DeliberateModerate
I have a belief…
Democracy is messy, imperfect, and difficult; yet it is the best alternative for maintaining government. Likewise government is messy, imperfect and difficult; yet it is necessary for any country in order to maintain order and accomplish a successful economy.
Humans have always struggled to accomplish democracy, and always will. The range of interests, passions, understanding and options pull us in disparate directions. Yet it is democracy that offers the best opportunity to represent and help shape those disparate interests, passions and understandings into viable options for success.
The most significant risks to democracy are indifference, ignorance and the propensity for some powerful few to influence democracy with leverage disproportionate to their number. Deception, intimidation and various tactics to dissuade others from exercising the precious voting privilege that so many have sacrificed so much to give to us must be held in check for democracy to be healthy.
Too many take political sides very much like they do with their favorite sports team. Their viewpoint becomes shaped more by their need to defend their team than by how their true interests may be represented by their political team. Too often it is the most visible and extreme issues that each team rallies around, sacrificing many more worthwhile options.
Too few today have meaningful political dialogue because it is easier and safer to surround themselves with people on their team. When they interact with people from the other team, they do not discuss or listen. Instead they argue as if they believe that they will get someone to change teams, which rarely happens. At best, they tune each other out; at worst they act in spiteful ways as if to penalize their foe.
The belief that I have is that creative mechanisms to foster political dialog, allowing us to set aside our team instinct for long enough to survey the field, are necessary and possible. Maybe an interactive game has some potential to help democracy. “Delmod, the Deliberate Moderate” seeks your expertise to understand political extremes on various issues so a moderate position can be defined for consideration.
This game does not seek to defend what is politically right or wrong on any issue; nor does it segregate players into teams blinded by an instinct to defeat another. It seeks instead to leverage the wide range of interests, knowledge and experience players from all political teams can bring into the game to determine a framework to consider options on issues. Viewing options from an extreme is like watching a football game from an end zone, one only has a good view of a portion of the field. Instead, like watching a football game from the 50 yard line, this game seeks for a moment to shift perspective to a vantage point where one may review and consider options equally in all directions. It seeks to engage all players regardless of their experience or passions, because all live with the results democracy provides.
By breaking out of our teams for a moment, viewing the field from the best vantage point, and having meaningful interactions, everyone from every team benefits. All will not, nor should not, agree on optimal solutions; but all should at least understand the field. Those who do not trust such an interaction might ask themself if there is something they prefer to hide; and consider what they and others may learn. In the end, we are all citizens of the same country, all on the same team, and all benefit from thoughtful and insightful democracy.
