[HacktionLab] Debate / Discussion | was Re: Panel debate at BarnCamp

[ekes]

On 09/05/15 17:45, clara wrote:
> I don't quite think that such a setup with experts on stage, and an
> audience passively listening fits the concept of barn camp.
>
> Having said that....
>
> How about an Open Fishbowl conversation?
>
> On a topic that we decide together at the beginning of BarnCamp, based
> on the issues that are relevant to the people that are there?
On 09/05/15 22:13, Mike Harris wrote:
> I hear you clara, that makes a lot of sense.  I was proposing it only
> really on the basis that it would be properly organised and if anyone
> was up for it.
On 10/05/15 10:34, Mick Clearerchannel wrote:
> That's a great idea! I was thinking the same kind of thing but didn't
> want to say anything negative, but your alternative is most valid.
>
> I wanted to ask if there are people on this list who would be up for
> forming a small facilitation group to help with plenaries,
> discussions etc.

I think an open conversation also needs to be properly perpared and
organised, so it is valuable to pick a topic beforehand. Give time to
making sure some individuals have had time to do some focussed thought,
or research, or have some things prepared.

This is all rather more comfortable than that stuttering begin where no
one has something reading to set things off; along with the tendency
toward supposition because no one knows about, or can quite remember,
something.

For an open conversation (as in something participatory rather than an
expert panel) the topic does need to lend itself to something everyone
can take part in, be involved in, and even possibly get something to
take away and do.

On 08/05/15 12:40, Gareth Coleman wrote:
> how about
>
> "who owns the internet" or "who owns your computer"
On 09/05/15 15:03, mark wrote:
> Both sound good to me. I guess you could even have a broader scope
> like "what does it even mean to own technology?" with panel
> contributions about the internet and our computers.

So from my interpretation...

'Who owns the internet' tends toward discussion, by those that get it
(and it is involved and requires knowledge), of Internet governance
(political control), and Autonomous Systems (technical control); both
are things that you can get involved in - if you want to invest the time.

The discussion could also be about the hardware of the internet I guess.

'Who owns your computer' is possibly more accessible, and could lead to
some specific discussion about OS, programs etc.

'What does it even mean to own technology?' Seems pretty broad, are
there some things people would want to talk about themselves?
What about picking somewhere between, and trying to focus on the
discussion about trade-offs, reality, but also what we could be (if we
want):

'Can we reclaim the web?'

It's more accessible than the Internet itself as topic; and a bit more
focussed that all technology - and possibly skips the
political-philosopical discussion about ownership (though not
necessarily if people want to talk about it).

I could see the flow being:

Discuss some of the problems at the moment;
then if we actually want to fix them (I might not use Facebook, but hell
we're using Github for Radar development, because there is no activist
provided repo that people can just make an account and make pull requests);
what the alternatives are;
how you promote them if they are worthy of the effort.

ekes