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The Power of the People: The Defining Strategies of Nonviolent Communication

As I read the short histories of the defining strategies of nonviolent action, as compiled by the New Internationalist, I found myself in tears. On one level, this article just summarizes some key concepts that have been applied in successful nonviolent social movements, including withdrawing consent, publicizing the truth, and creatively using what you've got. But on another level, these are stories of brave people coming together to fight oppression without becoming oppressors themselves. I was both humbled and inspired. Posted: 10/31/05; 11:17:25 AM #

Communicating

It's rare that I would point to a magazine like Forbes, but I have to recommend their special report on Communicating. It's a collection of 43 articles and interviews that examine the subject of communication from a myriad of perspectives, including science, technology, commerce and culture, along with some quirky angles as well. Highlights include: the role of silence, the value of noise, story telling, ambiguity, the changing face of news, talking to aliens and chimpanzees, and all sorts of technological prognostication. A few of the articles perpetuate some insidious ideas, but mostly these are both fun and useful. Posted: 10/31/05; 11:12:04 AM #

Podcasts from PBS

Although the RSS content syndication model is solid and maturing, we're definitely still on the upward slope of the podcast hype curve. Just like desktop publishing, low cost video and audio channels are very appealing to the producer of the content (for reasons related to tangibility, aesthetics, and a little bit of ego). That's powerful in itself, if you are trying to get new content from typically underrepresented voices. But that doesn't mean it's always the right medium for the consumer of the content. So, just like gratuitous use of flash animations on websites, we have to really study why a podcast might be of value to the stakeholders that consume it. We have to think carefully about user contexts and behaviors, as well as the purpose of the communication (the email newsletter marketing model applies, in fact). We also have to think about what content is best suited to the new media. I've been watching and listening to podcasts from PBS in an effort to assess myself as a consumer of this medium. Posted: 10/31/05; 10:30:50 AM #

McKinsey Wal-Mart Memo

I have generally harbored a friendly disposition to McKinsey and Company, a consulting firm sometimes used by larger nonprofits and grantmakers. They have produced some valuable insights into knowledge management, for example. But their latest work with Wal-Mart dramatically affects my opinion of them. In a strategy similar to current government disinformation campaigns, McKinsey has recommended to Wal-Mart that they step up their efforts to communicate how much they care about employees, while at the same time implementing new discriminatory hiring practices in order to reduce the costs of health benefits. To me, this displays an appalling lack of professional integrity. Posted: 10/31/05; 10:10:47 AM #