Conference turris::womannotes-v3

299.0. "WOMANNOTES (and life) as a GRANFALLOON" by PROXY::SCHMIDT (Thinking globally, acting locally!) Thu Aug 16 1990 11:01

  In "Cat's Cradle"�, Kurt Vonnegut introduced the idea of a Granfalloon.
  A "Granfalloon" is a collection of people who think they share something,
  when in fact, they're together because of some totally other purpose.

  I submit to you that many of the discussions in this conference, and
  in life, occur because people fail to see the Granfalloon:

  Here's a Granfalloon from the file:

    o We're all WOMANNOTERs, so we automatically assume that we
      share certain things that, in fact, we don't.  We're *NOT* all
      liberals.  We're *NOT* all pro-choice.  We're *NOT EVEN* all
      for women's rights, let alone "people's rights".  But we all
      make certain assumptions and then act as though they ought
      to be true.  One need only look as far as the "Who'd you
      vote for" or the "Firearms" notes to see the Granfalloon.
      In fact, we're only all here together because we're all
      Digits and because the conference name caught our eye once.


  Here's a Granfalloon from my personal life:

    o I'm that rare breed -- A New Hampshire Democrat.  So I tend
      to make certain assumptions about what other Democrats are
      thinking or doing, based on what the National party thinks
      or does.  But in NH, it ain't true.  I just got a mailing
      last night soliciting support for one of the Democratic
      gubernatorial contenders.  Now, I knew he was anti-choice,
      and in most states would make a perfectly fine Republican,
      but what drew me up short was when my wife pointed out the
      list of all the famous Dems in the state who are supporting
      this guy!  (Time to go have a little talk with a few of them!)
      So NH Democrats are a Granfalloon.  We're just a coincidence
      of geography and a desire to be "not NH Republican".


  This idea has helped me understand quite a bit better my relation
  to notes, the universe, and everything.  (It has probably left me
  more depressed, but at least understanding why I'm depressed.)
  Your opinion is, of course, welcome.

                                   Atlant



� I think.  It's been a while.

    >  gubernatorial contenders.  Now, I knew he was anti-choice,
    
    The term is pro-life.
    
    Deb

	(Yes, Atlant, it is "Cat's Cradle" -- some spelling may be off, it's
been quite a while since I re-read the book.)

	Bokonnon is a holy man from the Island of the Republic of San Lorenzo.
Bokonnon teaches that all of humanity is divided up into teams, called a
"karass".  The purpose of a karass is to do God's will.  Each karass has an
object around which it revolves.  This object is known as a "wampeter".  In
truth, there is usally more than one wampeter per karass - one waxing, one 
waning.  A karass containing only two people (usually two people so wrapped
up in each other they don't see the rest of the world) is called a "duprass."

	Bokonnon says "If you find your life caught up in somone else's life
for no explicable reason, that person is most likely a member of your karass."
Bokonnon also teaches "Strange travel plans are dancing lessons from God."

	A "granfalloon" is an artifical karass - a grouping of people for
other reasons. Vonnegut uses "Hoosiers" and "Vetrans of Future Wars" as
examples.

	Bokonnon also teaches that all religion (including Bokonnonism) is 
"foma" - harmless untruth.


			--Doug_who_is_often_looking_for_his_personal_ice-9