Thanks to all those who suggested improvements to the mind map in the first draft. The ones I could figure out how to include should be reflected in this second draft below. Volunteers should contact the project email at welcomewagon@citizenintelligence.org . Thank you spammers. So far you have actually provided useful contacts which is a pleasant surprise to this point. When the budget comes together, legitimate companies will get access to the RFPs.
As before, the mind map is drawn up in Freemind. If you want a copy of the mind map file, email a request. We’re not yet to the size where this needs to go to a Git repository.
Is this mind map complete enough for a first version of this aspect of the project? Can we move on to a different way of looking at things?
This is better.
Good job.
Chesterton’s fence is well known to me. I agree with the idea but most people will not. I don’t suggest actually quoting the story at people or mentioning GKC by name.
Looks pretty good. It made me think about what is most confusing about moving to a new area. Often its not feeling a part of things or a real resident yet. (after 40 years in Connecticut, I still feel like a midwesterner).
Maybe you could get the local (very local) governments to cooperate in a non-partisan way.
A quick guide to the basics of living and working geared to all types of people might include
How to get a dog license
What Taxes am I subject to? (in CT your car is subject to property tax as well as your trailer)
What is the structure of local government? How can I participate? (my town has a board of selectmen,town meetings, and a referendum on the town budget)
Other licenses and privilege’s for citizens such as access to parks, discounts or services.
How do I start a business? Licenses, tax registrations, etc.
Could you check the spelling on your email address? I think you missed an “I” in “IntelligenceOrg”.
Or did you mean it to be “Intellgence.org”
A list of government fees and charges would be good. How to register to vote, also would be good.
I’ve sent email to the address listed in the main post. If that’s NOT correct, please ping me from your end.
The “welcome” must be available at launch in English AND Spanish, if for no other reason to stave off one volley from the “racist” attack the project can expect. So a good translator will be quite,er, welcome.
A glance at the ChicagoBoyz website side bar reminds me of SgtMom’s various Texas-oriented novels. Most cities have a writers’ group (found through the local book stores) that may similarly feature local themes. Not to mention classics. A welcome to Florida package ought to include paperbacks from Carl Hiaasen or Dave Barry elucidating how Florida politics (don’t) work. Texas, yes, welcome to Luna City. Other authors do a good job of explaining peculiar local customs?
Lex – Thank you for the advice. I think you’re going to like the next one as we move to different mindmaps.
Dirtyjobsguy – If you look at the free stuff node there’s a new subnode called Community Development. That would be my best guess as to what the liason for local governments would be. If you think it would be more descriptive being labeled something else, let me know.
George Seymour – I just cut and pasted the email address into my mail client and it successfully sent from my main personal address to welcomewagon@citizenintelligence.org so if you tried to mail me and it didn’t work, it isn’t a universal problem.
Pouncer – Your email got through. I sent a reply in between typing this.
Turning the concept into a fillable template that different localities can use would be a good way to disseminate it.
TML, this is on point. Read to the end.
This:
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/what-we-can-learn-from-the-labor-left/
Anonymous (whoever you are in -this- instance):
Thanks for the link, which I found useful and reinforcing.
It also links to something Tatiyana [sic] pointed out in the prior thread.
I have one basic question and observation. I’m generically, but not specifically, aware of the concept as Glenn presented it in one of is OpEd pieces. I am now reaching toward an assumption and possibly placing my words in his text: i.e. is this -simply- a swagbag of relevant info and concepts or is something more intended? IMHO, the bag is -very- important but -not- sufficient. Is it the primary action or a follow-on? What I’m getting at is: How is this to be presented to the targeted recipient? I’m (again) assuming that this involves a personal face-to-face one-on-one active greet and, hopefully, conversation that leads and precedes the presentation of the bag.
If this is the case, I would suggest that the map needs another limb/event tree: Structuring the Initial Encounter/Discussion. NOT a rigid script, more a set of principles that should be respected in the initial meet. This seems especially important in that I sort of (and possibly mistakenly) perceive the traditional engineering approach in constructing this – i.e. making sure all of the right stuff is in the bag.
Several items:
– Acknowledging the new member of the community:
I’ve relocated several times over the years and, it seems, at each move, as time marches on, I’ve witnessed less and less engagement between neighbors. Gradually, each new household becomes an atomized element. It rings in spades when the moves are out of region (in my case Metro NY suburbia out to East Central Flyover). (I can only imagine what it would have been like if I’d moved to Greater or Lesser Sunbelt). There is an increasing tendency to form links that are essentially assortative (i.e. career, educational/economic stratum, etc.) and not neighborhood or local community. I don’t notice it because my lineage is both Upstate and Downstate NY – i.e. smalltown and pseudoMidwest as well as metrosuburban – understanding both and being found inscrutable by both. But for most of my peers, the experience has been monotonic – all one or all the other – and the communication and cultural misreads are immense. Result: Assortative behavior. Ex: NY’ers who move to, say the Carolinas, linking more with other NY expats than local Carolinians. (Granted, this is anecdote, not data).
– Ascertaining what brought them to the new location:
Critically, opportunity, necessity or escape.
-Ascertaining what they didn’t like (or miss) from the prior and what they are expecting to find (or fear) in the new.
-Creating the potential for additional meets in the community and/or followup discussion – rather than an initial visit and just dropping the bag.
Guidelines, not rigid rules or scripting) for conducting this type of discussion – because a significant number of participants aren’t naturals at doing this kind of thing
– Examples: Ask before telling.
What seems self-evident isn’t.
And doing this in a manner that is -not- perceived as small-town nosiness or cultural intrusion.
etc.
All of this is basic grassroots organizing technique.
My concern is that, in too many cases, it will devolve into simply -administering- the bag without any true or lasting link formation or followup activity. If one is serious about breaking down the Kulturwall, one-and-done may not get-it-done.
Enough ramble – is any of this coherent, relevant or useful? Reaction invited.