Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Soiree
When I first made a foray into the arena of social conflict, I attended soirees with like-minded locals where we grilled and chilled around the campfire discussing the politics of our community. Some were into research, others into speaking at public hearings or writing letters to the editor. Over time, some of us ran for local office, some started non-profits to watchdog local government.
None of us were party hacks or careerist do-gooders, but through attending government functions and debriefing at our regular socials, we were able to shake things up considerably. A couple of us started alternative newspapers as well.
Eventually we went our separate ways across North America, but we stayed in touch, and two of us archived some of the lessons we learned on a website. After I began blogging, we started getting requests for consultations all over the country. Since we do this as a volunteer activity, we're limited in what we can do, but we've had some success.
We've also met some remarkable people with the ability to make a difference in the world, but many have fallen by the wayside through isolation or attrition. What I'm suggesting is that local chapters of an association focused on our governance aspirations, that met regularly for food and fun, might be worthwhile.
None of us were party hacks or careerist do-gooders, but through attending government functions and debriefing at our regular socials, we were able to shake things up considerably. A couple of us started alternative newspapers as well.
Eventually we went our separate ways across North America, but we stayed in touch, and two of us archived some of the lessons we learned on a website. After I began blogging, we started getting requests for consultations all over the country. Since we do this as a volunteer activity, we're limited in what we can do, but we've had some success.
We've also met some remarkable people with the ability to make a difference in the world, but many have fallen by the wayside through isolation or attrition. What I'm suggesting is that local chapters of an association focused on our governance aspirations, that met regularly for food and fun, might be worthwhile.
