I’m feeling really upset and hurt by the division that appears to be pulling around my social media and media feed at the moment.
The fear that it is feeding amongst many people who voted one way or the other has the potential to descend into a bottomless panic that will lead to some really reactionary behaviour from people on all sides of the debate.
I have a deep feeling that we have a responsibility to do something to help bring people back together, or potentially together for the first time. Perhaps we just have been tolerating each other for years and never truly acknowledged it. Perhaps tolerance wasn’t good enough and things needed to get to this point of division to see what has been really going on under our noses and to highlight those many issues that are present for people across the country.
For years I’ve been running groups and theatrical experiences that aim to bring people together in a way that allows them to be more open and connected to their feelings and stories. This is the point that these ideas have to be brought into action.
I’ve been watching what has been going on for the last few days, and like so many others. I’m sure, I’ve been feeling helpless and confused about where to aim my energy. I want to use my skills, things that I have been developing for a while, and I also want to support other people’s ideas to bring back a sense of belonging in a place that feels so split and divided.
I’m going to be setting up a project in the next few days that will create a hut that tours around the country and allows people to sit together with someone from a different background, opinion, generation, class. Let’s call it BREXHUT. The hut will use gameplay to find points of connection and understanding with each other. These conversations will then be spread around using all the usual means (facebook, twitter, etc), but ensuring that people on all sides of the debate are included in all conversations.
All opinions are valid, we just need to find a way to listen to each other and understand the deep hurt and mistrust that has led to the position we are in right now.
It’s important that the hut is able to offer a way to breakdown geographic restrictions as the country does seem polarised depending on location. This is why we will be utilising video and film to bring people to together in a meaningful fun way.
We’ll be setting up a crowd funding campaign in the next couple of days, but right now we’re looking for anyone who thinks they’d be able to offer something to help. This could be technology assistance, a van, a shed, social media experience, etc. Right now I think it is time to listen and create a space where people feel that they can actually be heard to people that they are feeling alienated from.
Alongside this, I’d like to offer myself to other people’s ideas, to help where possible and start to find a way to move forward from the situation we are now in.
Get in touch if you want to help, have an idea you want help with or sign up for by kept up to date with where this might go.
Simon Magnus