Cadre / Club / Cabal / Clique / Commune: Why We Form Groups To Get Things Done

Why do we form groups? So we aren’t alone? Because there is strength in numbers? The whole is greater than the parts? In Occupy and beyond we often find ourselves “together” in more ways than one. There are the mass gatherings: the encampments, the protests, the GAs. Then there are a proliferation of something more intimate: small working groups and affinity groups. Perhaps there is something both crucial and practical about these close-knit groups based on affinity — a sharpened sense of something in common or something to be done. Coordinating the actions of many small groups allows for a larger convergence that maintains a sense of horizontal control and direct participation. In this forum, we will hear from a range of different local groups about how and why they came together and what they do. Join us as we reflect on their recent experiences and contemplate what groups we may want to form moving forward.

This forum is organized by Don't Just Click There, an affinity group of friends and diverse cultural producers, focused on political discussion and creative intervention. They have endeavored to lend both absurdity and gravity to various Occupy actions in San Francisco and the Bay Area.

The Women’s Building
Audre Lorde Room
3543 18th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110