Placeholder: A long essay about attention
Why: Makes a surprisingly good case that boredom is a skill worth practicing.
A reading and conversation society, New York City
We’re a group of people that never quite outgrew their love of the classroom, the seminar table, the reading list, and the bonds made through it all. The Pit is a way to build a new version of that life beyond the campus gates.
Come across something you want to talk about with other people? Send it to our submission form with a quick line on why.
At the end of the work week, we’ll send you an email with the week’s latest submissions. Enjoy them over the weekend, at your own pace.
By Sunday night, vote your favorites. Our leaderboard is updated every couple of days so you can see where things stand.
At the end of the month, we’ll meet to discuss the top four. Read at least one before you come. We’ll start with a few questions to get the room talking, then carry on where the night takes us.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, the conversation pit was a hallmark of European and North American interior design. Built-in seating was installed in the depressed section of a room’s floor, facing each other and bringing folks together in conversation. Our goal is to create a similar experience: bring people together over shared interests and ideas, evoking the same pit that came generations before.
Everything members have sent in so far. Read what catches your eye, then vote through the link in Friday’s email.
Why: Makes a surprisingly good case that boredom is a skill worth practicing.
Why: It reads like a short story, and it changed my mind about urban planning.
Why: Two people who disagree, politely, for the whole time.
The four pieces at the top when voting closes are the ones we’ll discuss at the end-of-month event.
| # | Piece | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A long essay about attentionThe Example Review | 14 |
| 2 | A profile of a city that no longer existsExample Quarterly | 11 |
| 3 | A three-hour interview worth the three hoursExample Podcast | 9 |
| 4 | Placeholder fourth entryExample Source | 7 |
| 5 | Placeholder fifth entryExample Source | 5 |
The bold rows are the current top four.
Haven’t voted yet? The voting link is at the bottom of every Friday email, and votes are due by Sunday night. Join the list to get it.
One evening a month, we sit down together and talk about the four pieces that won the vote.
We start by pairing up around a few opening questions, so nobody has to walk up to a stranger cold. Then we move to the pieces. Each of the four gets a corner of the room, and you can drift between them or stay with the one you read. Afterward the evening is open, and it usually runs late.
Come anyway, especially if you’ve read one piece properly. The goal is a good conversation, not a quiz.
Every Friday we’ll send you the week’s submissions and a link to vote, with votes due by Sunday night. Once a month, you’ll get an invitation to the gathering.
One email a week, and you can unsubscribe at any time. We won’t share your address with anyone.
Membership is free. All we ask is that you submit something now and then, vote when you can, and read at least one piece before you come to a gathering. See how it works for the full picture.