Vision Fish are considered by some to be an entirely different species of human. This of course is not true, though probably like many untruths there is some truth in it. Vision Fish are distinguished not by biology, but by orientation: they consistently look beyond the immediate moment, sensing patterns, futures, and purposes that are not yet fully formed.
Within the Hitchhiker Project, the Vision Fish serve as the **holders of purpose**, **advisors**, and **mentors**. They are entrusted with safeguarding the long-term intent of the project while remaining adaptable to new knowledge, discoveries, and realities.
# Role
The primary aim of the Vision Fish is to build and sustain a **network of advisors** who work closely with the Fellows. Together, they support the drafting of the Hitchhiker Constitution and guide the broader intellectual and practical work of the project.
Their role is not to govern, command, or decide unilaterally, but to: * Clarify purpose when it becomes obscured * Ask difficult or unfamiliar questions * Identify inconsistencies, blind spots, and unexamined assumptions * Help align present actions with long-term goals
Vision Fish operate at the intersection of vision and practicality, ensuring that ideals are grounded and that implementation does not drift away from intent.
# Advisors and Mentors
As advisors and mentors, Vision Fish work directly with Fellows on: * **Research** — framing questions, identifying meaningful lines of inquiry, and contextualizing findings * **Writing** — refining arguments, improving clarity, and strengthening narrative coherence * **Building** — translating ideas into systems, structures, and experiments * **Publishing Guides** — ensuring that Guides are accessible, accurate, ethically grounded, and aligned with the Hitchhier ethos
Mentorship is collaborative rather than hierarchical. Vision Fish do not provide answers so much as cultivate the conditions in which better answers can emerge.
# The Hitchhiker Constitution
One of the central responsibilities of the Vision Fish is participation in the drafting and iterative refinement of the **Hitchhiker Constitution**. This document is not treated as static law, but as a living framework that: * Defines shared values and principles * Establishes boundaries and responsibilities * Encourages experimentation while preserving coherence * Provides continuity across generations of Fellows
Vision Fish act as stewards of this process, helping ensure that the Constitution remains both meaningful and adaptable.
# Ethos and Characteristics
While there is no formal requirement to become a Vision Fish, they tend to share certain traits: * Comfort with uncertainty and ambiguity * A long time horizon * Deep listening and careful speech * Intellectual humility paired with moral seriousness * A preference for synthesis over polarization
They are expected to challenge consensus when necessary and to support it when it proves resilient.
# Relationship to Fellows
The relationship between Vision Fish and Fellows is one of **mutual respect**. Fellows bring energy, experimentation, and novel perspectives. Vision Fish contribute context, memory, and foresight. Neither role is complete without the other.
In practice, Vision Fish are most effective when they are present but not dominant—visible enough to guide, quiet enough to allow discovery.
# Closing Note
The Vision Fish are not a ruling class, nor an oracle. They are a responsibility-bearing role within the Hitchhier Project: to hold purpose when it wavers, to remember when others are moving fast, and to help imagine futures that are worth building.
Like the name suggests, they swim in deep water—not apart from the project, but slightly ahead of it, watching where the currents might lead.
# See - Hitchhiker Institute - Hitchhiker Foundation