Social Pollution Control

Political debates, elections, scandals, the mass media, religion, an all sorts of activists spread bad ideas. Last time I wrote about community groups dedicating to fighting this social pollution. This post offers a few more details on the tools and techniques that the groups could use to prevent pollution and clean up polluted areas.

(I'll have more to say about claenup and remediation in future posts.)

Advertorials - You've seen advertisements that look like editorials. This is what I have in mind. You could write in a general way about social pollution in the community or audit the quality of thinking behind a current debate, or something else. What would you be selling? Probably, just the idea that people need to visit your Web site and get more information. You could also promote an upcoming rally or demonstration.

Open letters - About the same as advertorials, except that the aim is consciousness raising through the letter alone; could be full-page or half-page ads in newspapers

Letters to the editor - kinda like an open letter but shorter

Letter campaigns - bombard the White House or some local politician with letters explaining why a certain idea is social pollution and (maybe) suggesting what should be done instead. Remember that one aim of these groups is to create and "sell" better ideas.

Demonstrations - Peaceful protests; but could be quite creative if combined with publicity stunts

Publicity Stunts - Something harmless, tasteful, and likely to get media attention.

Public access TV - many cities have studios where people can create shows for airing on local cable television. Why not start a talk show that also features a little commentary and investigative journalism

Next time: How do you measure social pollution anyway?

Powered by Qumana

Pollution Control - Loads of Fun!

No, this is not another call to clean up the earth, at least not in the way you were probably thinking.

I've written a few posts on the topic of social pollution - ideas that are counterfactual, illogical, or that undermine widely-held human values. Social pollution calls for pollution control. You don't want feces in your community's water supply. Hopefully, you don't want the intellectual equivalent of that either!

We need community groups that work on identifying social pollution in their communities and calling attention to it. Oh, and they would also be bold about identifying the sources of the pollution. You'd want to know who's contaminating the communities tap water with feces, wouldn't you? Aren't the ideas that go into peoples' heads, and form a basis for their lives, at least as important as clean tap water?

These "pollution control" groups would have a variety of tools and tactics at their disposal. I'll just list some of them now and offer details in later posts. Groups members can publicize things through demonstrations, letters to the editor, comments at public hearings, or by starting public access television shows. I was focusing on low-cost things.

The groups would have two related goals: to raise the quality of thinking that forms the foundation of voting behavior and public policy, and to call attention to the negative impacts of ideas on both our personal lives and our communities. The replacement of bad ideas with better ideas could also be taken up by these "pollution control" groups. I'll have to explain how that would work in future posts.

Powered by Qumana

Pollution Control - Loads of Fun!

No, this is not another call to clean up the earth, at least not in the way you were probably thinking.

I've written a few posts on the topic of social pollution - ideas that are counterfactual, illogical, or that undermine widely-held human values. Social pollution calls for pollution control. You don't want feces in your community's water supply. Hopefully, you don't want the intellectual equivalent of that either!

We need community groups that work on identifying social pollution in their communities and calling attention to it. Oh, and they would also be bold about identifying the sources of the pollution. You'd want to know who's contaminating the communities tap water with feces, wouldn't you? Aren't the ideas that go into peoples' heads, and form a basis for their lives, at least as important as clean tapwater?

These "pollution control" groups would have a variety of tools and tactics at their disposal. I'll just list some of them now and offer details in later posts. Groups members can publicize things through demonstrations, letters to the editor, comments at public hearings, or by starting public acccess television shows. I was focusing on low-cost things.

The groups would have two related goals: to raise the wuality of thinking that forms the foundation of voting behavior and public policy, and to call attention to the negative impacts of ideas on both our personal lives and our communities. The replacement of bad ideas with better ideas could also be taken up by these "pollution control" groups. I'll have to explain how that would work in future posts.

Powered by Qumana

There Ought to Be...

Television programs that promote sustainable development and a rational and logial approach to dealing with social problems. I've got three ideas about subject matter and content:

1. Eco-Cities TV - A design show dedicated to showing how much resource consumption can be improved in a city, while enhancing quality of life.Each episode would focus on one city, using interviews, expert analysis, and graphics to show what's possible for the selected city.

2. Social Issues TV - Facts and analysis aimed at helping viewers understand a selected issue from a rational and logical (as opposed to ideological) viewpoint. A fast pace and lots of graphics will appeal to young viewers.

3. Sustainable Development TV - A weekly newsmagazine covering technology, policy, programs, and social innovations that contribute to creation of a socially and ecologically sustainable world.

Each show could have a companion Web site. Each could also work as a raio show (including internet) but without the graphics. A weekly Web video series is also a possibility.

I could provide research and expert opinion for any of the series, since I do have a PhD in sociology and a background relevant to each show.

Powered by Qumana