[LGM] LGM and divisiveness

[Gregory Pittman]

As we approach LGM 2014, it would be good to know that at some point we
all are rowing in the same direction. We need to put aside differences
of opinion and consider how we can make LGM an attractive and
trouble-free event for everyone.

Even without some artificial code that we might sprinkle holy water on
and make sacred, I think we have established that most of us have an
opinion that wants to keep LGM a friendly event for everyone who attends.

Let's face it, LGM isn't a democracy in some elective/voting sense,
since it is very unclear who has voting rights and whether all voting
rights are the same. We don't have a clear way of generating consensus.
We may have opinions for and against, but the (apparent) absence of an
opinion may be an indicator of unawareness of the vote or even what it's
about (or just being fed up with it all). And someone who has never
attended before and never will again has a vote too.

I also think it is magical thinking to believe that somehow this can all
be hashed out at LGM. Just look at what happens as the venue for the
next LGM gets "decided" at LGM. The vote, such as it is, takes place
only with those attending the meeting, as if those not present don't
care and don't matter. I suppose if they did care, they might be more
likely not to care about decisions they were left out of.

I think we all have experiences with people who are obsessed with some
issue. All they can talk about is their issue. People don't realize how
IMPORTANT this is. How ESSENTIAL it is. About all you can do is to avoid
this person, not start up a conversation with this person, unless you
like to argue. In an organization, this can be toxic. Let's try not to
drift in that direction.

Greg