Comment on A Relevant Cause: Reconciling Environmentalists to Evangelicals
Posted on November 18, 2007

Kyle, thanks for your thoughts about both phrases. You're right, fundamentalism by its nature has some sort of rigidity to it. But I want to make sure you're hearing me correctly when I use the word "fundamentalism". What I do not mean is "holding to fundamental or absolute truths", although that is a valid definition for "fundamentalism". My use of the word is meant to draw up the meanings we have culturally embedded into the word -- how it is used in popular parlance. And in that case, fundamentalism takes a few shapes: shrillness, actively defensive social posturing, inability to authentically hear the Other, etc. So if I am using this culture-laden sense of "fundamentalism", it must necessarily be rigid yes. But if I use it to mean "believer in some sort of absolute truths", then I contend that you can believe in some absolutes without being rigid, shrill, etc. Bluntly: we can hold to fundamentals without being fundamentalists.

Comment on Web 2.0 and the Culture-Producing Public
Posted on April 29, 2007

Great work... W2 also brings power to the fringes. It gives strength to those "cultural creatives" on the periphery, and so enables those marginalized by those traditionally holding the reigns of public discourse. It's also interesting how W2 is, to borrow from Malcolm Gladwell, a sort of "maven magnet" -- an aspect of your language of "affinity" that could be drawn out further in future writings. This is excellent for hive-thinking innovative solutions to problems, for reinforcing said affinity, and for girding up identity. But it also can atomize thought, values, and skills. An example: if you lock all the doctors and medical scientists of the world into a room, they may indeed find cures to cancer, AIDS, and the cold. But they won't be spreading or cross-pollinating their existing thought, nor will they be providing services to others. To boot: their "loudspeaker" function is muted, as they find themselves in a quiet room. Perhaps that is where sites like Newsvine and Digg can serve a purpose. But I still see too little diversity in their readership to give them more of my time. Still, GREAT thinking. :)