APG-L Archives

Archiver > APG > 2001-10 > 1003193672


From: "Willow Bend Books - Craig R. Scott" <>
Subject: [APG] Clique
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2001 20:54:32 -0400


> And believe me, there is a clique and if you
> don't know it, you are in it. Those of us not in
> it are very aware of it.
>

This came to me personally. But you know how I love to share.<G> I should be living proof that there is not clique, but anyway. <G>

At first I was irratated, because I know that I would never be a member of a clique. So of course I researched the issue. This is what I found.

clique: A clique is a coalition whose members associate regularly with each other on the basis of affection and common interest and possess a marked sense of common identity. All members of a clique interact with one another, though there may be core members, primary members, and secondary members.

coalition: A coalition is a temporary alliance of distinct parties for a limited purpose.

members: participants in a clique. It is helpful to speak of core members, who participate all the time, primary members, who meet sometimes with the core and rarely alone, and secondary members, who are on the fringes an participate infrequently.

Definitions based upon Vernon K. Robbins, Exploring the Texture of Texts, Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International, 1996 and Vernon K. Robbins, The Tapestry of Early Christianity: Rhetoric, Society, and Ideology, London and New York: Routledge, 1996.

Copyright © 1999 Emory University



Folks there is not a clique in genealogy. The coalition component of the definition does not appear to work, since most of us are in this thing for a very long time. There is absolutely nothing temporary about our love for the field, is there. But if we assume that the time issue is not really an issue and believe there is a clique (and I don't think there is) then the membership issue has to play a role.

There are a number of stuck up folks, arrogant folks, and folks worthly of our deep respect. But that is just like the rest of the world. But according to the definition there are core, primary, and secondary members.

What exists is a family of about 650 people that is growing all the time. This would be the core group. We have two (Elizabeth would say three) family reunions a year. One will be in Wisconsin, the other in California next year. The third is Sanford every year (a much smaller reunion, but probably much more intense). Core status is established when you fail to go to a reunion and a couple of people wonder why you aren't there. That is all there is to being a core member, being recognized. For example, raise your hands if you know which Elizabeth I refer to above. Definitely a member of the core group. Whose face does the name Helen conjour up? Whose face does Eileen conjour up? Trick question, there is more than one.

When you attend these reunions you get to know people. You put a name with their faces and they put a name with yours. It takes about six years of conferences to get to the point where everyone knows you. That is six years of being active, verbal and giving. Not six years of waiting for people to come to you. I tried that for a while. I used to sit at an empty table and see if folks would sit with me. They didn't.

What I do know is that there is a large group of people who seem to fit the normal curve that all have a great love of genealogy and actively participate at the national level and we all know each other. We don't all like each other all the time, but in small doses we are quite tolerable. Well almost.<G>

If you want to join our family (the core membership) drop by the bar at the next reunion. You don't have to drink. But that is a good venue to introduce yourself. After all, when you don't show at the next reunion how will we know know to ask about you.

Primary membership in the clique would belong to people like those on this list who do more than lurk. They love the group, and can only get to ocasional reunions and we know their names but not their faces. They have never been to the bar.<G>

Secondary membership in the clique would belong to people who lurk a lot and contibute infrequently and on this list. They love all the help they are getting, but they don't show up for the family reunions.

But the point is that we all interact. We all love genealogy. And there is no clique. I think that a clique is like the economy. If you believe there is a clique nothing we can say or do will change that thought. If you believe the economy is terrible, it will be.

C.



Craig R. Scott, CGRS
Willow Bend Books
65 East Main Street
Westminster, MD 21157-5026

www.WillowBendBooks.com




This thread: