MassDEBATING Forums
Inspiration.
An independent medium for launching environmental and social Seed Ideas. The focus is on propositions, proposing where we could go from here on a diverse host of hot topics facing society and the world as a whole. To expose them so that we might then be able to facilitate action on them through non-profit. Get those creative juices flowing, charitable propositions for now into the long-term future. Discussion will open consideration, empower expression, launch and develop Seed Idea propositions, invite idealism, the communication that can lead to collaboration on aspects of the bigger picture.
There were regular MassDEBATING meets, film footage edited into summaries and reviews, topic surveys, text blogs and in the future film blogs and proposition facilitation. We were also open to doing it outside, harvesting Seed Ideas whilst filming the MASSdebating Mini Docos at the Byron Bay Environment Center.
MassDEBATING invites proactive propositions, enables idealism, and then facilitates ideals into collaboration, empowering individuals to plant the seeds that become the trees of the future.
Quite a few Seed Idea concepts are embedded at the end of the page. Many sadly have been lost for now in a crashed drive, but tech in the future will likely reclaim. Until then lest dream up new great concepts!
Communication.
The MassDEBATING concept was first expressed on the thefieldcreative.org. It was launched at Massey University to invite a core team of volunteers to coordinate and implement. The aim is to be proactive, facilitating consideration and proposition of alternatives; we invite other creative elements to further this objective. Once the team formed we will further develop the initiative, schedule themes, elements and location and launch MassDEBATING to the public, inviting participation and feedback.
MASSdebating later emerged again as I relocated to Byron Bay, via word of mouth at The Arts Factory. Then formally with posters, and radio community service announcements on 99.9 Bay FM for the fortnightly session held at the Byron Bay Community Center.
Collaboration.
(these were some of the old plans, no MASSdebating activity is currently anticipated)
– SKILLS – MATERIALS – FINANCE – LOCATION –T IMELINE –
SKILLS:
Team Leader, Project Management, Events Management, Communication Management, MC, Mediators, Information Management, Film and Documentary, Editing, Publicity, Website Design, Finance (budgets).
MATERIALS:
Video Cameras, Editing Equipment, Editing Suite.
Website, Computer Programs.
FINANCE:
Website Hosting (space especially for video)
LOCATION:
Massey University Albany, other. Anywhere!
TIMELINE:
Stage1:
Create TheFieldCreative website with the MassDEBATING proposition. (WebDesign)
Launch TheFieldCreative within Massey University Albany and invite MassDEBATING team.
Find TeamLeader to drive and coordinate MassDEBATING effectively. (TeamLeader)
Gather team, further develop the initiative, take on essential roles and polish proposition.
Book regular location, lock in initial schedule, further develop interactive elements.
Preemptive video surveys and editing for 5min video presentation on theme. (Film)
Scout for individuals keen to debate the topics, individual or team debates.
Tailor effective MassDEBATING presentation – text, visual, video hosting. (Publicity, WebDesign)
Stage2:
Public Launch of MassDEBATING, print and radio, launch and invite themes and participation.
Host weekly MassDEBATING, further probe for interest groups for upcoming themes.
Further adapt dynamic elements, themes and teams in advance, school teams, travelers.
Further develop website, film and doco to facilitate MassDEBATING on the next level.
Regular public launch reviews of MassDEBATING plus new themes and arising propositions.
Stages Beyond:
Develop proposition for weekly/ daily dose of proactive and interactive tv MassDEBATING.
Thanks to Jim, Angie and Tori especially for your dedicated support on this project in Byron Bay! And the Student Club members for making it possible at the Community Center. C:
Creation.
The concept is good, the implementation was average.
But it happened. At Massey University’s Albany Campus in a lecture theater, was a bit of a dud. Ran it weekly for a while in the evenings when the room was free, but there was no-one around. A few people did come and we made the most of it, covering the whiteboards with concepts.
But generally not many futurists, idealists or activists emerged and was often just there MASSdebating alone.
This is why I moved to Byron Bay where I thought may be more fertile soil. It worked. We started MASSdebating at The Arts Factory, in the Buddha Bar, and randomly in the Jungle Hut and the Rusty Bus. MassDEBATING was taking shape and cross pollinating with travelers from around the planet. After some time however of creating a range of projects and pitching to the owners to run more, activities started to get pooh poohed. Its ends up that they were in negotiations to sell the establishment and wanted simply to keep things simple. It was time to emerge into greater Byron.
In 2008 I pitched for a Patron and met a man whilst hitch hiking. At that point I was stone broke and had been for a while but as with the time of writing, was ready to engage. He threw 15k at me to do good things. TheFieldCreative was MASSdebating like never before.
I with the help of some friends and TheFieldCreative Student Club held fortnightly MASSdebating at the SCU room in the Byron Bay Community Center. The largest event had about 16 people, many of them however for various reasons didn’t want to be filmed which is an important part of plotting a concept and making it available on the net to catch on. But many did also! Many concepts were wild, some askew, not everyone knew who arrived later that the idea was to create the concepts through nonprofit. A concise intro video could help, with clearer promotion.
But we gave it a go, ran it for many months. Put heaps of concepts on the net, and got people thinking- that good ideas matter. That idealism is alive.
A branch off project called MASSdebating On The Street was started also. Asking people a different reality stirring question every week and editing them together so people could inform eachother. We did also invite and film peoples Seed Ideas right there on the street also.
Exhibition. MassDEBATING was happening and hopefully again will be happening everywhere, locally with organized meets and internationally through the web. Sadly some years ago without the cash to maintain myself let alone it I had to let go of www.thefieldcreative.org website. The project could again be launched through print media on a regular basis, inviting participation and feedback. A film on purpose and method can be supported by seed ideas and vintage discussion from MassDEBATING events. It could be edited and launched for tv as the concept comes into its own, it would be most constructive to facilitate a daily tv dosage of proactive and interactive MassDEBATING inviting positive propositions.
Repeat. MassDEBATING is not now my priority, but am glad I did alot of it. It is convenient as can be done anytime, anywhere, web services can be revised and adapt to the users needs. Organized meets can be repeated with fresh inspiration anywhere, it is a matter of gathering a team, finding a regular location, developing a schedule, and inviting the public to make the most of it. Enjoy!
You can see from the vids that at this time I was trying a bit too hard. Luckily the years busking my poetry I think have loosened my flow.. Overpopulation is still as vital a topic as ever, and some interesting concepts put. Better video editing would make it less painful viewing also, but that’s what you don’t have specialists and improvise..
Cheers!