Integral is a wide and deep space. As we create and organize content in the Community, even in its extended community in other virtual spaces, it will become progressively more difficult to find relevant content. I propose we define a minimal set formal categories, tags, and potentially iconic symbols to allow for useful groupings, retrieval, and visual recognition of content. I’d like to propose we first use existing ones and then add others later. I will reply to this post with a few recommendations as working examples.
This may feel like added complexity up front, but this can be managed by “editors” in the background, if needed, so forum users don’t have the additional burden up front.
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How about a tag “graphic”.
Why: I would love to be able to see all the drawings/diagrams in one place. A picture is worth a thousand words.
What:
Graphics can come from anywhere but do not need to necessarily be “integral”, they simply need to provide insight into a message, idea, or system.
Where:
Leave the originating post with the graphic where it began. Could create a section that pulls together the posts with “graphics” AND the explanations and discussions around them - in context. Would also like a page that simply has the graphics with their associated metadata which could lead back to the originating discussion.
I don’t know if this is possible in Discourse. I am sure it can be done in a web. If not, simply having the tag would allow them to be found through search.
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I propose we choose among the current Wilber synthesis of categories in “The Religion of Tomorrow” as categories. I have found they gelled my mental models after many years of studying “Integral” material. A very good starting point. For example, I’d love to be able to quick sort/filter movies with characters at different stages interacting using different lines of development/skill. Or perhaps, in the real world of current politics, to help see our way to solving problems. Or perhaps in guiding material in helping our children to develop and evolve in a healthy way.
Here would be a good starting set:
- Quadrants
- Stages
- States
- Lines
- Types
- and perhaps a few others…
I am simply a hobbyist/enthusiast, and by no means qualified to harden these values. I defer to the Integral Life leadership, community, and associated expert/gurus/philosophers to wrangle, choose and or define the list of values for each category. But in my former life, I always found it easier to adopt the current existing categories/maps and then adjust going forward by filling gaps and fixing mistakes. I do not think these need inventing, just useful agreement.
But remember, the intent is to simply be able to group and find content based on them. It is not to re-argue the nuance of the concepts.
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I second to keep the platform proto-structurally Wilberian.
How about a tag “poetic”.
Why:
I would love to be able to see all the poems/poetics in one place. A word is worth a thousand pictures.
What:
Poetics can come from anywhere but do not need to necessarily be “integral”, they simply need to provide insight into a message, idea, or system.
Where:
Leave the originating post with the poem where it began. Could create a section that pulls together the posts with “poetics” AND the explanations and discussions around them - in context. Would also like a page that simply has the poetics with their associated metadata which could lead back to the originating discussion.
I don’t know if this is possible in Discourse. I am sure it can be done in a web. If not, simply having the tag would allow them to be found through search.
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How about a Category for “Education” to pull together discussions around topics about educating people, changing the institution of Education, and integral approaches and examples of curricula?
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