Regenerating Social Fabric & Innovating Governance

In this episode of Terms of Service, host Mary Camacho speaks with Glen Weyl, founder of the Plurality Institute and Radical Exchange Foundation. They explore transformative ideas such as quadratic voting, collaborative governance, and the importance of regenerating the social fabric in a polarized world. Glen shares insights from his work with Taiwan’s innovative digital governance models and his collaboration with Audrey Tang, offering a vision for a more interconnected, pluralistic digital future.

Key Takeaways

• Social media should shift from being divisive to regenerative, so as to rebuild the social fabric that sustains it.
• Quadratic voting enables nuanced decision-making, fostering consensus while embracing diversity.
• Taiwan’s digital governance innovations demonstrate the power of collective action and participatory design.
• Technology must integrate with human communities to create sustainable systems that enrich rather than erode social foundations.
• The Plurality framework focuses on bridging divides and creating richer, interconnected digital ecosystems.

Topics Covered / Timestamped Sections

• 01:20 - Introduction to Glen Weyl and his interdisciplinary work.
• 04:33 - Regenerating social media to build stronger, pro-social networks.
• 07:43 - Glen’s personal journey and the power of embracing contradictions.
• 12:00 - Quadratic voting: How it works and its applications in blockchain and governance.
• 17:50 - Collaboration with Audrey Tang and the creation of Plurality.
• 24:26 - Reimagining social media to foster community awareness and connection.
• 27:22 - Taiwan’s transformative governance practices: GovZero, Polis, and digital competence education.
• 34:14 - A magic wand for change: Connecting global leaders with Audrey Tang to inspire collaborative solutions.

Guest Bio and Links

Glen Weyl - Founder and Research Lead of the Microsoft Research Plural Technology Collaboratory, Founder and Board Member of the RadicalxChange Foundation and Founder and Chair of the Plurality Institute. Co-author with Eric Posner of Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society, with Audrey Tang and dozens of open source collaborators of ⿻ 數位 Plurality: The Future of Collaborative Technology and Democracy and with Puja Ohlhaver and Vitalik Buterin of "Decentralized Society: Finding Web3's Soul". Executive Producer of "Good Enough Ancestor"

Resources Mentioned

• Plurality Website
• Quadratic Voting - A voting method allowing individuals to express preferences with intensity.
• GovZero - A movement creating open-source alternatives to government services.
• Polis - A participatory platform for identifying shared values across divides.
• Good Enough Ancestor Film Trailer

Further Reading / Related Episodes

• Episode 4: “Dynamics of Digital Spaces: Rethinking Democracy Online”

Call to Action

Discover how collaborative governance and innovative tools can shape a pluralistic future. Listen to Glen Weyl’s vision for social regeneration and join the Plurality movement to help build a better digital world.

• X: @glenweyl

🎧 Listen now: Episode Link

Credits

Host: Mary Camacho

Guest: Glen Weyl

Produced by Terms of Service Podcast

Sound Design: Arthur Vincent and Sonor Lab

Co-Producers: Nicole Klau Ibarra & Mary Camacho