Ep. 41 Richard D. Bartlett "There Is No Enemy Team"
Jun 14, 2017
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Richard D. Bartlett, co-founder of Loomio, discusses building consensus and fostering participatory democratic practice. They explore the challenges of creating a non-hierarchical culture, decentralized decision-making, and the importance of relationships. The episode also touches on the concept of divergent views in the Trump administration.
Small-scale democracy and inclusive decision-making processes can foster collective intelligence, empathy, and a sense of belonging within groups.
The Lumio platform helps groups create a culture of inclusivity, transparency, and shared power, emphasizing the value of diverse perspectives and building trust.
Strong relationships and intentional communities contribute to a collective intelligence that surpasses individual capabilities, enhancing resilience, adaptability, and well-being within groups.
Deep dives
Focus on Small-Scale Democracy
The podcast episode discusses the importance of small-scale democracy and its potential to create a collective intelligence and empathy. It highlights the experience of the General Assembly during the Occupy movement, where strangers came together to prototype new democratic forms. The process involved sitting in circles, listening to everyone's perspective, and making proposals that were improved through input from the group. The episode emphasizes the value of practicing democratic skills in a small, safe environment to develop a sense of coherence and belonging.
Inclusive Decision Making
The podcast explores the idea of inclusive decision making and its benefits. It describes Lumio, an online platform that enables groups to reach consensus and organize together. Lumio helps groups create a culture of inclusivity, transparency, and shared power. It emphasizes the importance of prioritizing shared relationships and building trust within the group. The episode highlights the value of including diverse perspectives and fostering a sense of care and understanding among members to enhance productivity and decision-making processes.
The Power of Relationships
The episode highlights the power of relationships in fostering cooperation and productive collaboration. It emphasizes the significance of deep bonds and understanding among group members. Building a strong sense of community and belonging contributes to a collective intelligence that surpasses individual capabilities. The episode encourages creating intentional cultures and spaces where individuals feel seen, understood, and valued. It emphasizes the role of healthy relationships in enhancing resilience, adaptability, and well-being within groups.
The Value of Small Communities
The podcast discusses the benefits of small communities in cultivating shared interests, collective decision-making, and collaboration. It highlights the advantages of having defined groups with a common purpose and a depth of relationship. The episode emphasizes that smaller communities provide opportunities for practicing inclusive, transparent decision-making and developing skills such as negotiations and power dynamics. It suggests that small communities can serve as learning spaces for promoting effective teamwork, empathy, and a shared sense of responsibility.
Moving Beyond Traditional Power Structures
The episode challenges traditional power structures and highlights the need for more inclusive, transparent, and accessible forms of governance. It discusses the importance of shifting from hierarchical decision-making to participatory approaches. The episode suggests that decision-making processes should be understandable to laypeople, fostering engagement and shared ownership. It explores the potential of technology platforms like Lumio to facilitate decentralized decision-making and empower individuals to shape their own communities. The episode encourages embracing the complexity of human relationships and promoting healthy group dynamics to drive positive change.
Playing for Team Human today, master of human connection and consensus, Loomio co-founder Richard Bartlett.
Bartett, hailing from New Zealand, stopped by Douglas's home studio while on a community organizing workshop tour of the US. Bartlett and Rushkoff discuss the challenges of building consensus in an all too often top-down, winner-takes all society. Together we'll learn how Loomio, inspired by the general assemblies of Occupy Wall Street, strives to amplify collaborative power and foster more participatory democratic practice. It's a project that starts with small-scale, human-to-human connection and grows outward from there.
Rushkoff begins today's episode with a monologue premised on a similar theme. Being human is a "team sport" and the more we cave into the divisive fear of these hostile times, the harder it becomes to "occupy a reality" of mutual care and concern.