Thursday, August 23, 2012

UNMINED POTENTIAL OF BIS SPEAK UP



Recently my colleague CM Paul posted a piece on Salesian formation on his Wordpress blog (see. http://cmpaul.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/formation-in-mission-from-woes-to-wows/).  He had told me earlier that the piece was awaiting clearance from BIS gatekeepers. I notice it has finally appeared on BIS.

Meanwhile Paul’s post on Wordpress quickly got a conversation going on the state of Salesian formation in India, with several Salesians chipping in. Even the General Councillor for Formation and the General Councillor for the Missions entered the multilogue. Paul told me he was surprised by the volume of conversation

And I said to myself: This conversation should be happening on BIS and not on Wordpress. What a pity!

It is happening on Wordpress because BIS does not provide a forum for a conversation. I had called attention to this on BIS some time ago. Paul too had done the same. I had then heard fears expressed of the potential for misuse. Misplaced fears, really!

If you glance through the number of comments on Paul’s Wordpress post, you won’t find a single post that is objectionable. The posts show great maturity and raise relevant points. And I think all the posts are from Salesians! Isn’t it strange that the Salesians are having a conversation on a crucial Salesian issue on Wordpress rather than on BIS!

Why can’t BIS Speak Up have a similar facility for a conversation to be set in motion? In not doing so, BIS is doing itself a disservice. It is missing out on the conversation and other sites are benefiting in turn.

I have stopped posting on Speak Up for some time now precisely because there is no scope for a conversation. I feel that the energy and time involved in writing a Speak Up is not worth the effort as it does not lead to any conversation.

I would request the policy makers at the BIS helm to provide such space for conversation at least as an experimental basis. May be start by providing opportunity for registered members, than the readers at large. Let’s see what happens.




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