Joi Ito and Jim Moore are leading a discussion of what could be in a “manifesto for a better global conversation.”

The first comment is that generally we care about our families and towns before we get to worrying about the world.

Alex Steffen from WorldChanging says that our goal should be to expand our notion of family.

Ethan says that we should start from the common ground: All of us are trying to reach out beyond where we are.

The conversation meanders a bit into more abstract topics. (I am guilty of contributing to it.) Ethan slaps it upside the head.

Next comment: Shame moves people to action.

Ethan: We should today form at least an informal group that believes that it’s good for people to have voices, and those voices need to be heard. And we’ve heard today that we need tools.

Alex Steffen: This group believes: 1. in extending free speech, 2. that direct connection of people across boundaries is transformative; 3. that we’re planetary citizens and probably agree in 95% of the issues.

Joi: We should have multiple media forums.

Someone: The group needs a champion.

Joi: In open projects, you always need a champion, and that champion can’t leave until s/he finds the next champion.

HollywoodHill: The tools need to be vastly simplified.

Ethan: We need a name, an identity, a site, a sense of how we can help one another. We have general agreement about what needs to be done, but we’re not ready to write a manifesto. People are saying that what matters are the projects we’re working on and how we can help one another.

Ethan: We can continue this conversation at the GlobalVoices blog.

[The event thus takes a step toward becoming a “postmodern movement,” which I think was Jim Moore’s phrase.]

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