Example Application Responses

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The following are two example responses to the Fluidity Forum application form.

Example One: Matt Arnold

What’s your Twitter account name (without the @)?

FluidityAudio

What do you hope to get out of Fluidity Forum?

I’m looking for what Brian Eno and Kevin Kelly call “scenius”. I spent 20 years running a science fiction conventions. That scene has been dying off for the past decade, so I’ve been looking for where the scenius is these days. I started to see a lot of it with the rationalists and post-rationalists which focus on the terms in the Fluidity Forum glossary. I’m hoping to meet more authors whose books I can narrate on my podcast, Fluidity Audiobooks.

What would you like to create and bring to Fluidity Forum?

“How To Avoid Starting A Cult”. It all started with good intentions. A group had heightened emotional and psychological experiences, and years later, some of the participants wrote regretful blog posts saying they gained a sense of purpose but lost their sense of self; their sense of proportion; and their sense. We’ve heard the story many times. Mostly what we hear is advice about how to prevent joining one, but what about how to prevent starting one? Sometimes a group takes hold of each other negatively without anyone having ever planned for that. Can it be better designed from the outset? I’ll suggest practical ways to short-circuit several kinds of self-reinforcing spirals of group norms, and share perspectives from multiple sources, plus my own experiences.
“The Coffee Ritual”. A Monty Python-esque high church parody ritual. The Pope of Coffee shall blesspresso The Holy Of Holies: the most theatrical brewing method ever devised. The acolytes will serve the Holy Liquid unto the congregation, who shall raise the sacrament to the east, and in unison, recite the litany “God, I needed that!” A blend of cafe’ths such as Press-byterian, Buzzentine, Sipiscopal, and even Atheismericano.
I would like to run a session of a highly-simplified variant of Authentic Relating and Circling, which I call Intentional Relating.

What major city are you closest to? (Also please provide state/province if applicable, & country)

Detroit, MI

What projects are you working on? What are your specific interests or focus if any? Or to put it another way, what’s your deal?

My podcast is Fluidity Audiobooks, where I have been narrating audio versions of David Chapman’s books: meaningness.com, metarationality.com, and betterwithoutai.com. My life mostly revolves around starting & running all-volunteer not-for-profit orgs & activity groups. I’m President of i3Detroit, one of the best maker spaces in the country. I create giant puppets and carry them on poles in parades. I’m involved in Lakes Of Fire, the Midwest’s regional Burning Man.

What else would you like to tell us about yourself?

I was born the month that Philip K Dick went insane. Those two events have no connection. I was raised Fundamentalist Baptist & am a secular atheist. More information at my site https://hiddengod.faith. I’m unmarried, childfree, polyamorous, & like living with roommates. I think putting LEDs on things counts as art. I’m at peace & at ease in myself & with how I relate to the world. My emotions are very seldom located somewhere in my body, my body does not tell me how it wants to dance; and if you insist those things cannot be true, because you think all people work the same, & therefore I must be secretly identical to you down deep, we’re not going to get along well.

Assistance Discounts

Neither

In the “How We Measure Success” part of the Vision page, we briefly outlined five expectations. Please confirm you’ve read them. What do you think of them?

I’ve read them, and I greatly appreciate an organization that practices them. I’m kind of obsessed with the design of social spaces & these are some of the best condensed ideas I can think of to nurture a healthy one.

Example Two: Bree Bartholomew

What’s your Twitter account name (without the @)?

I’m no longer on Twitter.

What do you hope to get out of Fluidity Forum?

I hope to learn something new, gain a new perspective, and create new connections.

What would you like to create and bring to Fluidity Forum?

I’m currently thinking of a couple of presentations I would like to give. The first would be a guided session of yoga nidra meditation. The second would focus on the adaptive purposes of dissociation.

Lead sing-alongs, Shop for food, Wash dishes, Run errands, Listen to anyone who needs or wants to be heard (i.e. heavy emotions, rants, or just a need to feel like you matter), SET UP CHAIRS

What major city are you closest to? (Also please provide state/province if applicable, & country):

Detroit, MI, USA

What projects are you working on? What are your specific interests or focus if any? Or to put it another way, what’s your deal?

I’m working on cultivating my existence. I have many challenges that are outside of my control. For a long time, I felt hopeless about my life–about everything. I’m making some changes now that have given me a greater sense of agency. I’m coming more fully into myself. As to my specific interests, music, literature, and genuine human connection are the things I gravitate towards.

What else would you like to tell us about yourself?

I love hearing people’s stories. My goal is that every interaction I have, no matter how small, at least recognizes the other person as someone worthy of respect.

Assistance Discounts

I need a discount on registration to attend.

In the “How We Measure Success” part of the Vision page, we briefly outlined five expectations. Please confirm you’ve read them. What do you think of them?

These principles are very similar to the agreements we have in an authentic relating group I participate in. In addition, on a personal level I strive for balance in who I am and what I do. I don’t subscribe to any one theory or dogma. Practicing curiosity, taking in new information, and refining my self-awareness are the means I use to feel alive and connected.