What is an Uplifter?

From Uplifter.org:

A list of attributes of an Uplifter:

• Uplifters live within their means, generally comfortably below their means.
• Uplifters embrace doing things for themselves, a’la the DIY items from Makezine.
• Uplifters don’t use technology for its own sake, but use technology as a tool for good overall.
• Uplifters support independence in all forms: independent blogs, independent music, independent whatever.
• Uplifters actively embrace citizen’s media including blogging, podcasting, and vlogging. These are all proactive ways of spreading knowledge.
• Uplifters understand that knowledge is power and share what they know.

Additional characteristics:

• Uplifters are driven by enlightened pragmatism.
• Uplifters reject corporate culture and the false scarcity models they encourage.
• Uplifters reject DRM and usage restrictions on the media they buy. You don't own it if you can't use it when you want and where you want.
• Uplifters know the best person to tell your story is yourself.
• Uplifters know power is taken not given
• Uplifters know that helping people can be a thankless propositon. The thanks is in the knowledge of having attempted something beneficial for another person with the hope of success.
• Uplifters know discouraging is easy, encouraging and helping others is harder and far better.
• Uplifters know they are unique individuals surrounded by other unique individuals.
• Uplifters know that true riches comes from investing in others.

Do you fall into all these categories? Are you comfortable with all these statements? Most of them? Some of them? Do you want to change them, argue them, add to them?

Well, you can. That's what a wiki is all about. That's also what's interesting about a group that imagines itself as coming up from the grass roots rather than just being powered by grass roots volunteers who are under centralized control. This idea literally calls on individuals to shape the identity and mission of the group, rather than expecting them to accept the instructions of the central committee and fall into line.

Is there any reason to expect that Uplifter Seattle and Uplifter Charleston will bear any resemblance to each other on Saturday? Or six months from Saturday? Will human nature allow such an idealistic endeavor to work? What lessons will we learn?

Comments

[Peg]

Looking forward to this and mentioned it on my blog.

[Mike]

I enjoyed the event today. Some cool people there. Seemed very uncharlestonish...whatever that means.

I look forward to more of that.

- Mike