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Posted by mefengl 6 hours ago

Polis: Open-source platform for large-scale civic deliberation(pol.is)
125 points | 44 commentspage 2
mentalgear 4 hours ago|
These are the genre of consensus tools I would like to see used in SM. Just imagine: a system that actually helps people exchange atomic, clear arguments and come to an informed consensus.

The internet could have really been a great tool to bring humanity together, if it was structured in that way for the common good. Instead we get SM where mud-battles and the resulting polarization are part of the perverse business model: engagement drives revenue, and there's no better way to keep people engaged than with a loop of extreme emotions and comments shouting the same shallow arguments at each other all over again without any meaningful progress.

Only imagine how quiet those platforms would become if discussions were actually structured for consensus instead of dissensus. I mean, yeah, a huge win for society - but a big loss of money, distraction and control for Elon, Zuckerberg and their BS billionaire friends.

mmooss 1 hour ago||
> atomic ... arguments

Why is that especially valuable, according to your vision?

chrisweekly 3 hours ago||
SM?
kaveh_h 3 hours ago||
“Social media”
cpill 4 hours ago||
> Building on a foundation of simple but solid statistical algorithms from a decade ago

I wonder what algorithms they are talking about? Can't find any papers referenced :(

Looking at the clustering code it looks like they are using kd-trees with knn. Old skool!

nozzlegear 4 hours ago||
Damn you governor polish! /s

Jokes aside, this looks interesting. I have my doubts about the grandiosity of the claims re: helping entire "cities, states, or even countries find common ground on complex issues," but I'm somewhat captivated by the idea of using it for local issues in cities or small towns like mine.

Bloating 3 hours ago||
Cool. Deploying ClawBot(s)... 3.. ?... 1
sapphicsnail 4 hours ago|
I don't understand the utility of this. Maybe it works for things like noise ordinances, but I can't imagine finding common ground with people who want me dead or imprisoned simply for existing.
gpm 2 hours ago||
Those people came to those views somehow. I'd hope that a less radicalizing social media platform might move them away from those views. Finding common ground isn't just about figuring out where people currently agree, it's also an act of persuasion convincing people to change views to then-mutually shared views.

Wanting people dead or imprisoned simply for existing is the sort of inconsistent view that is likely easiest to change by moving people out of radicalized spaces...

lokar 2 hours ago|||
And while trying to find common ground may be hard, and it may even be a long shot, it's worth it considering the eventual alternatives.
lazyasciiart 2 hours ago|||
Radicalized spaces are offline too. You can't cure anyone of being irrational while they still live in a cult.
movedx 1 hour ago|||
So just throw away this solution then? Never use it because it can’t solve this one tiny issue you’re putting forward as an argument?

What’s your point? Everything you’re saying on this thread seems negative and puts the product (Polis) into a negative light as if somehow it’s trying to do more harm than good, or can never work because <insert extremely small issue here compared to the task of country-wide governance of millions of people>.

gpm 1 hour ago|||
People leave cults all the time - sometimes directly because of the online information environment where they find space to think thoughts against the cult's party line...
movedx 4 hours ago|||
Every Body Corporate Strata in Australia basically goes through something like this at least once a year (by law.) Questions are posed about what to vote on and you either vote for, against, or abstain.

Something like Polis would be good for putting forward ideas throughout the year leading up to the vote, as it would find a consensus of ideas and help shape what you eventually vote on (you decide as a body corporate.)

Some Strata are hundreds of people in size.

lazyasciiart 2 hours ago|||
Are you referencing a body corporate vote on trans rights or something?
anigbrowl 2 hours ago|||
Hundreds of people is a village. I don't feel this is responsive to GP's point.