Are you tired of meeting a pseudo random group of acquaintances on a Friday night where the main focus of the evening seems to be the consumption of alcoholic beverages to the sound of pounding music whilst trying to hear what the other person is saying. Whilst your response has to be shouted in order to be heard.

If so, the the Hong Kong Junto Club might be for you.

The original Junto was a club established in 1727 by Benjamin Franklin for mutual improvement in Philadelphia. Also known as the Leather Apron Club, its purpose was to debate questions of morals, politics, and natural philosophy, and to exchange knowledge of business affairs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junto_(club)

Here is what Benjamin Franklin had to say about Junto in his autobiography

"I should have mentioned before, that, in the autumn of the preceding year, [1727] I had form'd most of my ingenious acquaintance into a club of mutual improvement, which we called the Junto; we met on Friday evenings. The rules that I drew up required that every member, in his turn, should produce one or more queries on any point of Morals, Politics, or Natural Philosophy, to be discuss'd by the company; and once in three months produce and read an essay of his own writing, on any subject he pleased.

Our debates were to be under the direction of a president, and to be conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for dispute or desire of victory; and to prevent warmth, all expressions of positiveness in opinions, or direct contradiction, were after some time made contraband, and prohibited under small pecuniary penalties."

This is the list of questions Franklin devised to guide the discussions at Junto meetings:

1. Have you met with any thing in the author you last read, remarkable, or suitable to be communicated to the Junto? particularly in history, morality, poetry, physics, travels, mechanic arts, or other parts of knowledge?
2. What new story have you lately heard agreeable for telling in conversation?
3. Hath any citizen in your knowledge failed in his business lately, and what have you heard of the cause?
4. Have you lately heard of any citizen’s thriving well, and by what means?
5. Have you lately heard how any present rich man, here or elsewhere, got his estate?
6. Do you know of any fellow citizen, who has lately done a worthy action, deserving praise and imitation? or who has committed an error proper for us to be warned against and avoid?
7. What unhappy effects of intemperance have you lately observed or heard? of imprudence? of passion? or of any other vice or folly?
8. What happy effects of temperance? of prudence? of moderation? or of any other virtue?
9. Have you or any of your acquaintance been lately sick or wounded? If so, what remedies were used, and what were their effects?
10. Who do you know that are shortly going [on] voyages or journeys, if one should have occasion to send by them?
11. Do you think of any thing at present, in which the Junto may be serviceable to mankind? to their country, to their friends, or to themselves?
12. Hath any deserving stranger arrived in town since last meeting, that you heard of? and what have you heard or observed of his character or merits? and whether think you, it lies in the power of the Junto to oblige him, or encourage him as he deserves?
13. Do you know of any deserving young beginner lately set up, whom it lies in the power of the Junto any way to encourage?
14. Have you lately observed any defect in the laws, of which it would be proper to move the legislature an amendment? Or do you know of any beneficial law that is wanting?
15. Have you lately observed any encroachment on the just liberties of the people?
16. Hath any body attacked your reputation lately? and what can the Junto do towards securing it?
17. Is there any man whose friendship you want, and which the Junto, or any of them, can procure for you?
18. Have you lately heard any member’s character attacked, and how have you defended it?
19. Hath any man injured you, from whom it is in the power of the Junto to procure redress?
20. In what manner can the Junto, or any of them, assist you in any of your honourable designs?
21. Have you any weighty affair in hand, in which you think the advice of the Junto may be of service?
22. What benefits have you lately received from any man not present?
23. Is there any difficulty in matters of opinion, of justice, and injustice, which you would gladly have discussed at this time?
24. Do you see any thing amiss in the present customs or proceedings of the Junto, which might be amended.

These are the questions you need to answer to before you can become a member of Hong Kong Junto Club.

 

1. Do you sincerely declare that you love mankind in general, of what profession or religion soever? Answer choices. "I do." or "I do not."
2. Do you think any person ought to be harmed in his body, name, or goods, for mere speculative opinions, or his external way of worship? Answer choices; "Yes." or "No.
3. Do you love truth for truth's sake, and will you endeavor impartially to find and receive it yourself, and communicate it to others? Answer choices.  "Yes" or "No"
4. If you are accepted as a member, do you agree, periodically, to answer this question; "Have you any particular disrespect to any present members?"  Answer choices; "Yes." or  "No."
5. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your formal education. (Please write a minimum of 300 words.)

Please be aware that Hong Kong Junto Club is concerned about the quality of membership rather than the quantity, and to this end, there is a vetting process.  So after your initial application there may be some follow-up questions.

In your answers to these follow-up questions, please pay close attention to correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.  

Please answer fully enough to permit us to judge your ability to express reasoned thought. 

 

Each meeting of Hong Kong Junto Club will will have up to a maximum of 12 attendees and will meet weekly on Friday at 7:00 pm.  After about two hours or so we usually go for something to eat.