[Oe List ...] Some thoughts about the future

[Susan Fertig]

Tim, re pt. #2, the distinction between OE and Dialogue, I dropped out
of Dialogue because it seemed very political in a monolithic, partisan,
groupthink kind way and often unrelated (in my opinion) to meaningful
discussion of EI/ICA/the spirit movement.  It seemed more centered on
the conservative/liberal or Republican/Democrat divide, with an
assumption that everyone participating was of one mind.  For the most
part, the OE listserv has seemed more focused, introspective (both
internally and societally), analytical, and exploratory. If OE stops
being that, I'll drop out of that too. But so far I don't think it's in
danger. 

 

Susan

 

Susan Fertig-Dykes

(personal email account)

 

 

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is
the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 ESV

 

 

From: oe-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net
[mailto:oe-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of Timothy Wegner
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 10:02 PM
To: Order Ecumenical Community
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Some thoughts about the future

 

Del wrote:

>I would love a way that I might easily tune into, follow and contribute
to conversation threads of substance among us.  

I have given the question of the limitations of the email listservs a
lot of thought over the years. Some of those limitations are obvious,
such as that  there is no clear distinction between OE and DIALOGUE, and
that whether or not the conversations appear threaded (keeping topics
together) is the accident of how people's email clients work. Over the
years various ones of us have tried alternative software platforms. This
experimentation included (among others) wiki.wedgeblade.net  and is
continuing today using WordPress for the ICA archives.

I can (and will if asked) install other platforms at wedgeblade.net (or
elsewhere) quite easily. And while I am willing to do that, I have
reached some (never entirely final) conclusions that may not be too
satisfying for the inquiring and restless:

1. Email lists work amazingly well for our aging community. Yes there
are limitations, but folks seem to have come to terms with them. My
guess is that these lists will continue while enough of us have not yet
lost the ability to get to a computer and type. There is an enormous
amount of useful discussion and news on these lists. But they are not
the "true and beautiful", and sin abounds.

2. These cats cannot be herded, OE and DIALOGUE will be what the evolve
to be, some prefer one to the other for unfathomable reasons. Perhaps
someone can articulate a useful distinction. Or not!

3. When we try new platforms, success depends much more on willing
organizers and facilitators more than on the technical aspects of the
platforms. Experimentation will continue, and folks deciding to commit
effort will be the key to success.

We will continue experimenting with new ways of being community online,
but my guess is the email lists will exist for some time, then slowly
fade away as the tide comes in and our footprints, one by one, are
washed away from the beach of this world.

Tim

 

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