Secret Society

**Unleash Your Voice at Society Speakers** > **Next Session: Wed 20th May \| 7PM \| Oxford St\, London** Whether you're pitching investors, cracking jokes at open mics, or giving a toast that doesn’t tank—**public speaking is your secret weapon**. And the only way to master it? Practice. (And ideally, not alone.) At **Society Speakers**, we give you the mic—and the *confidence* to own it. **Here’s what goes down:** * 3 prepared speeches (5–7 mins) * Lightning-round impromptu speeches (1–2 mins) * Constructive, empowering feedback * Laughs, insights, and mic-drop moments **As a guest:** You can chill and observe—or jump in with a mini speech if you're feeling spicy. **When & Where** Every 1st and 3rd Wednesday 7PM (doors), 7:10PM (kick-off) 📍 Speak Up London, 139 Oxford St, London W1D 2JA 🍻 **Afterglow** We wrap at 9PM and head to the pub for drinks and debriefs. Great convos, zero pressure.

This year’s films all revolve around the theme of “**choice**” – plenty of opportunity for philosophical exploration! **This month:** After years of inexplicable confinement, a man is abruptly released and given a finite window to discover why his life was stolen. What follows is a tightening web of decisions, each one shaped by ignorance, memory, and manipulation. As he pursues the truth, the boundaries between freedom and control begin to blur: are his choices genuinely his own, or merely the final steps in a path laid out long before he could see it? The story presses on a troubling possibility: that knowing more does not necessarily make us freer, and that some choices, once revealed, cannot be unchosen. **Can you guess the film? Or come and find out on the day!** **Health warning:** violence & distressing content Pre-explore via **Rational Grid**: [https://rationalgrid.ai/g/philosophical-themes-in-oldboy-park-chan-wook-200-13a244/graph ](https://rationalgrid.ai/g/philosophical-themes-in-oldboy-park-chan-wook-200-13a244/graph) PFA Film Club hosts free screenings of thought-provoking films, followed by a discussion about the raised philosophical issues, for general public. In 2026 meetings are held every third WEDNESDAY of the month at the Cafe of St. Hilda's East Community Centre, 18 Club Row, London E2 7EY. The nearest station is **Shoreditch High Street** on the Overground. **This screening will start at 6pm** and we need to vacate the building by 9:00pm. We offer complimentary light refreshments during the event. For the most up-to-date schedule of the upcoming film club events, visit our [website](http://pfalondon.org/#rec767601373).

A **smaller, quieter, and less rushed** edition of THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS. At TEiP DEEP, we have the chance to spend a whole hour and a half on **one thought experiment**, exploring different perspectives, coming up with new questions, listening and learning from one another. **How it works:** \- We split into small groups for each chapter of the thought experiment \(3\-4\)\. \- We shuffle every 25 mins to meet new people and change things up\. \- And at the end we'll have a brief group reflection\, sharing ideas and insights \- this will be lightly facilitated to ensure that everyone has a chance to speak if they want to \(no pressure\)\. Some simple ground rules to keep our conversation the best it can be: * respect for one another’s perspectives, beliefs, time (etc.) * confidentiality of personal stories * own your perspective * you don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. Our aim is the same as our bigger Thought Experiments in Pubs meetups: **a chance to meet and talk at about meaningful, thought provoking things**. Although we’ll be going a bit ‘deeper’, we’ll keep the intention to have an enjoyable evening, with good humour and fun. Places are limited to 15-20 people and tickets are £5. Please update your RSVP if you can no longer attend so that someone else can have your place. **Who should come:** Everyone! We believe that the more perspectives, the richer the conversation. This group is not about being experts in Philosophy, it is about *doing* philosophy. That is, bringing our various life experiences and lenses on the world to group discussions about the human experience, the nature of reality... etc. etc.... **Where we'll meet:** The Fitzroy Tavern in Fitzrovia. The nearest Tube stations are Goodge Street and Tottenham Court Road. Looking forward to meeting & talking with you :-) #inclusivity #openmindedness #deepdive #TEiPdeep #philosophy #greatconversations **[SUBSTACK](https://experimentsingroupwisdom.substack.com/)** \- reflections\, invitations and newsletter **[WHATSAPP GROUP](https://chat.whatsapp.com/D13LHw5BV3rEtUtO3ORklC)** \- stay in the loop **[INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/thoughtexperimentsinpubs/)** \- see what we look like **[FACEBOOK](www.facebook.com/thoughtexperimentsinpub)** \- ditto **[WEBSITE](www.alltogether.one)** \- everything else

There's no better way to break up the week than with a run beside the river with a bunch of friendly people. So why not join us for our regular Wednesday evening meetup! Please sign up here or on our Strava page, which includes the route: [https://www.strava.com/clubs/LondonSocialRunners](https://www.strava.com/clubs/LondonSocialRunners) We meet outside the National Theatre (NT) main entrance (river side), setting off at 7pm. Our route is a 7.5km (4.7 miles) loop around the river crossing Tower Bridge and finishing on Waterloo Bridge. Everyone runs their own pace and we welcome all levels of runners. We do ask that you are comfortable with this distance and are able to run at a pace of at least 6 min/km. After the run we go for a drink at The Understudy (KERB at the National Theatre). The NT have cloakrooms which anyone can use as a bag drop, though this can’t always be guaranteed. As of April 2026 there is a charge of £1.50 per item. If you find yourself unable to attend, out of courtesy to the host and other attendees, we ask that you update your RSVP so we know who will be joining us on the night!

Join OverBoard to play the brilliant social deduction game Blood on the Clocktower in person at the brand new board game cafe Otter Chaos in Brixton. If you haven’t heard of Blood on the Clocktower before it is an evolution of classic party games like Mafia/Werewolf where a hidden evil team takes on the good team by lying and killing. The good team has a few tricks up their sleeve but will have to work together to deduce who the evil doers are in their midst. **This is a beginner friendly event so no experience with the game is necessary.** Please note that a gaming cover charge of \~£5 will be payable by each attendee to the venue so that we can make use of the space. We also encourage you to buy food and drink from the bar so we are supporting the business (I can highly recommend their pizzas!) If you want to know more about the rules of the game check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-aZP47Nm9g

Midweek football in the park for guys and gals is here. Take advantage of Summer( ho ho) We play Football every week on Sunday in Hyde Park all year round and this is a bonus. This event plus members in out WhatsApp group with 200 members will conjure up a game. This event is for this weeks Football at Google location code 51.510441, -0.159770 . Join our WhatsApp group to get all access, to get all info send you number to 07531368319. This version of meetup events only allows 10 attendees, but there will actually be more than 10. Come and join the guys who do it best and do it on a social level. We play every Sunday in the nicest central Park in London. Easy access to and from everywhere. It is all free. You need to bring football boots, your clothing that includes 1 black top ( or very dark) Plus 1 red top. Meet friends, get some adrenalin out and score goals that you dream about. message me on 07531368319 for live location before the event I will upload an image of a map of our location next to Speakers corner. See you there A

**Hit, laugh, reset your week.** Join us for a relaxed tennis session followed by a short, low-key park social. * 📍 Location: Park Hill Recreation Ground, Croydon (1-2 courts booked – details shared after approval) * 🕒 Schedule: 11:00am – 1:00pm → Tennis (doubles rotation) 1:00pm – 1:30pm → Park social (wind-down activity) * 🎾 Tennis All levels welcome (yes, beginners too) We rotate regularly so everyone plays Focus is fun > competition ✅ **Approval & No-Show Policy** * RSVPs must be approved before attending * You’ll get confirmation within 24–48 hours * If you can’t make it, please update early 👉 No-shows without notice may lose priority for future events 🎒 **What to bring** * Tennis racket (we may have 1–2 spares) * Water bottle * Comfortable clothes/trainers * Optional: small blanket or towel for the park Come for the tennis, stay for the people. 🎾 *Pictures and Videos may be taken for marketing purposes.* *All attendees consent to the use of their pictures by The* Second Serve Social 🎾

New and Experienced Players Welcome! 🤗 Ever played Werewolf, Mafia or Secret Hitler? Well this game is like that but on steroids! 😈😇 Ever watched The Traitors and wished you could have a turn? Well now you can! Suitable for complete beginners, experienced veterans and everyone in between, we Play **'Blood on the Clocktower'** a game where you never know who you can trust... A great way to meet new people in a fun interactive way, at a bar serving food and drinks Continue reading for a general description of the game: Blood on the Clocktower is a bluffing game enjoyed by 5 to 20 players on opposing teams of Good and Evil, overseen by an experienced Storyteller. During a 'day' phase players socialize openly and whisper privately to trade knowledge or spread lies, culminating in a player's execution if a majority suspects them of being Evil. At 'night' time, players close their eyes and some are woken one at a time by the Storyteller to gather information, spread mischief, or kill. Use all your powers of deduction and deception to survive this game of murder and mystery. The game will be fully explained at the event. However if you'd like to learn more now watch: https://youtu.be/M-aZP47Nm9g?feature=shared

***"In this complex and terrible development which has carried the epoch of class struggles toward new conditions, the proletariat of the industrial countries has completely lost the affirmation of its autonomous perspective and also, in the last analysis, its illusions, but not its being. It has not been suppressed. It remains irreducibly in existence within the intensified alienation of modern capitalism[.]"*** **\- Guy Debord\, *The Society of the Spectacle*** Welcome back readers! By popular request, we're bringing back (for a new generation of LMRG readers) an old favourite: the always-relevant Guy Debord and his masterful *Society of the Spectacle*. This is meeting two, where we'll be reading the fourth, fifth and sixth chapters. Find the classic text here: https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/debord/society.htm Or an alternative, possibly more readable translation here: [https://files.libcom.org/files/The%20Society%20of%20the%20Spectacle%20Annotated%20Edition.pdf](https://files.libcom.org/files/The%20Society%20of%20the%20Spectacle%20Annotated%20Edition.pdf) Often maligned as theorymaxxed nonsense but little-read, this slim volume is certainly dense with ideas - all of which carry as much relevance today as those half-forgotten postwar years when the Situationist International made its mark on the world, if not more. With the rise of the Internet and social media, the decline of literacy and the closing of the mass mind, the endless doom-loop of doomscrolling and bed-rotting, increasingly performative protest, the commodification of everything, the Epstein-approved culture war, and the theatre of spectacular cruelty that is imperialist colonial policy from Gaza to Venezuela, we really are living an age where everything that was once directly participated in has passed into representation. Every hand-grip one searches for to get some kind of grasp on the world seems to be a mirage; "participation" in anything, from politics to culture, has been reduced to fandom - limited to nothing more than expressing approval or disapproval through totally mediated social media platforms. Above it all stands an utterly corrupt, irresponsible elite class more and more transparent in how it relishes in conspiratorial play, power-games with unlimited stakes for us and no consequences for them. Such a world where power wears a shit-eating grin and keeps us off our balance by endlessly[ "flooding the zone"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_the_zone) (in Steve Bannon's terms) with distractions so intricate they short-circuit the collective brain is exactly what Debord not only predicted but described in frightening detail, with more than a little bit of humour. So let's dig in and find out: just what can we do to unplug from the spectacle? Is the spectacle even un-plug-from-able? Debord haters, cope and seethe: as a much more orthodox Marxist than he ever gets credit for, there really are some strategies in here. We just need to be creative. Take care and happy reading!

SCIENTOLOGY **TOOLS** **FOR LIFE** What if you had simple tools which you could use to improve your relationship with others? What if a step-by-step procedure could help you achieve your goals in life? What if you could learn the secret to mastering any subject you wanted to master? Come and find out!

**A gem of a life drawing session in our secret hideaway - a good vibes intimate sit down drawing session with wonderful models and lighting** Vaulty Towers really is a very special venue with a wonderful atmosphere- walk through the main bar with its glittery décor and down the little staircase into the twinkly hideaway downstairs where the life drawing magic happens! As with all our drop in classes- expect professional tutors and models in an inspiring and unique space. With poses from 30 seconds to one hour- there is something for everyone. This is a general life drawing class with tuition for beginners and advice for those who are more experienced, all designed to encourage you to develop your own style and approach. **Please don’t come to class if you feel ill- you can rebook to another date- just email info@londondrawing.com** Materials available to buy, or bring your own- Paper 20p per sheet, charcoal 25p per stick **Sunday Secret Sketch** **Every Sunday** **3.30-5.30pm** **£15 / £10 students and under 25's** **We also run [Saturday Secret Sketch session](https://londondrawing.com/buy-tickets-for-saturday-secret-sketch-including-session-information/)** **11-1pm Every Saturday** **And a second Sunday Secret Sketch** **1-3pm every Sunday** **Drop in and pay cash or paypal on the door** **PayPal link:** **[PayPal.Me](https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/LondonDrawing)** Or buy tickets here: [BUY TICKETS HERE](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sunday-secret-sketch-weekly-drop-in-life-drawing-waterloo-tickets-426778555147) **Venue:** **Vaulty Towers** **34 Lower Marsh** **London** **SE1 7RG**

🌌Ever look up and marvel with insatiable curiosity at the beauty and wonder of the **universe?** That wild sobering thought that somewhere in the chaos of creation - through the emergence of us - the universe became **conscious** enough to look back in time and not just ask the existential questions, but try to answer them. 🚀 Join fellow big picture and deep thinkers to take a look at **Venus,** **Jupiter** along with planet's potential life‑harbouring **moons**, iconic beautiful **star fields**, the remnants of supernovae witnessed by our earliest ancestors, **multi‑star systems** reminiscent of the twin suns of *Star Wars* and even **Tau Ceti**, a star hosting two Earth‑like worlds in its habitable zone. All of this under the spring evening - with drinks, engaging conversation, and good‑natured banter — this May. In between observing - we'll have **drinks and engaging chats** on all astronomy related topics for those inclined: Space exploration \| Fermi Paradox \| Astrobiology \| Cosmology \| paleontology\, \| SETI & Drake Equation for alien civilisations estimates \| exoplanetology etc as well as non space chats and banter too\. No doubt we'll hear the usual jokes we've all heard before\! If those don't make you laugh\, my impersonation of Los Angeles ET will\! 👽 And to help set the mood and make the night feel even extra stary, I’ll put my DJ hat to play some space‑theme tunes and songs about the stars! You don't need a telescope as you will be able to view through scopes belonging to me and other club members (as long as you behave responsibly and don't temper with expensive equipment). If you have your own telescope/binoculars feel free to bring along and I can help you setting it up if you're a newbie **==== ITINERARY =====** We will meet outside H&I Station in Highbury Islington. After a short wait for anyone delayed, I will escort everyone to our observation point in the local park 5 minutes walk away and brief you in terms of what to expect, observing etiquette, tips, equipment handling and take any questions you have - weather general or astronomy/cosmology related. **After Drinks:** Unless I have a very important 9AM Tue deadline for a unfinished client presentation or something - most of us usually head to a cosy bar for a drink. If so - I will annouce the pub when we leave the park **==== What Can You Expect To See (this time of year)? ====** * Orion Nebula * Jupiter and 4 moons * Meteors * Andromedia Galaxy * Star clusters such as the Pleiades & Owl Cluster etc * International Space station fly by * Binary & tripple star systems (think planet *Tatooine in* Starwars!), * Neptune * Uranuus * Our moon * A look towards the galactic centre of the Mlikyway where that supermassive £22b Labour black hole sits (Sagittarius A) More here from Jodrell Bank Observatory/Astrophysics Centre: [http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/](http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/) Guide to viewing the cosmos for beginners: [https://phys.org/news/2018-05-universe-distant-starstips-cosmology-backyard.html#jCp](https://phys.org/news/2018-05-universe-distant-starstips-cosmology-backyard.html#jCp) **===Weather Dependent=====** The event is subject to clear skies forecasts on the night so if on the actual afternoon of the event the weather forecasts looks unsuitable beyond doubt then I will postpone so please check the event status on the day of the event . If this event is still listed here at 5PM on the day, it will be going ahead at the designated day and time! Lucas Skywalker - The Singin, Dancin, DJ-in Astronomer

Here is a recap of how the Club works: 1\. We meet every six weeks or so in or near the National Theatre\. 2\. We vote in advance and pick two articles from a short list to read before we meet\. Usually one relates to politics/current affairs and the other to history\, culture or science\. 3\. We talk about each one for around half an hour and the beauty of Article Club is that we can think more deeply about the broader themes of a topic\, and how well the article gets to grips with them\. 4\. We each give a score out of 10 for the articles that have been discussed\. 5\. We set the date for the next Article Club and sometimes adjourn to the pub\. I will post in the comments a Google form that you can use to vote for the articles you would like to read and discuss at this event. The point of Article Club is to challenge ourselves to read a diverse range of articles, share them with like-minded people and deal with our anxiety that we aren't reading books. Article Club was set up by Ross Bailey in 2015 who did a fantastic job at running it. Ross was followed by the equally fantastic Claire Ferraro and I (Alistair Baker) have been in the chair for the past seven and a half years. OUR NEXT MEETUP: ARTICLE CLUB #76 Thursday 21st May 2026 - 7:30pm to around 9:15pm. We sit on the soft round seats in the Lyttelton Theatre bar on the first floor.

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia

Come attend a free in-person seminar where you will find out why you: -Feel isolated -Can't express yourself openly -Get nervous or anxious in front of people -Run out of things to say or feel tongue-tied -Feel introverted -Don't feel comfortable in any social setting -Can't make more friends -Are shy and miss opportunities to connect in a meaningful way And we cover what you can do about any one, some or all of the above. This seminar is the weapon against loneliness, isolation and boredom, come join us! COME TO THIS SEMINAR AND LEARN THE SECRETS TODAY This seminar is brought to you by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center. 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215

For the last 5 years, Central Ohio Friends and Columbus Social Connection have teamed up for some incredible nights out and some of the biggest social events in Columbus with our biggest combined event bringing out 80+ people. ⚠️ Please only RSVP through ONE group to help keep headcount accurate. Now we’re celebrating where it all started. On Friday, May 22, we’ll be joining Central Ohio Friends 🍻 **Starting at** Brothers Bar & Grill in the Arena District the same place their very first event was held back in 2021. Whether you’ve been to one of our events before or **have been waiting for the right one to come out to,** this is a great one to jump into. Stop scrolling. Start doing stuff. If you find value in these events consider contributing Link can be found in comments!

Interested? Contact Preston Moore k.preston.moore@gmail.com 614-300-5989 ———————————— Engaging in men’s work is the new way to forge friendships while being open-minded to personal growth. Many men experience healthier relationships, personally and professionally, by engaging in this work. Open Men’s Group is a container for men to share vulnerably without receiving judgment or feedback. We believe that emotionally mature, powerful, compassionate, and purpose-driven men will help heal some of society’s deepest wounds. We support the powerful brilliance of men and we are willing to look at, and take full responsibility for, the pain we are also capable of creating – and suffering. We care deeply about men, our families, communities, and the planet. Visit ManKind Project USA to discover more. https://mkpusa.org/

Join us for a free in-person seminar where you will get knowledge and tools to build your confidence. Do you ever: -Feel isolated -Can't express yourself openly -Get nervous or anxious in front of people -Run out of things to say or feel tongue-tied -Feel introverted -Don't feel comfortable in any social setting -Can't make more friends -Are shy and miss opportunities to connect in a meaningful way At this workshop we will cover what you can do about any one, some or all of the above. This seminar is the weapon against loneliness, isolation and boredom, come join us! COME TO THIS SEMINAR AND LEARN THE SECRETS TODAY This seminar is brought to you by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center. 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215