Motivation

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Comment by Scott Nesler on February 20, 2010 at 3:23pm

I need someone to share the Do Good Gauge idea with. This random attempt to send email out with less than 10% response has to stop. Look at this motivation thread. Zero participation, other than myself.

Right now I would be happy with a second computer science thinking brain with an interest to use crowd sourcing for problem solving. I need someone willing to respond to email greater than 50% of the time. Unless the individual can respond with quotes in the quality of Ralph Waldo Emerson, more than a two or three sentence response is required. I also expect more than an explanation of how busy the person is. I'm not looking for someone to perform development work, just an ear or a voice to exchange ideas. Email or Skype are suggested channel for this initial mode of communication.

Here is an idea requiring refinement. I've collected over 400 quotes related to problem solving, collaboration, and the dynamics of good. These quotes are stored in a database table with fields such as id, author name, quote, and note. The quote page is getting lengthy as it lacks categorization. In the theme of the Do Good Gauge, I would like to develop a public driven categorization system. I have several ideas and the tools to do this, but lack to motivation to prototype the idea in solitude.

Who knows why all the participants left GSm, the fact that it happened on the peak of my interest does little for my psyche. If you are not interest in sharing dialog maybe you know someone who might. Please pass my email address, silence@dogoodgauge.org, to someone who may be interested in creating a new public forum for problem solving. Level of experience, gender, age, race, religion does not matter. I'm looking for a passionate desire to solve problems and the willingness to share thoughts.

Comment by Scott Nesler on January 12, 2010 at 4:30am

NOTE: This thread starts at the top. Consequential post start at the bottom and work their way up. This is of importance to understand the history of this idea.

Purpose of Thread: To develop a collaborative process for "Motivating Collaboration"
End Product: Book

Post Subject: Why develop a book to "Motivate Collaboration"? Why would anyone be interested?


Based on the 24 hour clock theory presented in both Carl Sagan's Cosmos and Neil deGrasse Tyson's Origins the last 100 years of mans existence will be a minor blip in the earths history. Carbon travesties of past have far eclipsed anything man has produced in the last 100 years, and the earth has recovered. Sure man may be effected by current CO2 output, but the thought that humans back pedal to a neanderthal existence is a bit to swallow.

Recent public television programs touch on an explanation of the monumental leap of intelligence from neanderthal to the current man. This theory is based on communication. The theory is that neanderthals in Africa started having success developing hunting weapons for killing big game. This success lead to larger communities. A combination of the larger communities and requirements for better weapons lead to a higher participation in communication.

If we are to worry about anything, we should worry that man's ability to communicate is too few generations better than the neanderthal.

Why write a book on the subject of "Motivating Collaboration"? Who would be interested? Based on the lack of response from GSm members, I get the feeling that nobody would.

The members of a group called Global Sense making" should interested. I originally joined the GSm for the sense making part. I'm not all that convinced there is a global warming issue. Call me ignorant if you wish, but the corporations and politicians who side with them have a more convincing argument. Sure I'm ignorant, because I don't understand. Carl Sagan, Albert Einstein or Isaac Newton would be able to convince me. Why, because they would explain it to me, in words I understood. They were skilled at collaborating with people whose opinions differed from theirs. They cared about public opinion. This skill did not come natural, it came through the practice of collaborating with the common man. It was this collaborative process which provided them the skill to reach a broader understanding. Today's scientist need to be as effective at convincing the public as lobbyist are at working Capital Hill.

The primary fault of Copenhagen was not the corporations, politicians, or any country. It was ineffective collaboration. It was intolerance of others points of view. It was disrespect. It was ignorance.

After the failure in Copenhagen, I would hope you could see the value of developing a book on "Motivating Collaboration". And what better way of writing such a book than through a collaborative process with the common citizen.

Comment by Scott Nesler on January 11, 2010 at 11:58pm

NOTE: This thread starts at the top. Consequential post start at the bottom and work their way up. This is of importance to understand the history of this idea.

Purpose of Thread: To develop a collaborative process for "Motivating Collaboration"
End Product: Book

Post Subject: Motivating people to learn from mistakes.

Iteration is instrumental to the Do Good Gauge process. Iteration seems to be a foreign concept people outside of software development field. At least in my realm.

Many are unmotivated to read an essay lacking perfect grammar, spelling, and appropriate rhythm. The following quote is relevant, "Our incapacity to comprehend other cultures stems from our insistence on measuring things in our own terms." -- Arthur Erickson.

Most citizens can not write to the level of perfection. I would suggest they do not need to, at least on first attempt. Authors and journalist are not perfect, they make many mistakes on the first attempt. Fortunate for them, there are editors, coaches, and an iterative process of refinement.

The average citizens point of view is blinded by the inability to get over the fear of expressing ones thoughts in writing. Lucky for me, as you can see, I don't worry about it. I'm going to say what I feel, no matter how poor the grammar, spelling, and flow is. Hopefully, someone will come along seeing a touch of humor and the vision of an idea. Maybe this person will by motivated to help clarify my words. I'm open to a second revision. Is the internet tool open to allowing the changes?


Political correctness goes along this same topic. I do not believe
that it human nature demands remorse for mistakes of ignorance. The media has promoted this idea. Ignorance breeds biases, bigotry, and disrespect. The penalty for ignorance should not be remorse, it should be understanding.

Keeping ones thoughts private does not eliminate hate, bias, bigotry, and disrespect. Sharing thoughts with the purpose of reaching understanding does. Political incorrectness should not be put in the closet, it should be aired out in the open to free the opportunity to understanding.

Comment by Scott Nesler on January 9, 2010 at 12:59pm

In the Do Good Gauge "This I Believe" essay, I shared what some may believe is too personal.

"I believe God is good is a symmetric equation. Whether this is true or if God exists, I leave to hope."

A key to this thought is hope. Hope can be a monumental motivator. Others may be motivated by faith, if that is the case I welcome them to develop the premise for the "Collaborative Motivation" thesis.

Hope was a motivational factor in the election of Barack Obama. I still have hope in Barack, but I do understand the oppositions point of view. Hope requires an object. Barack's opposition sees no substance to his hope. They see his words as abstract or with no tangible results.

I have hope that people can join in force in a respectful manner to resolve differences and provide solutions for a sustainable future. A hope in optimism. A hope for wisdom and the technology which develops and breeds ideas. These ideas of hope are abstract. The Do Good Gauge is abstract. The "Motivational Collaboration" idea presented in this blog, is concrete. It describes a process and an end product. All may not be clear. That is why I'm asking your help in clarifying the idea.

In the coming weeks, I will attempt to collect the thoughts presented in this blog and provide a clear picture.