Nick -
> Nice thought, but I would have to ride on the bumper. > > > > What a time! > FWIW... you have referenced your own choice of clique-formation as a "pod" which I believe exclusively? describes the second level of whale (at least Orca) social organization. (matriline -> pod -> clan -> community). Other whales (and porpoises?) also form pods I think, but I'm not so sure if we ascribe (or recognize) larger clans for them? I'm wondering if from an evolutionary psychologist point of view if there is a "natural" way ( evidenced in ethnographic/anthropological precedent) for us to form multi-scale clique structures which can dissociate quickly as-needed during times such as this pandemic. Terrorist or deep-cover spy cell-networks seem to have this sorted fairly well? It seems natural (obviously) for a family group living under one roof to form such a first order grouping... and in your case if I read your circumstance right, you have formed a 3 generation "pod" with one of your children and spouse, and a grandchild who you may or may not live under the same roof, but have chosen to "share the risk"? I've seen any number of opportunities *lost* to form such larger pods (my sister's family separating into one couple and 3 singletons who do not mix)... but I suspect that there are plenty of examples along the lines of extended families... where for example, a group of siblings choose to maintain contact and support/allow contact among their children (first cousins) in groups therefore of 5 or 10 or even as large as 30 or 40, with some group-pressure to remain isolated *outside* of that group... possibly even assign as small of a number as 2 or 3 who are trusted to go out in the world and forage at the grocery or hardware... possibly those with the best discipline around social distance, PPE, etc. I don't know how close the "clan structure" of Orcas is to that of various (usually matrilineal?) first-nations clans, and if there is any kind of useful parallel. From my limited anthropology background, I seem to remember that clan-structures provide a kind of formula for how to "weave a community" of individuals without too much risk of creating bad-blood (socially as well as genetically)? This is perhaps thinner ice, but my own experience within my social circles is that "the decider" (regarding style and level of isolation) in most "pods" I know of is a woman... not always the eldest, but one who has significant dominance outside of such a pandemic... a thought leader in nuclear or extended family or perhaps neighborhood. One of my social-circle groups consists of a modestly isolated "country-lane" of about 6 households of retirees and empty nesters. So roughly 12 individuals with roughly 3 in the high-age-risk (>80) category and 1 > 70 with acute preexisting conditions. The 3 high-risk are men, and are supported in self-isolation by their (younger) partners (2 women, one man), and there are two significantly dominant women in the group who alternatively trigger social events among this larger pod normally but have taken on a "policing" role amongst their neighbors, making sure everyone has what they need but also shaming anyone who considers what they believe to be "risky behaviour". A less assertive woman is also a practicing (semi-retired) nurse who seems to decline to try to "manage" the rest of the lane even though she seems to be more technically competent in this context. One couple are Native American (Picuris/Dine) and they have mostly left the pod/lane to rejoin the Dine family-pod which I believe needs their influence/help in these times. They remain friendly but non-contacting with the lane when they are there ( a few days ever week or two). We are normally considered part of their "clan" but have declined virtually all in-person contact, allowing for a few socially-distanced meetups in the backyard with one of the couples (BYOEverything). The "lane" has a good dozen other orbiters/clan-members like us who seem to have the same relationship to that "pod"... Another of my extended social circle is an organic farm-complex that consisted of 2 women in their early 60s, each with their own home/aspect-of-farming and a full time tenant in a casita and a rotating medley of temporary farm-help who either live for weeks or months *on* the farm, or are CSA-trade workers who come in for a few hours here and there to help with acute things like harvest/clean for market-day. The primary *farmer* recently took on a young couple (30ish) to whom she is sharecropping... giving them her house and the fields she has built over the last 10 years to "make what they will" of it with fresh ideas and energy. They were on their way here from Michigan when the pandemic got hot... they had "day jobs" on two other organic farms in the area but after arriving self-isolated on the farm rather than risk bringing something with them... once past the two weeks (which was a good time to start the farm-hand-off) they began to go to their respective farms 5 days a week, social distancing/etc. while there, but mixing it up more than the two women who own the farm. The tenant is a CNA who has only one (elderly woman) client. What they have formed is something of an Orca-like Pod it seems... with two matrilines, one being much larger than the other. The martiarch of the smaller matriline is a retired nurse and is acutely careful about mixing... she is effectively isolated *within* the larger pod as a unit of one. The more prolific matriarch has visited us a few times (to bring farm produce/plantings and share a little socially distant palaver and a sanitized beer while sitting >6 feet away in the sunlight. My own daughters live far enough away (Portland OR, Denver) that I have not opportunity to "pod up" with them, but would very likely do precisely that if they were closer. Forming a pod of about 13 with 3 matrilines... though it would get tricky if Mary's family (3 children and spouses and grandchildren) were closer as she/they would expect/want the same... and perhaps true to form, her sons might polyp off to join their wives pod/clan? - Steve
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