Re: substitute CONSENSUS building

[Richard Moore <rkm(at)quaylargo.com>]

Doug Everingham wrote:

> > It seems to me we need a method to replace selection of
> > 'elite' authorities, and  substitute CONSENSUS building, with
> > interlinked feedback networks of all stakeholders -

Hi Doug,

Hear hear!  I'm glad to see some discussion outside the box of 'voting'. Democracy is about us governing ourselves, and unless we learn how to build consensus, there's no such thing as 'our will'.

> >  rather like the organization of cells in a
> > multi-celled organism, where no organ dominates in toto but each
> > contributes to interdependent efficiencies: heart, lungs, brain,
> > glands, skin etc. Such 'organic' democracy is happening as described
> > by  www.sociocracy.biz
> > and Dr Shann Turnbull
> >  http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=858244
> > and slowly being pursued by SmPol adopters  [ 
> > www.simpol.org  ]

There are good 'democracy models' to be found in life systems, but the body is not one of them. The body is a better metaphor for a dictatorship, where the ego is the dictator, and the body must suffer abuse (eg, smoking, drugs, poor diet). Indeed, Hobbes used the image of The Leviathan (a large creature) for the hierarchical state. In the body, each cell serves the needs of the central organism; it's a regimented 'society'.

rkm