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Re: [ox] Re: [ox-en] Theses about the relation between the Oekonux project and the remaining world


On the first Oekonux conference, I was in a group of about 15 
people, spending the nights in an office. Most of us brought 
sleeping bags and isolation mats (one had an air matrace, and 
one didn't bring a mat at all, just a sleeping bag, in order to 
save package). The atmosphere in the group was overwhelmingly 
nice, just as the rest of the conference was. One night, Ulli 
(Chillzwerg), Steffen (the guy with the DAT recorder) and me 
were sitting at the table, continuing the discussion of the day 
until I finally could not keep my eyes open any longer. So, on 
that day, the conference did not really end.

On the contrary, after the concert at the second conference, I 
was riding alone in the subway to the youth hostel at the other 
end of the town, together with a drunken pervert and his er... 
'girl friend'. I was so glad when he finally noticed that he was 
riding into the wrong direction. In other words: on the second 
conference, I experienced less social bindings and almost no 
discussions outside the pre-structured timetable. So, I think 
the absence of mass accomodation was a big loss.



This is a good point.

I'm in one of the EU Thematic Networks, and we have 4-5 meetings a
year. When the meeting is arranged so that everyone is in one (or so)
hotels, the meeting is much more productive than when we're spread
around. Part of this is that the output of a thematic network is the
"group bonding" effect of putting these people together, so they've
overcome the "initial barrier" to collaboration. And part of it is the
fact that everyone is in the same places at the same times, and so
conversation follows naturally. (And you get to do the "meeting at
breakfast" thing).

cheers, Rich.

-- 
rich walker | technical person | Shadow Robot Company | rw shadow.org.uk
front-of-tshirt space to let     251 Liverpool Road   |
                                 London  N1 1LX       | +UK 20 7700 2487
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http://www.oekonux.org/
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