I want to write a little about Al Gore's book, Assault on Reason, after reading the first few chapters. I want to get a few observations "out there" quickly for people to react to.
Gore seems to use the phrase "the public forum" dozens of times. He seems to have in mind primarily the meaning given to this phrase by Jurgen Habermas (e.g., p.26). I see the evolution of this extending from the "town square" (remember the "town crier"? No, I'm not THAT old, but I did read about it) to. . . the Internet!
Gore also writes about the "market-place of ideas", which he links to the "public forum" concept (p. 13). He describes the marketplace of ideas as having 3 components:
- Open to every individual, with no barriers to entry except the requirement of literacy. "Open" also applies to providing ideas, as well as receiving them.
- The fate of ideas is determined by a "meritocracy of ideas", implicitly referring to the metaphor of cream rising to the top (a metaphor unfamiliar to anyone who knows only homogenized milk).
- An unspoken duty to search for general agreement.
Gore focuses on Television, but I want to focus on the Internet in general, and DailyKos in particular. How do we stack up?
First, #1 depends on "net neutrality," which ought to be part of the First Amendment. If you didn't appreciate the importance of net neutrality before, you ought to see it when placed in this context.
Blogs like DailyKos and MyDD are open, in that commenters can set up their own blogspots, if they register, and their diaries receive notice where everyone can see it in a sidebar on the main page after they are written, until enough new diaries have been written to shove your diary off the list. And if lots of commenters like your diary, it can receive further hype as a "recommended" diary. This greatly aids the process of the cream rising to the surface.
Second, I think the concept of "meritocracy of ideas" (Gore's #2) needs more work. Ideas are not autonomous atoms or molecules, obeying blind laws of chemistry like the fat molecules in cream. Whether or not the best ideas rise to the top depends a lot on what the marketplace of ideas looks like-- who owns it, who makes the rules, and who can participate.
In the best marketplaces of ideas, diversity is recognized, and valued. We regularly pillory the wingnuts for being so dependent on scripted GOP talking points, and there is some merit to that. However, we pay no attention to the best right-wing commentaries. We deprive ourselves of engaging their best thoughts. Remember "Fair and balanced"?
For example, in the early days of George Will at the WaPo, I thought he was witty, and thought provoking. Well, either he has changed into an old curmudgeon, or I have changed. I think DailyKos would do well to begin a new feature: Best Right-wing Blog of the Week. I do NOT mean "snark target of the week." Salon offers a feature called "The Blog Report: Your guide to the political blogosphere – left, right and everywhere." This puts them in the forefront on monitoring blog diversity. The "Midday Open Thread" by mcjoan, and "Open Thread and Diary Rescue" by SusanG offer a few nods in this direction, but seldom includes any salute to a well-reasoned right-wing diary (or am I wrong about this? And please no snark about there not being any such thing as a well-reasoned right-wing diary.)
Gore's #1 & #2 are critical for #3. Without encompassing diversity, there is no assurance that much cream will rise to the top. This, I think, is where we can be challenged. Do we really offer a "fair and balanced" perspective? Do we even search for "general agreement," except among ourselves? Where will the cream rise to the surface? The Salon Blog Report offers some hope for this. DailyKos offers the "Diary Rescue" feature, which could be used more intentionally for this purpose.
I think Gore makes many valuable points, and offers much meat for us to chew on in contemplating the future of DailyKos and other progressive blogs, and how to make them an even better voice for progressive values.
What do you think?
(PS-- this is a revised version of a comment posted at FireDogLake
Bob in HI WI AZ
On vacation on the Mainland