The politics of getting together
“We should get together sometime”. As a committed introvert, that phrase sends a small chill down my back. The concept is fraught with unknowns. Let’s try this in small numbers, shall we. Two of us, OK. Probably. A handful; better to be family, because we’ll have already drawn boundaries around the delicate matters (or not). But, what about a large group?
I’m involved, peripherally, with an intention to bring together a large group of strangers. Hundreds of us. The “us” is an important distinction; we share history, going back to a younger time. A reunion, if you will. My first reaction is that this is something akin to herding cats.
There are certain modalities to observe when people meet for a “social occasion”. Weapons surrendered at the door, etc. Here’s the catch; do we want to ‘break bread together’? Will we dance, knowing that the majority are no better skilled now than when we last gathered? Do we open the occasion to others, or do we pretend that we are an elite club, formed under fire (or the academic equivalent)?
There is a list, albeit one without the assurances that the named are still alive, or interested. That’s one of the challenges: find out where others are, without raising flags as to why the search is underway. Some of us (hand raised) are, in a word, paranoid. Too many years without contact: why now?
There are several months to go, in the preparations. This should be an interesting process, with a conclusion that will need to be recorded for history.
