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The GE Big Project | August 2025 to 2028

We gather not just to survive collapse, but to prototype its opposite: interdependence, creativity, courage, and care.

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General Eclectic: A Movement of Making, Meaning, and Belonging

The School of Being is not an island, it’s the living heart of a wider creative constellation that has been quietly forming for years.
This constellation includes the online spaces that have held our ideas, experiments, and conversations:

• General Eclectic – the gathering table for diverse voices, disciplines, and inspirations.
• Being – a reflective space exploring presence, meaning, and the creative life.
• Sparky – where bright ideas meet real-world sparks of change.
• MakeGood – a space for purposeful creation and ethical craft.
• g*arts & culture club – a members and guests club for a more mindful focus on arts and culture.

Together, these sites form a living archive, a record of thought, dialogue, and creative action that now becomes part of a shared movement.

Under the General Eclectic banner, this movement stands for:

• Creative integrity in a noisy, distracted world.
• Human connection through art, craft, and shared learning.
• Inclusion and diversity as essential to cultural richness.
• Practical optimism — turning ideas into things that matter.

The School of Being extends this work into lived, physical spaces; studios, workshops, and gathering places – where creative and visionary ideas meet real-world hands and voices assisted by digital tools and laboratories.

These are the guts of our Manifesto, our Movement, and our Message – to make good things, share them openly, and build a community where everyone has a place in the story.

We use existing communications and technical tools — YouTube, Substack, web publishing, social media — to illuminate, curate, and share what matters, cutting through the noise of the endless and often frightening digital deluge.

Our movement stands for:
• Creative clarity in an age of overload.
• Human connection across disciplines and distances.
• Selective curation as an act of care.

The School of Being is where the archive meets the present moment, and where the General Eclectic spirit — diverse, curious, humane — becomes a lived experience.

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General Eclectic / School of Being

Contributor & Audience Style Guide

1. Tone & Voice

• Warm and inclusive: Write as if speaking to a thoughtful friend. Avoid jargon or exclusivity.
• Curious and open: Embrace diverse perspectives and experiences.
• Respectful and empathetic: Even when disagreeing, remain constructive and kind.
• Balanced humility: Share insights confidently but without ego or dogma.

2. Content & Language

• Clear and concise: Use simple, direct language. Avoid unnecessary complexity.
• Reflective and thoughtful: Encourage personal insight and shared learning.• Positive and hopeful: Focus on possibilities, growth, and connection, rather than deficit or blame.
• Avoid clinical or technical terms when simpler language serves better connection.

3. Feedback & Engagement

• Be generous: When commenting, aim to uplift or constructively add to the conversation.
• Ask questions: Encourage deeper understanding rather than immediate judgment.
• Respect boundaries: Personal stories are gifts; treat them with care and confidentiality.
• Be mindful of tone: Written comments can be easily misunderstood—choose words that foster dialogue, not division.

4. Collaboration & Contribution

• Acknowledge others: Give credit where due, whether ideas, inspiration, or support.
• Be transparent: Share intentions clearly, especially when sharing personal observations or critiques.
• Encourage co-creation: Invite others to build on your ideas and to explore alternatives.
• Stay aligned: Contributions should reflect the General Eclectic values of creativity, care, and connection.

5. Practical Tips for Talks & Observations

• Prepare with empathy: Consider how your message will be received by diverse audiences.
• Use storytelling: Personal experiences and narratives connect best.
• Pause and listen: Allow space for reflection and response.
• Invite participation: Questions, prompts, and shared exercises deepen engagement.

6. Copyright, Open Source & Creative Commons

• Copyright: All original content shared here is automatically protected by copyright law, meaning the creator retains rights to control how it is used or shared. Please respect these rights by not copying or distributing work without permission.
• Open Source: Some materials or tools we share may be open source, meaning their code or content is freely available to use, modify, and share, usually under specific license terms that encourage collaboration and transparency.
• Creative Commons: When content is licensed under Creative Commons (CC), it means the creator allows certain uses of their work without asking for permission first, such as sharing or adapting, often with conditions like attribution or non-commercial use. We aim to use and contribute to CC-licensed work to promote openness and creative exchange.

For questions about specific licensing or reuse, please contact the founder/editor or check the license details provided with each work.

7. Ethical Use of AI Tools

As AI becomes an increasingly accessible part of creative and developmental processes, we encourage everyone involved with General Eclectic / School of Being to follow these guiding principles:

• Transparency: Always disclose when AI tools have been used to generate, edit, or assist in content creation. This builds trust and respects the audience’s right to know.
• Human oversight: Use AI as a supportive tool, not a substitute for human judgment, creativity, or ethical responsibility. Final decisions and content approval should always rest with human contributors.
• Respect for originality: Avoid presenting AI-generated content as solely your own original work without proper acknowledgment, especially in collaborative or public projects.
• Mindful engagement: Recognize the limitations and biases that AI systems can have. Question outputs critically and avoid reinforcing harmful stereotypes or misinformation.
• Privacy and consent: When using AI tools to process personal data, images, or stories, ensure that proper consent is obtained and privacy respected.
• Encourage learning: Use AI tools to enhance learning, exploration, and creativity, rather than to shortcut effort or evade genuine human input.
• Ethical boundaries: Do not use AI-generated content for deceptive, manipulative, or harmful purposes. Uphold the values of honesty, kindness, and respect central to our community.

If in doubt, please reach out to the founder/editor or community moderators for guidance on ethical AI use within our projects.

AI Ethics Quick Reference Checklist

• ☐ Disclose AI Use: Clearly state if AI tools assisted in creating or editing content.
• ☐ Maintain Human Oversight: Ensure a human reviews and approves all AI-generated material.
• ☐ Respect Originality: Do not claim AI-generated work as solely your own without acknowledgment.
• ☐ Question AI Outputs: Critically evaluate AI results to avoid bias or misinformation.
• ☐ Protect Privacy: Obtain consent before processing personal data with AI.
• ☐ Use AI to Learn and Create: Employ AI as a tool to support, not replace, human creativity.
• ☐ Avoid Harm: Never use AI to create deceptive, manipulative, or harmful content.
• ☐ Seek Guidance: When unsure, consult with project leadership or moderators about ethical AI use.

Sign-offs

General Eclectic / School of Being
Founded and edited by Greville Edwards — the human consciousness behind MakeGood, Sparky, Being, and General Eclectic. Curating and sharing from a vast creative archive to bring clarity, connection, and care in an age of digital overload.

Collaborative tone
General Eclectic / School of Being — founded and edited by Greville Edwards, with thanks to all contributors and to you, our reader, listener, and viewer.

Curator’s voice
Curated under the General Eclectic / School of Being banner by Greville Edwards, with gratitude to our collaborators and audience.

Movement focus
A General Eclectic / School of Being project — founded by Greville Edwards and shaped with the ideas, skills, and attention of our community.

Warm and personal
From the General Eclectic / School of Being, with thanks to our contributors and to you for being part of the conversation.

Archival connection
Drawn from the General Eclectic archive and shared through the School of Being — with thanks to all who make and all who listen.