Theos-Talk Archives (October 1996 Message tl00484)

At 08:11 AM 10/1/96 -0400, you wrote:
>Doss:
>>The TS, when inaugurated in 1875, was designed on the basis of a formal
>>pyramidal organizational structure . . . <snip>
>
>>Now we have Internet and we have seen an example of a large formal
>>organization  having been shut down because the interested members have
>>found that  Internet has changed the environment and the needs are no
>>longer met by a formal organization.
>
>>So from the needs of Theosophists, I am wondering whether the TS is going
>>to be a overtaken by Internet based communication and interaction. . . <snip>
>
>Hasn't the TSA already made the move in that direction with the creation of the
>National Lodge?  Also, they plan to have electronic study groups, bulletin
board
>and chat group.

        I think that the idea is a very good one especially now that there
is a large number of at large members. We will have to see how the National
Lodge is going to evolve.

        In addition to addressing the needs of members, I hope these steps
also address how the public can participate.

The success of Internet is due to the free access to the various activities.
All the maillists I am on and all the newsgroups I access, have no any
annual membership fees or dues and are *unmoderated*. Many organizations
find it difficult to deal with such unmoderated activities since all
organizations have grown up in an environment in which flow of information
is controlled/edited/censored for various reasons including internal
politics and power play.

Even the proposed $15 dues for National Lodge. I will wait before sending in
the money so that I can determine what I am going to get for the money -
money is tight here with me at this time.


Let us all wait and see.


MKRamadoss



>
>But there would have to a decentralization of power and less central control to
>make it work in the way you are speaking of.  More local control and less
at the
>top.

        Once the electronic lines of communication opens up, then the
defacto decentralization is bound to take place. However, people at the top
will still hold on to material assets such as money, property and their use.
Any and all activities which do not depend on or controlled by any of them
will florish.

>
>>Theos-l is pioneering in this direction and has already helped a lot of
>>us to discuss various items in a world wide forum, and all this has been
>>made possible by one person who saw the need -- John E Mead. My salute to
>>him. I forsee theos-l participating to mushroom in the years to come.
>
>Since I was 5 years old, I always fancied myself a pioneer - that was when Davy
>Crockett was the rage.  : - )  But every person that starts something on the
>Internet, whether it be a web page, mailing list or newsgroup is participating
>in the beginnings of a world-wide network of communication.
>
>The atomic mushrooming of this list still depends, IMHO, on several things.
>Number one, the availability of computers and modems.  2: Computer literacy,
>probably found in greater numbers in those just entering kindergarden.  3: The
>quality and quantity of discussion on this list.
>
>The prediction of this list going mega may be premature.  Let's just see what
>happens.

        I am an eternal optimist. If it is not theos-xxxx it would be its
next incarnation what ever it be that would fulfill the role as the great
communicating/discussion medium!


        MK Ramadoss

>
>-Ann E. Bermingham