- my thoughts on developing and designing collaborative youth spaces and communities - as learning spaces, as conversation spaces and as research spaces. They're taking some shape and i've been having discussions on them with a few clients, potential collaborators and youngsters (as potential participants in the communities).

- two separate conversations with two friends on the topic - one a debate on the definitions of information, knowledge & wisdom - a philosophical probe into what's that exact point of 'awakening' - and the other on the benefits and methods of harnessing community and collective intelligence

- my recent turmoil over my blog formats and the really interesting exchanges with and between Lilia and Sebastian. So much to learn from these - thanks for sharing them publicly. Hoping this post is better formatted!

Some neat perspectives i found on a search on the topic :

a.  Meditations on Collective Intelligence by Pierre Levy, author of Collective Intelligence- this is a downloadable ppt file - and speaks of collective intelligence as a source of empowerment and the web as the embodiment of collective intelligence - in the areas of governance, economy and the more higher order 'digital grace' (the quest for and creation of new life, new bodies, new games, new ways to bridge minds, new questions, new perceptions, improved collective intelligence, among others.

COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE REFLECTED IN THE MIRROR OF THE TRANSPARENT STATE :

A few excerpts from this article :

"2) There is more to intelligence than successfully predicting and controlling things. We can creatively respond to life. We can collaborate with the world around us.

Collaborative intelligence means finding and working with all the available allies and cooperative forces around us - and there are many. There are always energies we can fruitfully align with, both existing and potential - even within the heart of adversaries and problems. Working with each other, with nature, and with the natural tendencies in us and the world, we can accomplish more with less, and enjoy it more."

3) There's more to intelligence than solving the problems in front of our faces. There's wisdom - the big picture, the long term.

Wisdom means seeing beyond immediate appearances and acting with greater understanding to affirm the life and development of all involved. It involves balance, mystery and tolerance of ambiguity and change. The expanded perspective that accompanies wisdom fosters wonder, humility, compassion and humor.

4) There is more to intelligence than individual intelligence. There is collective intelligence, the intelligence we generate together.

Collective intelligence means that families, groups, organizations, communities and entire societies can act intelligently as whole, living systems. What we believe, what we do, and how we organize our collective affairs can make or break our collective intelligence. We could improve our collective intelligence to a point where humanity not only survives and flourishes into the foreseeable future, but consciously evolves."