The Thinkers' Club

The experience of being a man can be explored through different areas of life: society at large, dating and relationships, and friendships. In society, men often face pressure to embody traditional ideals of strength, independence, and financial success, even as those expectations are being challenged by changing cultural norms. In dating, men may still feel the weight of initiating and providing, while also navigating newer ideals of equality and partnership. Friendships, too, can vary widely — some shaped by camaraderie and humor, others limited by unspoken rules about vulnerability and openness.

• Do you think men today face more pressure or more freedom in defining their identity?
• Is modern masculinity more about responsibility, resilience, or vulnerability?
• In what ways do traditional roles for men persist in work, family, or friendships?
• How do cultural expectations around masculinity shape men’s mental health?
• How should society balance challenging stereotypes with respecting personal choice and authenticity?

The question of whether we should separate the art from the artist asks whether a work can — or should — be judged independently of its creator’s personal behavior, beliefs, or moral failures. Supporters of separation argue that art can take on a life of its own, holding meaning and value beyond the intentions or flaws of its creator. Critics counter that art is inseparable from context, and that continuing to praise or consume it can implicitly excuse (or even reward) harmful actions. The debate often intensifies when artists are accused of serious wrongdoing, raising questions about complicity, accountability, and power.

• Is it possible to truly experience a work of art without being influenced by what we know about its creator?
• How does knowing about Roman Polanski’s or Woody Allen’s personal controversies affect your view of their films?
• Do different art forms (literature, film, music, visual art) make separation easier or harder?
• Should purchasing an artist’s work — like music by R. Kelly or Chris Brown — be seen as endorsing their behavior?
• How should historical distance affect this debate — do we judge long-dead artists differently from living ones?
• What does this debate reveal about our expectations of artists as moral figures versus creative ones?

Tonight, Randy Mayle (moderator of The Thinkers’ Club) will present both his Three Worlds Philosophy and some new polls to help in the instruction and application of the Philosophy in today’s religious and philosophical environment.

As a brief introduction, the Three Worlds Philosophy declares that every religion and philosophical system, including atheism, is a creation and expression of one of three worlds. Accordingly, each of us are either consciously or unconsciously participating in the creation of one of these three worlds.

Do you know which world you are creating?

Despite steady headlines and official reassurances, there are growing concerns that the U.S. economy may be heading toward turbulent waters. Years of artificially low interest rates fueled borrowing, inflated asset prices, and left both the public and private sectors carrying historically high levels of debt. As interest rates rise to control inflation, the cost of servicing that debt increases, threatening slower growth and financial instability. Meanwhile, soaring gold and silver prices read as warning signals of eroding trust in fiat currency and conventional monetary policy. These dynamics invite comparisons to the 1970s, when inflation and stagnation coexisted and steadily weakened purchasing power. The open question is whether today’s economic strains are part of a necessary correction after extraordinary policy measures, or early signs of a more serious and prolonged economic storm.

• To what extent are today’s economic risks the delayed consequences of prolonged low interest rates, versus the result of more recent shocks (pandemic, geopolitics)?
• Can central banks realistically control inflation without triggering a financial crisis, given current debt levels?
• Do rising gold and silver prices signal declining trust in the dollar, or are they simply another speculative hedge in uncertain times?
• How convincing is the comparison between today’s economy and the stagflation of the 1970s — and where do the similarities/differences break down?
• If warning signs are already visible, what would meaningful preparation look like at the individual, community, or national level?