Open People
Bring your own experience and leave room for someone else's. Openness can begin with a welcome, an honest question or attention offered freely.
About OPAQUE / Beginning in Oslo
A movement you
can take part in.
OPAQUE is a movement being developed around people, perspectives and shared experience. We want to make it easier to meet someone, hear how they see the world and find something worth doing together.
You might welcome company but hesitate before saying hello. Would you be interrupting? Would it be welcome? OPAQUE begins with that uncertainty, and the possibility of finding a way through it together.
01 / The movement
An ordinary moment.
A shared beginning.
The first move means knowing whether someone wants company, and feeling able to say yes or no. We want people who welcome connection to find something they would enjoy sharing.
Connection can take many forms. A lively discussion, quiet company, a useful introduction or an offer of help can each matter in their own way. The starting point is whether the people involved welcome it.
A conversation, a meal, an idea or a little time together can be enough to begin. There is room for a shared interest, and for a perspective different from your own.
Borrow a conversation question
02 / Our beginning
It began with
bringing people together.
A note from the founder. The experience of hosting a dinner in Oslo is helping shape what OPAQUE becomes.
I've often sat in a café and thought how nice it would be to talk to someone, or for someone to come and talk to me. Sometimes I just want a little company. But there is that moment of hesitation: would I be interrupting? Would they welcome it?
I've spoken with friends who have felt something similar. They wanted to connect with people and feel more part of the place where they lived, but finding a way into that was difficult.
I like bringing people together. So I hosted a dinner in Oslo and invited people from different parts of my life: friends, colleagues and people I had only recently met. More than 30 people came, and many didn't know one another.
What stayed with me was what people told me afterward. They enjoyed meeting different people, sharing the food and spending time together. They wanted to do it again.
With OPAQUE, I want to create more opportunities for that kind of experience, including the ordinary moments between organised gatherings. I want people to have ways to approach one another, share something and decide what happens next.
— OPAQUE’s founder
03 / The meaning
Six letters.
Three intentions.
Each of us has a perspective shaped by a life another person cannot see in full. Being open to someone doesn't require explaining every part of yourself. You can have opinions, complexities and boundaries, and still make room to listen.
That is the meaning we give OPAQUE. We can own our point of view, ask questions about another person's and take the time to understand more. The founding acronym holds those intentions.
Asking Questions
Be curious about what another person means. Ask without deciding their answer in advance, and let them choose what they want to share.
Understanding Everyone
Listen to the person in front of you. Understanding is something to work toward; it takes time and does not require agreement.
What understanding asks of us
You can keep different views while listening carefully and treating each other with respect. Curiosity involves hearing what someone means. Harassment and dehumanising behaviour undermine that invitation.
You choose what you want to discuss. An ordinary interest or a small observation is enough; there is no obligation to disclose personal experiences.
04 / Taking part
Start with something
you would enjoy sharing.
You might have an interest you could talk about for hours, a question you haven't found an answer to, a skill someone else would enjoy learning or a little time to listen. You can also be curious without having something prepared.
Bring a question.
Ask what someone enjoys, what they are working on or what they have noticed lately. Follow the answer rather than working through a list of questions. A conversation can find its own direction.
Find a questionBring your view.
Share what you think and why. Give the other person room to do the same. If you see things differently, try asking what led them to that view before deciding what to say next.
Offer something useful.
Listen, make something, explain a process or help with a task you understand. Make the offer clear and keep it within what you can actually give. Ask whether it would be useful before going ahead.
Share an idea.
You may have an idea for a gathering, an activity you could share or a place where people could meet. Tell us what you have in mind and what part you would like to contribute. We can discuss whether it fits what is being developed.
Discuss a contribution05 / Action & accountability
Give openness
some substance.
We want people to be able to experience what OPAQUE stands for. That can mean inviting someone into a conversation, giving them time to finish, sharing something useful or keeping an offer we have made.
01Make the offer clear.Explain what you can actually give.+
If you offer help, explain what you can do. A clear, modest offer can be valuable, and gives the other person something they can choose.
02Keep the commitment.Agree on something possible and follow through.+
If you agree to something, follow through. If your plans change, let the other person know. Small commitments are worth keeping; they give another person something they can rely on.
03Listen and repair.Take responsibility when something goes wrong.+
If you get something wrong, listen and try to repair it. Ask what needs attention and be clear about what you can do next.
Accountability needs action. Those everyday choices are how we want the movement’s values to become something people can experience.
06 / What we are building
More chances to meet.
A structure to support them.
We are developing further gatherings and ways for people to find a welcome in everyday life. Conversation, shared interests and practical activities will help us learn what people want to take part in and what we can sustain.
Something concrete
to take part in.
Another gathering is being planned. When we announce it, we'll explain what will happen, where and when, how to take part, any cost and whom to contact with practical questions. Those details will help you decide whether it suits you.
Ask about taking partSupporting the movement
as it grows.
We intend to establish a nonprofit organization to support the movement. Its structure and contribution roles are still being developed. As those arrangements become concrete, we will explain what they mean for people taking part.
A distinct role for people representing OPAQUE would involve vetting and agreed responsibilities. Taking part, wearing the mark or buying an item does not confer representative status.
Read about the organization07 / Common questions
A few things
you might want to know.
From who can take part to what comes next. You can also ask a question of your own.
Who can take part?
The movement welcomes people across ages, backgrounds, professions and interests. You don't need to share a particular identity or have a connection to an industry. Any practical conditions for a particular activity will be included in its invitation.
Where is OPAQUE beginning?
In Oslo. The idea comes from everyday experiences of wanting to meet people and feel part of a place. We hope it can be useful elsewhere, while beginning with what we can build here.
Do I need to be outgoing?
You can listen, ask a small question or take time to settle into an activity. Different ways of participating are welcome. There is no performance to prepare.
What can we talk about or do?
Everyday life, a shared interest, something one of you is making or a question you'd like to explore. Technology, design, nature, creativity and many other subjects can offer a beginning. Follow what both people enjoy.
Do we have to agree?
You can keep different views while listening carefully and treating each other with respect. Curiosity involves hearing what someone means. Harassment and dehumanising behaviour undermine that invitation.
Do I have to share personal experiences?
You choose what you want to discuss. An ordinary interest or a small observation is enough. You can pass on a question, change the subject or end the conversation.
What has happened so far?
The founder has hosted a dinner in Oslo bringing together more than 30 people from different parts of his life, many meeting for the first time. Another gathering and further approaches to everyday connection are being developed.
Read the founder’s account ↑When is the next gathering?
Another gathering is being planned. The confirmed date, location, format and participation details will be shared when they are ready.
What language should I use?
The movement is open across languages. For an individual conversation, find a language or way of communicating that works for both people. When we announce an organised activity, we'll include its language arrangements. The website's conversation questions currently offer English and Norwegian options.
Explore the question collection ↗Is there a membership fee or ticket?
Costs, if any, and booking requirements will be stated in each gathering's details before you decide to take part.
Does the logo mean someone is available to talk?
The mark expresses connection to OPAQUE. Someone's availability is a separate choice for the moment. Ask whether a hello is welcome and respect the answer.
Is OPAQUE a registered nonprofit?
We intend to establish a nonprofit organization supporting the movement. Its structure and formal arrangements are still being developed.
Can I help or suggest an activity?
Yes. Get in touch with what you would enjoy sharing and what you can realistically offer. Hosting, making, listening, organising and sharing a skill can each contribute. We can discuss what fits the current work.
Share an idea ↗