The Thinkers' Club

The experience of being a woman can be explored through different areas of life: society at large, dating and relationships, and friendships. In society, women often face a mix of expanding opportunities and lingering expectations, from pressures around appearance and caregiving to questions of equality in the workplace. In dating, women may find themselves balancing desires for connection and partnership with concerns about safety, respect, and being genuinely seen for who they are. Friendships among women are often described as emotionally supportive and intimate, though they can also be shaped by competition or social pressures.

• What cultural shifts most influence how women define success today?
• How has the idea of “having it all” shaped women’s experiences?
• Do you think opportunities for women outweigh the pressures they face?
• In what ways do safety and autonomy remain daily concerns for women?
• Does modern gender equality still mask deeper structural inequalities?

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?