There's a certain aesthetic, vibe, and/or identity around it. Less about the content of the books, but relating to the books in certain way.
Bookstores are communities, rather than airports.
Conversation
Started working thru that article, which I’m finding fascinating & worthwhile, so thanks. Surprised hasn’t used “portal” in re: the airport metaphor, but still more to go.
I find myself wanting you to elaborate more on your first paragraph tho… 1/
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As a traveler, I’m ethereal; I’m an airport passenger walking thru that bookstore then back out maybe/likely never to be seen again. We hardly touch the community.
But the bookstore IS a portal, like an airport, in that it’s shelves can transport us to other times & places.
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The portal you speak of—the other times/places, the staff recommendations, the place specific gems. Isn’t that a community?
You are a visitor, but what makes the curation/place/vibe special is the human community.
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Yes, I’d say portals allow us visitors to (briefly) touch the history of place & community.
But Ribbon Farm, too, by definition, is curation ( & others), a place (the website, made physical at camp venues) and a special vibe. Refactor Camp embodies all that, too, right?
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So I guess, w/o meaning to, I’m now also questioning ’s take on whether airports are distinct from a community or also a part, and how that shifts the metaphor for Refactor Camp, in addition to his dislike for local bookstores!
Might have to spend some time digging on this.
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The diff between an airport and a community is divergent chaos vs convergent continuity.
As long as there's no continuity in theme and persons, it'll be more like an airport. vgr does have a vibe, but he's ok with shaking things up, even if losing people.
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Sure, re airport. I just don’t agree “shaking things up” creates a discontinuity of persons or shared belief such that calling it a non-community is accurate. I’d argue VGR definitely has a community around him, but I plan to dig deeper on the article’s argument this week.
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As for airports, not at all arguing it is a community, but a community does shape it in the same way it shapes a bookstore.
A bookstore may ALSO have its own community (book club, events, etc), but an outside visitor isn’t entering the community, just glimpsing thru the window.
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And in that way, Refactor Camp is far more a community - e.g. 50% continuity of people; continuity of leadership; shared values/beliefs - than an airport OR bookstore!
Local bookstores (the shelves especially) are also, IME, incredibly chaotic lol, for whatever that’s worth.
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Replying to
Certainly not! But this thread w/ Woof has gotten well away from your more simple answer re: local bookstores of e-ink & digital catalog completeness.
Curious if this community/airports/portals piece even plays into your feelings expressed in initial tweet?
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