Comments on: Social media, civic engagement, and the need for political leadership http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/2009/01/27/social-media-civic-engagement-and-the-need-for-political-leadership/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Promoting innovation and a conversational local politics Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:58:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Steph Gray http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/2009/01/27/social-media-civic-engagement-and-the-need-for-political-leadership/comment-page-1/#comment-70 Steph Gray Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:40:45 +0000 http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/?p=503#comment-70 How did telephone evangelists do it in the early 20th century, I wonder? "But nobody I know uses them" "But how would I remember all those numbers?" "But how do you know it's really me?" "But I'm much more comfortable writing" "But it's expensive, and I don't have time to learn anyway" Did they fight these attitudes? Or just get on with selling phones to people who saw the potential and were ready to trust that the network would build? Build more competitive businesses and more effective political campaigns? And then just wait 10 years or so for people to catch up with them, or fade into insignificance. How did telephone evangelists do it in the early 20th century, I wonder?

“But nobody I know uses them”
“But how would I remember all those numbers?”
“But how do you know it’s really me?”
“But I’m much more comfortable writing”
“But it’s expensive, and I don’t have time to learn anyway”

Did they fight these attitudes? Or just get on with selling phones to people who saw the potential and were ready to trust that the network would build? Build more competitive businesses and more effective political campaigns? And then just wait 10 years or so for people to catch up with them, or fade into insignificance.

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