h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There's suddenly been an explosion, a proliferation of committees. They've sprouted like mushrooms in the lawn on a rainy autumn day.

And I seem to be *on* most of the damn things!

I'm at a loss to explain how this happened. Being on committees is the kind of thing I tend to steer clear of wherever possible.

I always bite off more than I can chew.

I seem to attract the attention of people who want me to be on committees, too. I try to feel flattered.

It's quite funny. I don't know really what all these committees are for...

If my understanding is correct, the first one was elected, but it's only temporary. It will never actually meet, because by the time it would be due its first meeting, there will be another one in place, instead.

Now, there's a second one, and its entire raison d'être seems to be that it elects who's on the first one (which will never actually meet), or something...

And then there's a third one, which consists of all the same people that are on the second one, plus a couple of others, but I'm not sure what the purpose of the third one is...

Purpose? What need does a committee for that, other than self-perpetuation?