. Even communism wasn't able to achieve that.”

! “Where a man is not judged by his color or pocketbook, but rather by the content of his character.” ! “Within reason - we need a reliable floor and an approximate ceiling.” ! “Economic prosperity is the very lowest rung on Maslow's heierarchy of needs. Equal opportunity

for self actualization (and arguably, transcendence) should be the goal.”'





6.3.2 GENERALLY'SPEAKING,'how'strongly'would'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'idea'that'society'should'encourage'“family\supportive”'policies'just'as'it'might'“business\supportive”'policies?'(T\16)''

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!!!!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “As long as family is construed broadly.” ! “And ‘commmunty-supportive’.” ! “A step in this direction might be emphasis on cooperative vocation-supportive policies.” ! “Business should be supportive of families. How businesses do that is largely up to them.” ! “It is not the role of government, which itself is governed by politics, to determine how families or

businesses should be ‘supported’. Rather, government should strive to do no needless harm to either families or businesses.”

! “What does ‘family-supportive’ mean? Is it policies like maternity leave and child care? Is it anti-abortion policies?”

! “I support family policies that support women's rights, especially reproductive rights. I don't support male-dominant family policies.”

! “Who is ‘society’? Federal government or your [neighborhood] church?” % %





6.3.3 TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'“Unregulated'markets'and'private'and'corporate'businesses'offer'the'best'guarantees'for'all'citizens'to'realize'their'‘American'Dream’.”'(T\14)''

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Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “What got us into this mess won't get us out of it.” ! “The Great Recession is example enough of what happens when regulations are relaxed on certain kinds of

businesses.” ! “Again - this is too polarizing of a question. We need some regulations to ensure the business and

corporations are thinking about the whole community, not just profit. But over regulation is not helpful for anyone.”

! “This divides the question. Unregulated is overbroad. I agree that private and corporate businesses offer the best guarentee, but unregulated should be limited regulation.”

! “Proper regulation of business provides the best guarantee of fairness for businesses and for the general population.”

! “Competitive marketplaces eventually lead to monopolies. Corporations are institutionalized greed. Expecting Corporations and unregulated free markets to do anything other than exploit people for profit is like entrusting a wolf to watch the sheep.”

! “Again, coupling an approach with the notion of guarantees for all citizens. My understanding is that advocates of unregulated markets and businesses do so because they feel it is the best environment for themselves, not necessarily for all. Thus, they may agree with deregulation, but not because it guarantees the American Dream for all.”'





6.3.4 ' TAKEN'AS'A'WHOLE,'how'strongly'do'you'agree'or'disagree'with'the'following'statement,'“Regulations'and/or'laws'should'be'passed'(whether'locally'or'nationally)'because'political'solutions'offer'the'best'guarantees'for'all'citizens'to'realize'their'‘American'Dream’.”'(T\13)''

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!!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “I don't see any other way at this time to change our direction. And yet, I have little confidence in

political solutions. Pretty depressing.” ! “The ‘best guarantees’ bothers me. A lot of change has to happen in people's hearts, and that

can't be legislated.” ! “This question is too broad. While I think it imperative for the government to step in and right

wrongs in some circumstances I wouldn't be interested in unfettered decision making. It is all about balance and working cooperatively outside of the government structure to allow individuals the opportunity to give back.”

! “Congress is a joke. Most State governments survive fiscally only by attacking our rights. Political solutions in the classic sense are an utter failure. We must tap the creativity of the crowd, the innovative capacity of individuals and associations, and make good use of technology as well, to decentralize the unfortunate concentration of power and wealth.”'





6.4 2013'NDN'Participant'Reflections'

6.4.1 '"Overall,'I'believe'that'the'National'Dialogue'Network'is'on'the'right'track."'(P\4)''

'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Selected!comments!from!respondents:!! “I don't have enough information to say.” ! “I think the issue you are addressing is of vital importance, and I think you are making a sincere effort to

address the issue productively. Whether the process you are using will prove to be effective is yet to be seen.”

! “I look forward to finding ways that thousands of small group discussions are connected into national dialog and shared understanding of issues and potential solutions to problems.”

! “No one [else has put] this topic out there and yet [you] have. NDN has done it for the betterment of all of our communities.”

! “I'm impressed that you are coordinating these conversations. Seriously impressed. And I thank you for giving me this positive opportunity to participate as well.”

! “Certainly dialogue in general is helpful. If the selection of who is in the dialog is biased, it risks building righteous indignation of our collective point of view and closes our minds. Be careful.”

! “This is a good tool and will only improve in future rounds.” %

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6.5 Demographic'Tallies'

6.5.1 Do'you'live'inside'or'outside'a'formal'incorporated'city,'town,'or'village?'

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6.5.2 Do'you'consider'yourself'to'be'a'religious'and/or'a'spiritual'person?''

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6.5.3 What'is'the'gender'identify'you'most'closely'identify'with?''

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6.5.4 What'is'your'age'range?''

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6.5.5 What'is'the'racial'or'ethnic'heritage'you'you'most'closely'identify'with?''

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6.5.6 Which'empoyment'category'best'reflects'your'current'status?''

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6.5.7 What'is'your'primary'employer'type?''

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6.5.8 What'is'the'higest'level'of'education'you'have'completed?''

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6.5.9 What'general'income'range'did'you'report'to'the'Internal'Revenue'Service'(IRS)'in'2012?''

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6.5.10 All'things'being'equal,'when'comparing'your'current'income'and'life'style'to'that'of'your'parents'when/if'they'were'your'age'now,'would'you'say:''

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6.5.11 Have'you'received'TANF'(Welfare)'or'public'housing'assistance'from'any'source'during'2013?''

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6.5.12 Are'you'responsible'for'the'care'of'a'vulnerable'child,'adult'child'with'a'disability,'or'an'elder'family'member?''

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6.5.13 Do'you'consider'yourself'to'be'“civically'active”'(e.g.'participated'in'a'public'hearing,'a'petition,'political'campaign,'volunteer,'etc.)?''

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6.5.14 Which'formal'political'party'(represented'in'the'2012'presidental'elections)'do'you'most'closely'identify'with?''

'!!The!Community%Forums!“Opinionnaire®!Survey”!model!was!designed!by!Dick!Spady!and!his!Forum!Foundation,!a!nonprofit!educational/research!foundation!based!in!Seattle.!Opinionnaire®!and!Viewspaper®!are!registered!trademarks!of!the!Forum!Foundation!and!are!used!with!permission.!!!

! %



7. Appendices%

7.1 Observations'from'contributor'Galen'Radtke'

7.1.1 Introduction'This brief essay is to discuss a new approach to understanding societal and social

systems that has been made possible by the NDN’s 2013 Opinionnaire® Survey and its polarization/consensus measurements.

A system and its emerging factors are ultimately derived from the actions of is smallest components, in the human landscape, this means individuals. An example of emerging factors might be portrayed as; lowering crime rates, trash heaps in the ocean, social movements, culture, economic crisis, etc.

The actions of individuals are driven by the thoughts and values that the individuals

hold. An example of values might be; the spirit of giving, sustainability, individualism, human rights, consumerism, displays of status, etc. Values are subject to the influence of the system which creates a world where often values are created, bolstered, or diminished as a reaction to what is happening in the larger world. Because systems are so complex and interwoven it is near impossible to identify what is causing what to happen and many attempts at influencing them are a “best guess.” Consider the proposition that we could be more intelligent and informed in this process. To do this, we would need to develop a link that would show the relationships between the result of a system and the underlying values that are causing it to emerge. Also we would need to identify what values are ideal to create an emerging system that address or even removes the causes that contribute to the main issues of our society.

This could give us intelligent control enough to empower us in a long term sense, because we would have proof of what values we would need to emphasize in education to increase the likelihood of our society being successful.

7.1.2 Participatory Resistance' Our first attempt at creating such a link is a measure called Participatory Resistance.

In Participatory Resistance we are not looking for how the people in one demographic are responding to one question, favorability or otherwise. Instead we are forgetting the content of the questions themselves and looking at the behavior patterns found within a demographic throughout the survey.

Participatory Resistance measures how likely someone in a demographic is to not answer questions by either objecting to the way the question was written or abstaining from casting a vote. This measure may be indicative of a demographics behavior in realms beyond this survey.



7.1.3 Process'The process to obtain a Participatory Resistance score for one demographic follows…

For only one demographic at a time (i.e.. Rural Residents, 25-34 year olds, different political party affiliations) we take EACH Polarization score (0% to 100%) from EACH survey question and find the average of those scores. This process was repeated for many different demographics gathered by the NDN.

By doing this we can conduct a cross category comparison of Participatory Resistance with demographics such as; politics, residential location, employment category, religious status, etc. By looking at how different demographic groups compare when they are pooled with demographics from other categories, we can get a sense of how different demographic groups are generating Participatory Resistance.

7.1.4 Findings'One can now plot the Participatory Resistance values for various 2013 NDN demographics.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



We can see that those holding Republican Party affiliation, people aged 65-74 years of age, and retired people were most resistant to answering questions (they “abstained” or “objected” more often, thus lowering the “Polarization” scale of the PC-Rating™ in each individual question which contributes to a higher participatory resistance score). People that did not need to file with the IRS, people aged 25-34 years, and students had the least amount of resistance (they tended to “abstain” or “object” less often, thus raising the “Polarization” scale of the PC-Rating™ in each individual question which contributes to a lower participatory resistance score.)

7.1.5 Conclusion'This shows that, at least within the scope of this NDN event, different demographic

groups have different behaviors regarding participation.

We could go farther to invent demographic categories based upon whether people embrace specific values or cultural memes and then use this kind of methodology to better understand how these values affect the behavior of larger groups and even systems.!

7.2 Observations'from'contributor'John'Perkins'These personal comments will address the importance of a national dialogue on

wealth and poverty, my experience of the people, tools and organization of the project, and

finish with my personal reflections.

Richard Feynman said in his speech accepting the (1965) Nobel Prize for Physics,

We have a habit in writing articles published in scientific journals to make the work as finished as possible, to cover up all the tracks, to not worry about the blind alleys or describe how you had the wrong idea first, and so on. So there isn't any place to publish, in a dignified manner, what you actually did in order to get to do the work.

Whew! Glad we got the pressure to be dignified out of the way.

This is because living inside the work of doing the work is messy. This is not a

criticism of NDN or John Spady, just my words to state the common experience of getting

work done. As time passes my sense of it may be a lot smoother than is—or was—the actual

case. One theory holds that it is through the saccadic processes of our minds that we

experience a sense of motion when watching motion pictures. I want to look between the



“stills” of this project from my own experience before my mind “closes the gaps” with a

smooth and simple story of how much fun it was and what I “took away.”

The philosopher Richard Rorty reckoned that the best activity is the search for worthy

conversation partners. Establishing a context where conversation partners can find one

another and also then be able to hold a conversation is the spirit of the National Dialogue

Network. The right conversation at the right time changes us, and from our talks we engage

the world better able to effect shifts in ourselves or our institutions.

The National Dialogue Network, by name and intent, can be a means of finding those

worthy partners and having the right conversations. My first contact with the project was a

call from John Spady in July. He invited me to join the project as one of his “wranglers” on

the section of the Conversation Kit (www.bit.ly/1iRhhCv) dealing with the impact of our

actions out to seven generations. He said he wanted at least two people on each portion, and

at that moment there was only one.

I instantly understood how important it was to have at least two people from my own

frames of reference. First, with two people you have the minimum conditions for a

conversation and exchange of ideas. Second, as a consultant who often works with volunteers

on projects, I know that every job or task needs at least two people assigned to it, even if it’s

understood one of them will do most of the work.

My partner on this section, Dyck Dewid, and I had several long phone conversations

and an interesting exchange of email messages. A search upturned a couple of speeches Dyck

had made at various rallies and I felt we were kindred spirits after seeing his serious yet

playful public speaking style. From one of our “what if” conversations we arrived at our

format for our section: we would have a short introduction, then Dyck would compose a



letter from our time to the seventh generation (around 2188). I would respond with a letter

back to our time from 2188.

When thinking about my letter back from the future, I wanted to offer possibilities

based on small or obscure events that already exist. Just as we have enjoy many things that

began 150 or so years ago as protests or experiments, by the same logic we might see the

blooming of similar things we have today.

Beyond regular email and phone calls, the cluster of tools that made this collaboration

work included:

Speek.com – “Makes simple, free and visual conference calls by creating an easy-to-

remember personal link (i.e., speek.com/YourName) for calls rather than using a traditional

phone number and PIN.” Free for up to 5 people on a call.

Hackpad.com – “Hackpad is a simple tool to edit, organize and share documents.

Hackpad eliminates confusion by clearly indicating who wrote what, and what changes were

made to a document.” Free if left open to the public.

Trello.com – “Infinitely flexible. Incredibly easy to use. Great mobile apps. It's free.

Trello keeps track of everything, from the big picture to the minute details.” Free.

John Spady with Mary Dumas bore the brunt of the work for getting the Kit in good

shape. They did a tremendous job. At the weekly conference call I managed to join I could

only marvel at the progressive improvements they pulled off. It helped me understand the

potential benefits and scope of this project to attend the pilot Mary conducted in Mt Vernon,

WA. Groups were asked to collect the questions that emerged during their talks. These are a

valuable resource in themselves, and could be of use for analysis or in additional

conversations.



The conversations that Ben Roberts hosted, facilitated, nudged, and fostered are also

a treasure house of thoughts and suggestions. Another resource that can benefit from further

analysis that is hosted here: www.bit.ly/NDN-R1-BenRoberts.

John Spady’s leadership style can serve as an example of how to lead a distributed,

virtual team with fluid membership. He practiced a type of Who’s Here Rules of Order: if

you made it to the call you could participate in the decision making. It could be 3 people, or

it could be 5 or 6, didn’t matter. Because of our projected dates to accomplish certain

milestones, John saw that we could not delay a decision to wait for “more people” or a

specific person. This is radical as it preserves the idea of the wisdom of group deliberation

without being shackled by rules for a quorum, membership, and such.

I was surprised by how little attachment John had to the actual content. I suspect that

while focusing his attentions to getting the Kit and Survey and Website launched he

simultaneously relaxed his feelings that any particular text or web page had to be a certain

way. John didn’t always agree, of course, but with this more relaxed attitude he conveyed he

really did want to know what each person thought or felt.

For all of this, where am I left on the subject of the discussion of wealth and poverty

in the United States? Well, it’s much more complex than when John first invited me to

participate.

Late in the conversation I thought to borrow a thinking tool from the social

anthropologist Mary Douglas.1 Using a 2 x 2 table with degree of connectedness for one side

and the distribution of wealth for the other, I can generally see where in the grid any

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!1!Mary Douglas, ND, A History of Grid and Group Cultural Theory, accessed on 11/25/13 at http://projects.chass.utoronto.ca/semiotics/cyber/douglas1.pdf !



comment in a discussion falls. Those who have, or aspire to having, more than a

proportionate share of the wealth make a case for the validity of having unequal distributions

(Cells A & B). Yeah, they sound persuasive, unless you’re on the bottom getting skewed. I

believe heeding claims to rank or status or excess is a social decision, not a fact of nature.

As for Cell D, it seems that in our times we have no consensus to make our

“commons” a source of social pride and enthusiasm. How else to make sense of charter

schools that siphon to themselves public funds when the current schools are underfunded?

How else to understand the failure of legislatures to keep parks open and adequately funded

without the gimmick of “daily use fees?”

My own goals place my comments in Cell C. I live and work for a world where we

all are connected and evenly distribute the wealth. Will I see you there?!

RELATIONSHIP

! ! CONNECTED SEPARATE

DIS

TR

IBU

TIO

N O

F

WE

AL

TH

!

SK

EW

ED

A. Status'&'Rank'

MasterRServant Social'Classes'contest'whether'their'arrangement'is'

“unavoidable”'vs'“unjust'and'unfair.”'

B. Gated'Communities'

Private'Schools'

Social'Classes'hostile'to'one'

another'and'live'apart.'

EG

AL

ITA

RIA

N C. Cooperative'Organizations'&'Intentional'Communities'

Consensus'

“Cradle'to'grave”'commitment.''

Deliberate'sharing'of'resources.'

D. Anonymous'sharing'

Public'parks'

Public'Libraries'

Social'classes'may'appear'

side'by'side'in'public'but''

seldom'actively'interact.'

!

2013 ndn consensus report final (l) ·...

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