Collaborative Outreach

One aspect of Psybertron’s activity, beyond thinking, writing and linking to the publishing of others, is efforts to create and participate in some genuinely collaborative ventures – where there is “natural confluence” in the overlap of ideas and agendas. [This aspect is always evolving / under development.]

In all cases the approach is good neighbours – as in Good Fences Make Good Neighbours. That is individual agendas, initiatives, tribes and identities are respected whilst proper dialogue is enabled. [See (*) notes below.] Individuals and groups can choose quite separately whether to throw in their lot with any of the particular initiatives, or not, whilst maintaining the identity and integrity of their own projects, or not. In the meantime, dialogue evolves understanding within our own domains as well as across the fluid boundaries and overlaps of neighbouring domains. The point of the exercise is never to convert others to “my” cause, because “I’m right” and “you’re wrong” or because “my cause is more important than your cause”.

One simple way to signal this kind of
collaborative truth-seeking commitment
is the ProTruthPledge.

Some collaborations where I have been instrumental are listed below:

Joining Dots & Weaving Threads – a Ning-based blogging, forum and collaborative web space. Though not successful as a vehicle (yet), it contains many of the collaboration resources and ideas I bring to such a venture, but neutral in terms of my own agenda content. [Dormant, but maintained live. Much of the boiler-plate content can be ported across to any other initiative.]

The Global Circle –  multi-user WordPress blog, created with a small group spun-off from Nick Maxwell’s “Friends of Wisdom”. Same collaborative agenda as Dots&Threads above, but with a little more traction of multiple founding members. A deliberate irony in the name, alluding to the logical positivists “Vienna Circle” with a name that doesn’t otherwise attempt to describe its content. [Dormant, but still live. Probably run its course.]

Best Thinking – an independent edited multi-user blog used by several of the same collaborating parties as the above ventures, for publishing more formal articles in specific topic categories. Personally, I find having to fit the individual writer into one of the pre-defined categories (bad fences) limits the intent to focus on the overlaps. [Dead since Best Thinking is itself dead.]

North-East England Freethinkers – a diary collating events of skeptic, rationalist, humanist, freethought groups in the North-East of England. Currently curated under the Psybertron banner and limited to NE England, the concept can be broadened as necessary. [Under construction.]

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Notes:

(*) Proper Respectful, Neighbourly, Constructive Dialogue?
See Rhetorical Rules of Engagement

[All rules are “for guidance of the wise and the enslavement of fools”.]