Solutions forum?

After spending a few frustrating minutes searching for the proper place to post a potential partial solution for some of Haiti's problems, it occurred to me that a forum dedicated specifically to potential solutions to difficult problems might be a good idea: a place for outside-the box thinking.

It would need to be aggressively moderated with the sillier and more extreme ideas being moved to more speculative forums. What I have in mind would not be allowed to degenerate into political/economic/ideological rants, but rather become a cooperative think tank where ideas can be logically dissected, flaws found and fixed, and ultimately presented to the world community for adoption.

It would depend upon better-than-average moderators, but based on what I've read and discussed here, the ATS community has more than its fair share of geniuses and brilliant thinkers; people of wider-than-average experience and deeper-than-average thought processes.

I say let's make use of these amazing resources and create a new paradigm for change, actively seeking and offering solutions that TPTB wouldn't think of or broadcast on their own.

What say you?

Are we up for it?

reply to post by apacheman

After spending a few frustrating minutes searching for the proper place to post a potential partial solution for some of Haiti's problems, it occurred to me that a forum dedicated specifically to potential solutions to difficult problems might be a good idea: a place for outside-the box thinking

This is a grand idea - that shouldn't be implemented.

And by this, I mean, solutions to particular problems should remain within the thread that gave rise to these newly brought forth remedies.

People looking for genuine solutions or input will most likely look for threads specific to that topic. It would also derail, though most likely unintentionally, the original thread - deterring potential contributors from giving their two cents.

Other than that, a great idea.

I agree, this is a very good idea. Imagine the political implications of an online "conspiracy" forum systematically laying out in detail everything that needs to be done in order to fix problems which have so far eluded the closed minded politicians who tried to solve them. And there is soo much potential here.

From the macro to the micro, from oil spills to smaller community based issues such as making your town more environmentally friendly. Or even abstract out of the box problem solving, with issues which may not even have been considered issues until someone posts it as a thread with the solution in your hypothetical "Solutions" forum.

We need more actual examples.. or maybe even a pilot thread with an actual solution to a real problem...

this may be very difficult though, and would require committed, reliable members to contribute, as well creative and intelligent.

Another problem could just be that all the threads end up flat-lining because, the issues are far more complex than anyone could have ever imagined, and thats why they were never solved in the first place...


who knows, i like your thinking though. It would be nice to see the many many great minds on ATS collaborating in such a positively constructive way.

I apologize for placing this here but since I haven't posted enough to start a thread this was my only alternative. Could someone let me know why it says "Posted 7/27/2010 @ then a date" on every single post and thread? Just trying to make sense of it is all. If you could straighten me out that would be great.