Comments on: Campaign Type: The Ultimatum http://blog.thepoint.com/2008/01/14/campaign-type-the-ultimatum/ Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:02:57 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: The Point 1.0: A Sneak Peak (Part 1) | Make Something Happen http://blog.thepoint.com/2008/01/14/campaign-type-the-ultimatum/comment-page-1/#comment-527 The Point 1.0: A Sneak Peak (Part 1) | Make Something Happen Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:02:11 +0000 http://blog.thepoint.com/campaign-type-the-ultimatum/#comment-527 <p>[...] they’d gain by changing policy. It’s a perfect compliment to The Point’s toolkit. Ultimatum campaigns are the “stick,” and this gives us the [...]</p> [...] they’d gain by changing policy. It’s a perfect compliment to The Point’s toolkit. Ultimatum campaigns are the “stick,” and this gives us the [...]

]]> By: Andrew http://blog.thepoint.com/2008/01/14/campaign-type-the-ultimatum/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Andrew Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:54:02 +0000 http://blog.thepoint.com/campaign-type-the-ultimatum/#comment-6 <p>Good question, Scott -- so much so, in fact, that <a href="https://www.thepoint.com/doc/faq#how_do_i_know_that_people_will_actually_take_action_when_the_campaign_tips" rel="nofollow">it qualifies as a Frequently Asked Question.</a></p> <p>In short, you're right, there's no way that we can be sure people will follow through, but we don't think it will be as big a problem as it is for other methods of group action.</p> <p>In long... when we looked at the big problems with participatory democracy, we started by asking the question, "why is it exactly that people so often fail to do what they say they will do?" The answer isn't that they're lazy or that they don't want to help, but that when it comes time to act, they look around and realize that their contribution probably won't make a difference. Voting is a great example. More people will show up at the polls if the race is close, because they think their effort might actually matter.</p> <p>By triggering action with a tipping point -- the point at which every person's action is necessary and sufficient to force change -- The Point creates an environment where each person feels like their contribution is important. We think that will go a long way towards increasing follow through.</p> <p>We're also working on a suite of features to make follow through engaging, fun, and enforceable.</p> Good question, Scott — so much so, in fact, that it qualifies as a Frequently Asked Question.

In short, you’re right, there’s no way that we can be sure people will follow through, but we don’t think it will be as big a problem as it is for other methods of group action.

In long… when we looked at the big problems with participatory democracy, we started by asking the question, “why is it exactly that people so often fail to do what they say they will do?” The answer isn’t that they’re lazy or that they don’t want to help, but that when it comes time to act, they look around and realize that their contribution probably won’t make a difference. Voting is a great example. More people will show up at the polls if the race is close, because they think their effort might actually matter.

By triggering action with a tipping point — the point at which every person’s action is necessary and sufficient to force change — The Point creates an environment where each person feels like their contribution is important. We think that will go a long way towards increasing follow through.

We’re also working on a suite of features to make follow through engaging, fun, and enforceable.

]]> By: Scott Garman http://blog.thepoint.com/2008/01/14/campaign-type-the-ultimatum/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Scott Garman Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:20:05 +0000 http://blog.thepoint.com/campaign-type-the-ultimatum/#comment-5 <p>I think ThePoint offers a really compelling way of organizing boycott campaigns, and I'm excited about the possibilities. However, there is one difference in the ultimatum type of campaign that seems to be a weak point: how can you trust that the campaign's participants will follow-through with the ultimatum?</p> <p>At least with fundraising campaigns you can tie participation in the campaign with someone's contractural agreement to have their credit card charged when the tipping point is reached. But in ultimatums, how can you be sure that all members (or at least a reasonable threshold of members) are going to deliver the action needed if the ultimatum isn't acquiesced to?</p> I think ThePoint offers a really compelling way of organizing boycott campaigns, and I’m excited about the possibilities. However, there is one difference in the ultimatum type of campaign that seems to be a weak point: how can you trust that the campaign’s participants will follow-through with the ultimatum?

At least with fundraising campaigns you can tie participation in the campaign with someone’s contractural agreement to have their credit card charged when the tipping point is reached. But in ultimatums, how can you be sure that all members (or at least a reasonable threshold of members) are going to deliver the action needed if the ultimatum isn’t acquiesced to?

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