The Wikiness

I want to add a tenth:

• 10. Twitter‘s the most efficient social medium available in terms of overall quality and sheer numerical quantity

If teachers are to be able to use the literacy tool du jour–the pencil and pen, the Greek and Latin, the Euclid Elements of our day–as well as be on the track to learning what the demands of demain will bring, they simply need to tweet. How otherwise can they teach students who are and will increasingly be communicate so for their livelihoods?

Let’s hope the White House IT guys get this figured out!
So you can imagine how distressing to learn that, as of 24 July, the White House blocks Twitter. What the–? Hasn’t BO been reading my posts (this one, say, or this, or this)? For our democracy to go 2.0, we need the feedback of two-way communication. What awful things have happened when politicians and military strategists have made decisions after cutting out the flow of information from the governed/ruled? Take a look at recent US history.

I agree with Marshal Kirkpatrick’s take on what’s going on at the Tweet-less White House:

When it comes to rapid, public conversations and easy relationship building, Twitter is better than Facebook. There is a long list of very innovative “Government 2.0” advocates moving conversation along quite quickly on Twitter. Beyond conversation, the network of people on Twitter offer rapid research assistance, some of the fastest news delivery on the planet and other clear sources of value for knowledge workers. If the White House doesn’t want its employees to have access to resources like that while at work, it’s honestly a loss for all of us.

That’s right, Marshal. A loss of connection means lost communication, which means unfiltered, crappier democratic input. Those of us who supported BO are wondering what gives.

I want to see our Government workers, not just BO’s people, examining all up-to-date sources of the best information. I want them all scanning their pertinent twitterstreams and improving the general welfare thereby!