WikiValues

De Furilo
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WikiValues: a global repository of what we stand for, and why we do it

Project status

Initial definition (this document); pending next steps. Find it interesting? Write me: alvaro at this.domain / @furilo

Short description

Why people think what they think? Do we question ourselves our thoughts and values enough? How do we compare with each other in regard to our values and beliefs? Are we close, far? What does politicians, officials, and organizations around me think about issues important to me? WikiValues is a repository of values backed by arguments so we can develop better informed opinions in collaboration.

Longer description

A web and mobile tool that allows individuals and organizations (NGOs, associations, companies, political parties) to state their values and opinions, browse other’s opinions, adhere to existing positions, and include references (from media, articles, experts opinions) and documentation about values and opinions, that ultimately answers the question: Why we think what we think? How we have gotten to this conclusion?

This online system would include a place for the discussion about values: what arguments sustain a given value, pros and cons, references, related values…

In the end, individuals would be able to have their own online belief system for personal use, and they could decide to share it publicly or not. And people could check what is the position of organizations (companies, political parties...) about specific issues.

Examples

National debt should be limited. Borders should be open. Same sex marriage shouldn’t be legal... People hold strong opinions. But how they have gotten there? Public opinion construction is a complex process result of interactions between media, leaders, organizations... But the outcome is not the best: everyone push for their own particular interests so the result depends on one’s power to disseminate them.

What if we had a place that compiles key facts and arguments about an issue in a community-moderated fashion? A canonical reference for values where we can review the reasons and information about it so we have the essential material to form our opinions. Reaching absolute objectivity is not feasible nor an objective but a repository of values will exist one day. Let’s start building it.

Project's Objective

To become a non-partisan, objective, and community moderated reference place for when people wants to get informed about a given issue, or question their own beliefs and values. A place where people go to get the facts about an issue so they can form their opinion.

To articulate a community of people and organizations that states their values and opinions about the issues they care about, and document why they think what they do. To create a tool that serves to archive your own belief system.

Our aim is that people become more reflexive on why they think what they think, and help them with tools to do it.

Getting there; project broad phases

  • Research about belief systems, people’s motivations and stops to share values and opinions
  • Build the tool: for web and mobile, the development and code will be open
  • Develop community: by working key themes (to be defined) to kickstart activity, and by integrating organizations and media in as many EU countries as possible
  • Offer an API so any other service can consume data produced (values, opinions and arguments) to build upon.


History

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