A Recipe for a Good Conversation

First, a low lit venue: a campfire or bar,
so people speak their opinion, not what's polite.
Music should be present, but not intrusive.
Make sure the beer or wine is chilled
(Mix drinks take too much effort, and distract attention)

Questions should encourage expansive answers
rather than constrained to one word.
The order should be as follows, first humorous topics,
then a bit of tragedy to get serious (though humor throughout is welcome).

It helps to have conversationalists who elicit others' participation.
And remember to listen and learn and I'll try to remember too.
Oh, and you need a manageable size, say two to six.
unless subgroups can readily form.

The outcomes are never identical
and substitutions on the fly may be necessary.