DESIGNING THE COMMONS
PARISER: It doesn't surprise me that people are giving up on the idea of online public spaces. And sometimes - I'll be honest - it feels to me like this whole project of, like, wiring up a civilization and getting billions of people to come into contact with each other is just impossible. But modern cities tell us that it is possible for millions of people who are really different, sometimes living right on top of each other, not just to not kill each other, but to actually build things together, find new experiences, create beautiful, important infrastructure. And we cannot give up on that promise.
If we want to solve the big, important problems in front of us, we need better online public spaces. We need digital urban planners, new Jane Jacobses, who are going to build the parks and park benches of the online world. And we need digital, public-friendly architects, who are going to build what Eric Klinenberg calls palaces for the people - libraries and museums and town halls. And we need a transnational movement, where these spaces can learn from each other, just like cities have, about everything from urban farming to public art to rapid transit.
Humanity moves forward when we find new ways to rely on and understand and trust each other. And we need this now more than ever. If online digital spaces are going to be our new home, let's make them a comfortable, beautiful place to live, a place we all feel not just included but actually some ownership of. A place we get to know each other. A place you'd actually want not just to visit, but to bring your kids.
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