I learned some big lessons over the last month or so. I learned the roll that nerdy geeky types such as software developers, IT personnel, technical product managers, and all other flavors of technologist played in this election Let us not forget who runs this country. WE DO.
By WE DO, I mean all American people. But I also specifically mean WE as in those of us who are technologically supercharged. When the experts have reviewed the strategies that were used to win majority, they will find yet again that it was a grassroots movement started by an interest group that used a massive network of volunteers and armed them with comprehensive tools to win this election. I was impressed with how MoveOn.org used real-time calling list to buoy candidates in tight races. Sitting her in rural Massachusetts, I was able to log on to MoveOn.org's site, get information of critical races with close counts in real time, and get a list of potential voters who have not yet voted. I called everyone I could, whether Democrat or Republican. I got hung up on a lot. But I felt it was my civic duty to DO SOMETHING to give the country a little push. I'm just one guy, but as a group, MoveOn.org made close to 7 million telephone calls. They put serious analysis into where to call and what to say. Of course, I can't just read a script, I have to study the candidate and the issues and make sure I speak intelligently on the topic. But just the same I was able to reach many people in the final days supporting the new Governor of Massachusetts, and key congress races coast to coast. We, THE PEOPLE OF THE INTERNET, hold a trump card.
So that leads me to an interesting line of thinking... Why is it the young (and old) braniacs prefer to put their skills to use for left-leaning causes. As a technologist, I know why I do it. I am the skill that builds and powers the future of business. For years the bean counters at various companies, VC funds, and analysts have treated us like a hot commodity traded in Chicago. We are sick of "trickle down economics". We are fed up with corporate layoffs to fund obscene pay to CEOs. We are sick of uniformed me like George Bush making technology policy that impacts America's competitiveness in the new world order, as well as gives the government far too much unchecked power.
Remember the movie from a long time ago called "Revenge of the Nerds"? You are living it. In the mid 80s all the trend-makers (like book-makers in gambling) were saying technologists would run things for a while, but the good ole boys network kicked in and blocked the rising nerd. People have this Hollywood baked image of nerds taking back control by hacking or doing illegal things. But that is silly, when all it takes is a little email campaign that asks for a small amount of time from all followers. I put in a dozen or two hours. Dozens of others in my small town put in dozens of hours. One night a went to a neighbors phone block party to organize targeted calling in favor of an embattled Democratic Senator contender.
My friends and colleagues, where your pocket protectors proudly today. Put on those high-water jeans with white socks and sneakers, and don't forget the rock t-shirt. Play your music loud and proud, whatever it may be, and pump out the code that will define a generation. Go about your geekly duties with pride, take a foosball or ping pong break, pop a brewski at about 8pm when you can't tell your Java from your Python.
Ah, a proud day indeed. The geeks are coming of age. Geek bigots beware.
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Comments: 25
They also caught in massive corruption, and other deceits.
I don't think Rove could convince them to make the calls this time. Just enough of them guessed they had been had.
we recaptured the US House & Senate.
But we must NOT forget we are in a Battle for the salvation
of America's future and OUR personal freedoms from
right wingers + America's Ayatollahs like Jerry Falwell
and Pat Robertson.
We MUST never let down our guard because they
are just around the corner. We must deny their
designs for a religious utopia like Iran's.
[just kidding of course folks]
And it worked....We did it!!!!!!
Pro Geek.
Fire away!
I still find it astounding that I fail to see any high degree of sofistifakation of a simplistic campaign that simply chanted a Mantra, "We're Different, Change"!
How? Where? A Plan?
"WE support gay congressman having sex with pages (Gerry Studds) and we even give them chairmanships and name National Monuments after them."
"We just don't condone gay legislaters that DO NOT support the Gay Marriage Laws so we feel it right to "out" them as perverts!" (By Gay Activists- http://www.blogactive.com/ and http://www.proudofwhoweare.org/).
We will even withhold evidence to our advantage "(CREW- Soros funded two woman office).
"Shut Up!" thats the Plan. It will be interesting to see if they feel a need to do or show anything in the next two years to have some idea of what "it" is.
An impresive number of Democrats were found "physically attractive" (NYT) and seems to have presented a more 'conservative' tilt. We would all welcome that.
I respect all of your participation in this great nation we battle over and for!
We shall see how it goes. (I encourage endless committee hearings and moves to impeachment in a time of war - PLEASE! - It would be real good for the Soros-ites come '08, I promise.
Now those of us who helped must help some more, but delivering ideas and opinions. Our work ain't done yet.
As always Mr. Gateful 1, your comments are always welcome here. I rely on counter perspectives to keep my approach accessible to majority of populace and shoot for the answes that work best.
Nuff typign without caffeine. It was a LATE night...
I support the Geeks of the planet.
I love the way the internet allows us to very directly connect and discuss ideas free of the paid for opinions of private and government spokespersons.
Hopefully the elected officials who blogged their way to the top stay true to the social networking scene and follow the will of their constituents.
"The people steering each technology must develop an ethic or else the technology can harm human development."
Amen to that. Whether technology is used for good or evil becomes a function of the ethical intentions of those who weild it.
1) The people who got out and voted and participated. Whether you are a busy "soccer mom" (I hate that term) managing a household and finding the time to vote and make a few calls, you are a hero. To the busy women and men in all walks of life and career paths who found time to stand up for change. To the high schoolers and students everywhere who spoke up from blog postings to letters to the editors of newspapers. You too are heroes and champions of change.
2) Electable candidates. All the organized campaigning in the world would not have helped had the Democrats not offered up decent candidate who people could support. Look at the quality of the people.
Take Deval Patrick alone. His work as a civil servant, his work as a corporate executive, and his commitment to his adopted home of Massachusetts all lend great experience. His choice to campaign without making disparaging remarks about anybody gives us hope that the age of mudslinging is OVER.
The internet is changing everything.
We wouldn't know the following:
1 - that Bush stole BOTH the 2000 and 2004 elections
2 - that Bush TRIED to steal the mid-terms but couldn't because #1 got disseminated through the net and people were watching.
3 - that Saddam had NOTHING to do with 911/WMD/Terrorism.
4 - that there is a LOT of unexplained evidence regarding 911 that points to AT LEAST complicity in the event by government officials and Israeli intelligence.
5 - that US Ambassador April Gillespie effectively said 'Hey, we won't interfere' when Saddam Hussein discussed invading Kuwait back before Gulf War 1 with the United states.
The older generations were effectively indoctrinated through the privately owned media that has held power in society for generations, Geeks have taken that power from them.
The rules of the game have changed. Those who can adopt and utlize the new paradigm for their advantage will pull out surprising victories in political races.
Moveon did a great job. An incredibly great job. So did Dean and his 50 state strategy, with much use of the internet to help that work. We're really on to something new and exciting! One thing about the internet; it's an essentially democratic force, very much of the people and by the people.
The thing I like most about it is that the net has allowed us to go back in time - to review the lies we've been told decades ago and finding that the truth of those lies does exist.
Yay internet.
This is a false statement. I may not WORK for the right but I damn sure won't WORK for the left after doing so for years.
MANY of us older 'braniacs' are pretty disgusted with BOTH sides but more so the 'left because many if not most of us 'older' braniacs have, (if white males anyway):
1. been denied employment because of our race
part B. been denied employment because of our gender.
3. Seen Offshoring p[pioneered by NAFTA signed by a certain nasty cigar smoker in the Oval office cost us jib after job.
4. seen BOTH SIDES asking "does it show?" whether the money was from Korea or the corporations.
5. and seen MOVEON which swore it was setup as a temporary operation to try to get the country past ol Slick Willy with his penis in Monicas mouth on her knees in the Oval office turn into yet another kind of sucking monster.
I PERSONALLY donated money to them at the very get go BASED on it being a reaction to a hatchet job on ol Bill.... FOUR TIMES I have had to DEMAND that they REMOVE me from the email list, FOUR. SEPARATE. TIMES.
Speak for yourself Rich.