The Rise of New Mass Movements in Turbulent Times
(PeoPo established in 2007)

There is no doubt that a new tool available to man is fundamentally changing our future; this ‘tool’ is no other than the Internet.

 It is undisputable that there are differing views regarding the true value of the Internet, but most would agree that it has created a completely new way of addressing democratic issues from individuals and society, people and communities.

Throughout the ages, the challenge of democratic societies has been how to integrate individual differences of opinion into an operationally feasible collective consensus? Just how do we retain the individual's independent space in the operational structure of society as a whole?

 With regards to the current democratic mechanism, there exist numerous media bodies and experts providing information based on the understanding of individual decision-making and judgments. Individuals also have the inalienable right to vote, electing representatives and government officials who pledge to manage government affairs by the will of the people. However, the undeniable fact is that under the huge shadow of society, these individuals often not only fail to represent the voice of the masses, but fall into serfdom, as the puppets of a select few.

 The renowned American social writer Eric Hoffer pointed out that all mass movements “demand blind faith and single hearted allegiance”, and that while differing in their doctrines, they all “draw their early adherents from the same types of humanity, and appeal to the same types of mind.” The rise of the Internet has clearly had both a positive and negative impact on human society, but its influence in giving a fundamentally new meaning to mass movements is beyond the shadow of a doubt.

 There is a world of difference between today’s mass movements and those of former times, no longer demanding collective blind obedience, but rather, seeking to tap into the innate wisdom of the people; no longer a homogeneous polymerization, but rather, stressing heterogeneous participation. In short, the positive value of the Internet and its contribution to democracy is immeasurable, that is to say, through participation and sharing on the Internet, individuals are constructing a new fully autonomous grassroots civil society. The establishment of PeoPo is a wonderful example of this new style of mass movement.
As Taiwan’s first comprehensive citizen journalism news platform, PeoPo is:

We are all fully aware that human society cannot exist as a perfect utopia. However, nearly everyone believes that through openness, participation, sharing, and action, human beings can move closer to a heaven on Earth. The duty of public media is the pursuit of a mature civil society, and perhaps the establishment of the PeoPo platform is a significant step towards everyone’s dream of a perfect utopia. So just what are all you all waiting for!