Comments on: Introduction http://www.citizenrenaissance.com This is a draft of a book to be published soon. Please contribute your thoughts and help finish the book. Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:48:53 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Yoho http://www.citizenrenaissance.com/the-book/introduction/comment-page-1/#comment-3152 Yoho Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:09:04 +0000 http://www.citizenrenaissance.com/?page_id=106#comment-3152 Expanding on remarks above, you are describing the experiences of educated, affluent, urbane, and receptive Western Europeans. Indeed, most people do not have access to this sort of "digital democracy" - they do not even have access to the internet. Is it right to speak of a revolution in citizenship when apathy is endemic, when voluntary organisations are collapsing? When, most importantly, the social democratic state remains the most potent guarantor of rights and welfare? Expanding on remarks above, you are describing the experiences of educated, affluent, urbane, and receptive Western Europeans. Indeed, most people do not have access to this sort of “digital democracy” – they do not even have access to the internet. Is it right to speak of a revolution in citizenship when apathy is endemic, when voluntary organisations are collapsing? When, most importantly, the social democratic state remains the most potent guarantor of rights and welfare?

]]> By: Michael Fay http://www.citizenrenaissance.com/the-book/introduction/comment-page-1/#comment-2788 Michael Fay Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:30:16 +0000 http://www.citizenrenaissance.com/?page_id=106#comment-2788 The term digital democracy like "(the) People's democracy" sounds and appears to be a catch-all-phrase that has an inflated meaning. We in the comsumerist West live the world of representative government ["Republic" form] no matter how imperfect the sytem works in The United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Citizens of these nations do not come together in a public forum that is either digital [virtual?] or real time market-place halls to legislate or govern. Citizens vote to or by the choice of not voting select others to represent them in the areas of civil policy making. "Democracy" is nice sounding audio-video sound-bit borrowed from the intellectual discussion on utopian philosophy results that one enjoys doing when debating the issues of the day. Yes, it is correct to encourage additional citizen participation in the public forum in real time or digital [virtual?]. It must be recognized the term "democracy" with whatever prefix adjective is affixed that a politcal brand is being sold to the public. Michael Fay, College Station, Texas, USA The term digital democracy like “(the) People’s democracy” sounds and appears to be a catch-all-phrase that has an inflated meaning. We in the comsumerist West live the world of representative government ["Republic" form] no matter how imperfect the sytem works in The United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Citizens of these nations do not come together in a public forum that is either digital [virtual?] or real time market-place halls to legislate or govern. Citizens vote to or by the choice of not voting select others to represent them in the areas of civil policy making. “Democracy” is nice sounding audio-video sound-bit borrowed from the intellectual discussion on utopian philosophy results that one enjoys doing when debating the issues of the day. Yes, it is correct to encourage additional citizen participation in the public forum in real time or digital [virtual?]. It must be recognized the term “democracy” with whatever prefix adjective is affixed that a politcal brand is being sold to the public.

Michael Fay, College Station, Texas, USA

]]> By: James Kemp http://www.citizenrenaissance.com/the-book/introduction/comment-page-1/#comment-69 James Kemp Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:50:41 +0000 http://www.citizenrenaissance.com/?page_id=106#comment-69 My first point and overall suggestion is that you should state upfront, repeat and develop throughout the book that fact that what you're recommending is realistic. It is not idealistic, far from it: if our aim is to maintain and nurture civilisation then the only realistic way to do so is a sustainable approach to our economy, security and environment. Such sustainability requires the cultural and perceptual changes you discuss, but first, I think we need more and more people to believe sustainable bahaviours are 'common sense', and that unsustainable behaviours are absurd. This is the message that, in my humble opinion, we need to repeat everywhere. My first point and overall suggestion is that you should state upfront, repeat and develop throughout the book that fact that what you’re recommending is realistic. It is not idealistic, far from it: if our aim is to maintain and nurture civilisation then the only realistic way to do so is a sustainable approach to our economy, security and environment. Such sustainability requires the cultural and perceptual changes you discuss, but first, I think we need more and more people to believe sustainable bahaviours are ‘common sense’, and that unsustainable behaviours are absurd. This is the message that, in my humble opinion, we need to repeat everywhere.

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