Clearness (Temporary version - not collectively approved - Rt 1980)

Clearness is our attempt to focus on the relationship between some person and the collective as well as the individuals in the collective. It is a time to make and possibly resolve criticisms and praises, and past bad and good feelings. It is an opportunity to consider one's strengths and weaknesses and lay the groundwork for changes which are desired.

Usually we use it when someone is making a higher commitment, e.g. coming into the collective. It can also be used to eliminate tenseness and in focusing collective problems or just because someone wants to re-examine their groundwork relationship and criticisms.

Preparation by focus person

The responsibility for preparation falls on the focus person. In preparing for clearness you might:

• Read the section on Criticism/Self-Criticism in the Red Docs. & be ready to handle criticisms. In particular know what an open criticism is and ways to resolve criticisms.

• Look for self-criticisms-consider your past political work in groundwork and before in a critical way.
  • do you have any special problems which keep you from working well in groups? why did you leave previous groups? anything you want to correct?
• What's your style of work? when you take on a task is it carried through to the end (or brought back to the group) rather than done poorly (or just dropped)? can you ask for advise while keeping RR for a task? are you a together person or flaky? do you want to change?
• What do you want most to change about yourself ( if anything)?
• How seriously do you want to be taken?
• You might go to people in groundwork to see what criticisms they have to see if you can think them through and make self criticisms at the meeting.

• Think about past relationships with each member of the collective and any criticisms of them you have. If important, you may want to discuss before clearness to get it all straight. It's important that any past hostilities or bad feelings or unresolved criticisms be dealt with to prepare for the great leap forward.

• Think about your other commitments and where the collective fits in your priorities. Are you in any other social change groups? Where does yourjob or school fit in, i.e. are you career oriented?

• Think about the collective itself. Is it working? Are you taking responsibility for making it work? Review the collective agreements and resolve any problems with them.

If there is too much to cover during clearness for one reasonable session, you may want to have a clearness with one other person before to summarize and bring out the most important parts of your clearness.

Don't let the clearness stuff scare you or bog you down. You're among friends.

Preparation by others

Each person should consider what criticisms they have as well as praises. Any bad feelings which exist should be brought up. If feelings or criticisms are particularly strong, you should consider discussing them before clearness.

Clearness Session

A typical session will consist of discussions of the following topics:

• a review of why clearness now, (e.g. coming into the collective) for the benefit of those who don't know.

• self criticisms

• criticisms of people in groundwork

• criticisms of the focus person

• criticisms of groundwork

• discussion of relationship to agreements

• summary of open criticisms or feedback which is going to be given regularly, i.e. ongoing commitments.

• decision of whether to come into group, wait a while, leave the group, or whatever.

• criticism/self criticism of the clearness

• celebration or . . .

Collective Agreements

• Devote at least two hours a week to the collective.

• Work toward a critical relationship with other members of the collective. Start by developing this with at least one other person in the collective.

• Make a disciplined withdrawal from commitments to the collective when you want to end them. This includes any jobs you took RR for, as well as leaving the collective itself. You should not go longer than two weeks without contact with the collective.

• Have a working knowledge of the Red Documents and be in agreement (or at least consensus) with each part.

• Be open to criticism. Solicit criticism of your work & make self criticism when necessary. Self-criticism would include developing a style of work which includes considering these agreements from time to time and criticizing whether you're meeting them.

• Be committed to making criticism.

• Any other agreements made by your specific collective.

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