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How I think this all works...
In knowing what I did about our group before doing the survey, casually asking people about this and such, I had a idea about the forces keeping us together.
We're a strange bunch of people. Above average intelligence (at least I like to think so--most of us are in the Honors Program), overachievers, children of the 80s, and so on. There's definitely a sci-fi slant to our entertainment (X-Files, Star Wars, and such), and there is an 80s slant to our musical preferences. Lots of similarities, but seemingly more differences among us.
But the more I think about it, there are very few things we all have in common--things which differentiate our group from our class and age-group at large.
I can, however, think of a lot of things that most of us have in common. This is the key (in my mind) to how "it" works. We don't all have to have a whole bunch of things in common--just a few. What's important is that there are many things which most of us share.
Allow me to clarify with some examples... We all don't like the same music. Most of us do, so that's a common bond for many of us.
In fact, I happen to believe that most of us are actually required "parts" of Prout Table. I mean that if certain people left, the group would become something totally different or cease to exist altogether. What basis do I have for saying this? Well, I've often noticed that when smaller groups of us get together to do things, they tend to be fairly predictable groups--groups that are dictated by those common bonds that some (but not all) of us share. There are certain combinations of people that just wouldn't work without a few key people being there. I can't explain it much more than that because it's more of a sense or feeling than any hard and fast rule.
This may be put to a test as time marches on, and Prout Table begins to thin out as we spread across the globe to discover new homes, jobs, friends, and the rest of our lives. Time will tell.
Prout Table is made up of a group of people of similar backgrounds and interests, have shared many of the same experiences in college, and who are looking for the similar things from their friends.
It wasn't until I sat down and actually tried to form these ideas into semi-coherent wiring that I realized how difficult a task it actually is. I had a piece of paper with notes jotted down on it that I've been saving for this task. It said things like "music," "family background," "honors program," "lived in Darrow," and so on.
I could continue on to dream up all sorts of strange analogies (like molecular bonds) to explain how I think this works, but somehow I think I should just leave this as is.
Updated: March 29h, 1997