Chatting about the meaning of life with complete strangers, in a café made from shipping containers? Odd yes, but brilliant.
It was only earlier this month that we found ourselves quoting prominent multi-disciplinary thinker Theodore Zeldin. It was, admittedly, rather tangential to the topic at hand, but seemed to go down rather well nevertheless. Zeldin is probably best known for his 1994 book An Intimate History of Humanity, but perhaps his most interesting ideas concern the importance of conversation, about which he's written in the aptly titled, um, Conversation. As the man himself says: “When minds meet, they don't just exchange facts: they transform them, reshape them, draw different implications from them, engage in new trains of thought.”
Since 2001 Zeldin has been putting these thoughts into action in the form of The Oxford Muse Foundation, an enterprise that seeks to "to pioneer new methods to improve personal, work and intercultural relationships in ways that satisfy both private and public values." One way in which this is carried out is through the Muse Portraits Database, in which people submit written self-portraits or portraits in the voice of another subject. Another idea is that of Conversation Dinners, where guests are seated next to people they've never met and discuss topics as dictated by the menu. Everyone who goes to these seems to rave about them – one participant said he had in just two hours made a friend who was closer than many he had known much longer.
Well this Saturday, as part of CREATE, the London Muse is holding its very own Feast of Conversation in a really rather unusual place: slap-bang in the middle of the Olympics site, in a venue made from old shipping containers. An estimated 200 people will gather for a light lunch, and chat about all manner of different topics with total strangers. Good old Theodore himself will be there, and the whole thing's completely free. A unique event in memorable surrounds – a fascinating afternoon is guaranteed.
Feast of Conversation takes place at The View Tube, 3rd July 2010.
RSVP: feastofconversation@londonmuse.com
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