Author: Mita Williams

What NEED does this meet?

This project would encourage community. It would help others. It would make one feel a little less lonely in the world.

This website would assign interested indivduals to a randomized group of 150 people and would provide for them an online message board that would be private and exclusive to those members of the group. There are only two rules. One: once assigned to a group, you cannot leave that group. And two: you can only join one group. After that, it is up to the group to decide what is next for them.

What is the APPROACH?

What makes the approach of this plan distinctive is that it removes choice out of the formation of one’s social network. While most social software and web services attempt to bring together a person with others holding similar interests or from a similar background, my150.org will strive to bring groups of strangers together.

What are the BENEFITS to people?

Imagine if you had a group of 150 people that you could go to whenever you had a question, a problem, or a need that couldn’t be handled by yourself. You could tap into their collective knowledge, expertise, compassion, and tough love. And you could return such favours and the feel the good that comes from helping others. Over time, you would get know these fellow members. You would play online games with them. You would use Pledgebank with them. You would meet them in person. Perhaps you would begin to consider some of them friends.

According to research in cognitive psychology “the figure of 150 seems to represent the maximum number of individuals with whole we can have a genuinely social relationship” and that if you comb through the anthropological literature you will find that “the number 150 pops up again and again”. These quotes come from Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point [how little things can make a big difference] which also offers the idea that “small, close-knit groups have the power to magnify the epidemic potential of a message or idea.” which is why mySociety should consider this project.

What is the COMPETITION?

The closest service that I could find is the “Slapstick / Lonesome no more” middle name generator at http://thesurrealist.co.uk/lonesome.

Unlike the “middle name generator”, my150.org will provide the necessary next steps to bring individuals together online. Not every group will be successful but some groups will have the right combination of indivduals to generate and sustain benefit, especially as the first groups to form will most likely come from those who support the efforts of mySociety, a population of those interested in promoting civic and community values. Word of mouth (“I found out about this restaurant from a girl in my150”) will encourage others to join.

What BUDGETS & LOGISTICS are required?

The expense of this project would not stem from its design or but from its inherent promise to be hosted for at least a lifetime. It would be too difficult for me to build this idea but not too difficult, I don’t think, for someone with some experience.