Ok, I am about to commit 21st century heresy.

Here goes.

I think that social networking technologies are grossly over rated in their capacity to have the ‘constant Canadian conversation’ rooted in our values that will give our members ‘the defining voice’ that Sheila Gervais and I are advocating for.

When I ran for Parliament in the January 2006 election I had, because of the foresight and genius of Evan Leeson of Catalyst Internet one of the first campaign websites in Canadian electoral history that hosted blogs, pod and video casts, raised volunteers and money.

paulsummerville.ca (the name has been named jacked (!) by a guy in Toronto and I won’t pay to get it back) helped change how politics was done because it gave the lonely candidate a vehicle to push out their own ideas (particularly since part of the deal of me running was that I was given carte blanche to write what I wanted).

Since October 2009 I have been researching a book on my website excellentfuture.ca and like 2006 found it a powerful vehicle to reach out but this time to the whole world and have been using the new social networking technologies to deliver my ideas.

However, as a candidate, the difference between 2006 and today, as I have discovered with a vengeance over the past ten weeks while campaigning for the role of National Policy Chair, is that with Facebook and Twitter you don’t push out your ideas as much as the world comes crashing into your life with very few rules that I can see. 

The article today noted below from the Independent, conversations I have had with numerous members -- young and old -- worried about the overpromise of social networking technologies, and few uncomfortable experiences has made me want to share a few concerns with you.

Roman Krznaric: Are you hooked on gadgets? Then it's time you went on a digital diet
We need less electro-chatter and more thoughtful, face-to-face conversation

So two points.

First, it is not obvious to me that social networking technologies can create the type of platform required to have a thoughtful, respectful, and engaged conversation about, well just about anything complex. It is a great tool to discuss new recipes or the fortunes of your favorite hockey team but is very suspect in the case of figuring out policies to deal with income inequality or human rights. It is true that these technologies are powerful in raising a crowd and sharing very intimate personal experiences with people, but as a tool for a community conversation I have my doubts.

At a minimum, I think we have to acknowledge the importance of face to face conversation and much more importantly for a national political party in a country as big and sophisticated as Canada in faces-to-faces conversation to coming to a thoughtful consensus about complex issues (emphasis on the word thoughtful).

Second, sites like Facebook or En Famille can begin a thoughtful conversation about complex issues but how far it advances that conversation it is open to question as it often is used for people to just vent their frustrations and their prejudices. Again the technology is great in drawing a crowd but there is no evidence that it does much else. Even a wonderful technology like Wikipedia requires constant vigilance although I would like to see a Wiki type policy process be experimented on with a couple of priority resolutions.

I am reminded that getting people in a room together, where you are not anonymous, where you must listen to another person’s point of view, where there are rules of engagement is absolutely vital to having a civilized conversation about complex issues.

Digital technologies have to demonstrate that they provide this vital ‘civilizing’ role that faces-to-faces conversation have done for thousands of years.

Consequently, before we get too far down the social networking road as the solution for all our communication challenges I think everyone should take a very hard look at what other communication strategies we need to talk to each other about complex issues across such a vast geographical space. Of course, online/media tools do have a role to play in facilitating communication but we have to develop a strategy that takes advantage of all of the positive aspects of the technology while being careful to moderate the problems, and being prepared to invest in technology and travel accordingly.

And now off to be burned at the stake.

Postscript:

Evan Leeson echoed my comments in an email and suggests that we look at Nation Builder as a solution to the shouting match.

Paul - "Your thoughts on social media as a way to have a conversation are correct. It is largely a shouting contest. Using this new platform out of the US called NationBuilder has helped me understand how social media feed into a platform where you have control and can filter appropriately."