[governance] Believe me, or your lying eyes?

[Lee McKnight]

Meryem, everyone,

I know I'm being hypocritical saying we all need to focus on Parminder's
texts, and then writing a note like this. Bill brought up the Godfather,
I bring up Groucho Marx's line: 'who are you going to believe, me or
your lying eyes?'   

At one level of analysis we all know the world can be divided into
government, business and civil society, or even more simply government
and society, but as Jeanette noted that doesn't solve the border cases. 
And it's not our eyes lying saying there is something new here defining
the border of the Internet world, the Internet tech admin/whatever orgs
are all pretty new: ISOC 16 yrs old, ICANN 10, IETF older than that  but
always and intentionally an amorphous but very significant player. And
oh yeah IGF is all of 2 years old and doesn't even know when its next
birthday/meeting will take place. So Meryem, Parminder, Guru, et al, we
do see what you see. (As opposed to Bill denying any associations, I was
a founding member of ISOC, donated $ to ICANN (as did foundations I
remind folks) in its first year, and yeah I have attended IETF meetings.
  Not sure if that loses or wins me credibility, probably both, but yes
Senator I have consorted with all of the above.

Noone's saying folks eyes are lying and there aren't new bodies out and
about in the Internet governance space, and further noone's saying the
old categories are adequate. In fact that's kind of the whole point of
the caucus right, so I can appreciate the frustration felt by folks as
some of us say, sort of, 'let's move along, and just believe me, not
your lying eyes.'

I think the general point, and belatedly a tip of the cap to all those
who have insisted we debate this now, is that some of us were (and still
are) in doubt cs could reach definitive conclusions at this time, beyond
the statements in Parminder's current drafts which I have already said I
can live with. I and others have doubted we'd get everyone else's
instant buy-in to a new vocabulary and categories.  Which is not to say
your eyes are lying and that the current categories work well etc.  

So real point is we do need to keep communicating on this, raising the
issue and seeking greater clarity is not inappropriate. I am guessing
though it will take til IGF V to get consensus.  Sooner is better, but
by next week I doubt we can take this much further.

Unless you all just believe me, and not your lying eyes : )

Lee



Prof. Lee W. McKnight
School of Information Studies
Syracuse University
+1-315-443-6891office
+1-315-278-4392 mobile
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