Session #8 - Utopias and Dystopias (Huxley and Orwell)

“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”
― George Orwell, 1984

If you've ever read, (or watched the movies based on) the works made by these 2 British writers: George Orwell's "1984" , or the "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley, then you will want to come to this session. We will discuss both fictional societies, speak about the different approaches and try to answer few questions at the end.
"Anthem" by Ayn Rand could be mentioned.

Session Outline

1. Introductions (30 minutes)
   Quick round of introductions. We hope that you are previously familiar with the novels or researched a bit, still, we will give a super short summary of both novels and a context of the authors, for those who need a refresh.
2. Group Research Time (30 minutes)
   We will divide participants into groups (or individuals) according to preferences:
   1. Main differences/ commonalities of both worlds (what are the authors criticizing?)
   2. Is an Utopia possible without oppression?
   3. Is an individualistic Utopia possible?

The goal is for everyone to leave the session having learned something new.

3. Group Discussion (1 hour)
   After our research, everyone will have a turn to share their findings with the group, and we'll debate our findings. And finally we will decide if we want to live in an utopia.

What to Bring: A notebook is recommended.

RSVP: Please confirm your attendance on Meetup so we can secure enough space.

Questions: if you have questions, please bring them to the facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/budapestphilosophy/