Book Camp 2023, Day 2

One of the five campers is away at school. Another works a day job, or at least a partial day job. It’s strange. Many years we’ve either holed up in our fort or explored the wide world. This year we find ourselves older, wiser, and more independent.

Last night wound down with several rousing hands of Uno. The wins were split. The laughs were hearty. Sleep arrived late.

Our working camper was gone by the time the remainder of us rubbed sleepy from our eyes and congregated in the common area. And yet we had no time to lose.

Enter Super Secret Project 1. A project conveniently tasked while the subject of said project is out of the house. The progress today was more satisfying than I had dared hope.

The remainder of the morning and early afternoon were for creative pursuits, individually, followed by naps (me, the dog, and one camper at least in bits), video game play, and snacking. Around 4pm we gathered up to discuss cancel culture.

You may be as interested as I was to learn that these five representatives of their generation don’t care about canceling others but care deeply about suffering canceling. I had expected them to care about both, really. Here are their (paraphrased) notions:

• I just think it’s kinda funny.

• I don’t really pay attention to that stuff.

• What’s even the point, especially if the target’s long dead?

• I figure, I liked that when I was eight and I don’t regret it.

The mood changed when the topic turned to personally suffering a cancelation due to perceived or actual acceptance of a canceled creator. Again, paraphrased:

• I stay off socials.

• I just don’t vocalize what I like and don’t like too much.

• When people start talking about a canceled person, I try to leave the conversation.

• Not invested in canceling. Very conscious of being canceled.

Of course, I have no idea the extent, if any, that these sentiments would be repeated across their generation. I do have some idea as to the origins of the fabulous conversation we had. These young adults have grown up as creators, knowing they are creators. Their extended family and some teachers or other valued adults in their lives taught them so much about what can be created and its value in the world.

Book camp underscored everything creative: who gets to create, how we create, why we create, what is a creation, where creation happens, and more. Book camp has taught on subjects like copyright, equity, inclusion. Beyond perspective and plot, book camp strives to enrich these creators and empower them to share the ideals of creation with others.

There’s something about the oxygen of open dialogue that invigorates the soul. It gives us the power to explore nuance and to examine our own biases. Open dialogue allows for disagreement, dissent from the majority, and direct access to fresh points of view.

And remind me to tell you about the dandelions…