October 10
I Thought Everybody Knew
The conversation is full of initials, old decisions, and references to people a newer member has never met. They would like to help, but cannot find a place to enter. Asking for an explanation seems likely to slow everyone down. So they stay quiet, and the experienced members conclude that no one new wants to become involved.
Familiarity can make a room less welcoming without anyone intending it. We forget how much we once needed explained. Plain language and a little background can turn an obscure discussion into a shared responsibility. This is more than courtesy to beginners. Explaining why we do something may also reveal assumptions the rest of us have stopped examining. Participation becomes easier when understanding is available without an embarrassing admission. The knowledge we carry becomes more useful when other people can get hold of it too.
What familiar knowledge might be keeping someone outside a conversation?
A little background would help someone follow the discussion.
For the A.A. nerds: Twelve Concepts for World Service, Concept IV.