Jennifer Pahlka: Coding a better government

http://www.ted.com Can government be run like the Internet, permissionless and open? Coder and activist Jennifer Pahlka believes it can -- and that apps, built quickly and cheaply, are a powerful new way to connect citizens to their governments -- and their neighbors.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate

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[jrjrg]

What makes you think government is smarter and nicer than the people? A government that is smart and nice would not accumulate so much debt, mess up social security and health care, and bomb other countries.

[Elijah Lim]

I like her presentation. It is one step towards greater social awareness and responsibility. It creates greater awareness that you cannot legislate everything. It is another step towards developing a more responsible society. The platforms are available. Use them for the greater good! Good on you, Jennifer Pahlka!

[Joshua Greenfield]

"Permissionless, open, generative..."

Technocracy now! Government authority needs revision and needs to be capable of being easily redacted and updated as quickly as anyone can convince the public of the need. Convincing officials can be expensive. Electing good officials is expensive. Problems under the purview of government can be solved by the people, for the people. Jobs and money present a problem: how to employ those who aren't self employed or employed by the private sector. Government?

[TheRosyCodex]

this kind of innovation will make government obsolete. government is based on solivng problems with violence

[Issa Farax]

no

[xtieburn]

Not smart or nice but organised and where the government recedes other organisations enter. Those groups dont answer to us. (I know government often doesnt either, its why vids like this ask us to get involved)

An appropriate example, before the fire service, insurance companies ran things. A lot of property was burnt and a lot of people died because they didnt or couldnt pay those companies. So the people demanded better. Governments can be great, but only with the involvement of the populace.

[xtieburn]

*slaps forehead* The fire hydrant is installed by government under the regulations of bureaucracy. The video has _nothing_ to do with anarchy, its pointing out that the billions of cogs that make up our system include us, and taking an active role in looking after it will vastly improve our society.

If you think anarchy involves caring for the tools of government run services you have missed some really basic features of the ideology.

[Dirk Broenink]

Maybe we are.

[Dirk Broenink]

For relevant info on this go to hackingdemocracy dot wordpress dot. com

It sounds like a shady name, but it's quite a clever idea :) Just takes you a few seconds to read what it's about.

[Spaceisprettybig]

When ever they do that, we end up hearing their spit.

[BatusaiJack]

GET THE DEVIL OUT, THAT'S MY GOVERNMENT