Equality

***"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!

PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST book and pay for your ticket in advance at https://www.privateequitynetwork.co.uk/ The London Family Office & Private Equity Business Networking Committee would like to extend you an invitation to our May 2026 Networking Breakfast to be held in the private lounge of the famous Bonds of Mayfair - and hope you can join us for a delcious pre-work breakfast and productive networking to make new contacts and ideas for 2026+. We now have over 8000 diverse and relevant London members so it’s the perfect opportunity for making new third sector connections. PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST book and pay for your ticket in advance at https://www.privateequitynetwork.co.uk/ ALSO PLEASE NOTE we take most of our event bookings through our website and EventBrite so the numbers booked is much larger than displayed on this Meetup page (normally about 30-50 guests for our breakfast events).

May's Book: The Age of Diagnosis :Are Medical Labels Doing Us More Harm Than Good? by Suzanne O'Sullivan. **A BEST BOOK OF 2025 IN *THE TIMES*, *SUNDAY TIMES*, *FINANCIAL TIMES, GUARDIAN*, *ECONOMIST, OBSERVER, LONDON STANDARD, NEW STATESMAN* AND *IRISH TIMES*** ***'Revelatory. Slices through the contradictions that had tied me in knots.'* \- CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN** ***'So well-written. Raising awareness of something that is critically important.'* \- RANGAN CHATTERJEE** **From autism to allergies, ADHD to long Covid, more people are being labelled with medical conditions than ever before. But can a diagnosis do us more harm than good?** The boundaries between sickness and health are being redrawn. Mental health categories are shifting and expanding all the time, radically altering what we consider to be 'normal'. Genetic tests can now detect pathologies decades before people experience symptoms, and sometimes before they're even born. And increased health screening draws more and more people into believing they are unwell. An accurate diagnosis can bring greater understanding and of course improved treatment. But many diagnoses aren't as definitive as we think. And in some cases they risk turning healthy people into patients. Drawing on the stories of real people, as well as decades of clinical practice and the latest medical research, Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan overturns long held assumptions and reframes how we think about illness and health. The meeting starts at 7:30. Shortly after 7.30, we will break up into small groups. Those familiar with the CLH Book Group meeting know how this works: in each group we take turns introducing ourselves and giving our 1 minute thoughts on the book. It's important not to go over a minute and not to interrupt other people's minute so that everyone gets a chance to participate. After this first round, each group discusses for another 20 minutes or so. We then shuffle the groups so as to talk to as many different people as possible and in the new groups repeat our introductions and 1 minute thoughts. We'll do this a couple of times before coming all together at the end in one last big group. While we are very social and welcoming, the book group's primary focus is on discussing books. Feel free to turn up if you haven't managed to finish this month's book but note that the group works best when we have all read at least half of the book and are prepared to share our opinions. *** £3 per person to attend. If it's your first time, come and try us out for free! If you prefer, you can [pay online, by clicking here](https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZWCNRJ25BDL96). We encourage dialogue, debate and sharing of information on our site but ask people to keep their comments cordial. Any views expressed here are those of the individual posting them and may not reflect those of CLH.

Nipnip provide a free 'Doctor Bike' service each month.

#### Details **This is an external event that we are sharing details about. Please go to [this link](https://www.outsavvy.com/event/34459/invisible-rainbows-book-launch) to sign up if you would like to attend** **The Event** What if the Universe around us is far richer than we can perceive? In *[Invisible Rainbows](https://wiltonsquarebooks.com/products/invisible-rainbows?variant=53139010617671)*, astrophysicist and science journalist Dr Alfredo Carpineti reveals the extraordinary hidden universe beyond the limits of human vision and how we have learnt to harness it. The book comes out on May 21, and we are celebrating with a launch party in the incredible Chats Palace in Homerton. You will experience a bespoke cosmic cocktail (complimentary for the first 50 people) and hear a discussion about space, diversity, and more, between Alfredo and science communicator [Dr Suze Kundu](https://www.suzekundu.com/about). There will be copies of the book available to purchase on the night (you can reserve a copy below) and get it signed, and just have a good time with some fun science discussions and music! **Event Details** Chats Palace, 42-44 Brooksby's Walk, London, E9 6DF Thursday 21st May 2026 at 6:30 PM Accessibility - Accessible Toilets, Relaxed Performance, Wheelchair Accessible FREE **Dr Alfredo Carpineti (he/him):** is a queer Italian astrophysicist, science journalist, and social activist. He is the Senior Staff Writer & Space Correspondent for IFLScience where he has worked for 10 years, writing over 6,000 articles that have been read by millions. He is the author of the upcoming pop astronomy book Invisible Rainbows. He is the chair and founder of Pride in STEM, an award-nominated British charity dedicated to supporting and showcasing LGBTQIA+ in STEM and founder of the International Day of LGBTQIA+ People in STEM.

Join the Prime Time Over 50s Social Group for a chilled out evening Following the success of our previous events, like the lively gathering at Oxford Circus, we would like to invite you to an evening that is perfect for mingling with like-minded individuals and making new friends and social connections. As you are aware this is a wetherspoons, so prices will be very reasonable

**Come try quadball - a mixed-gender sport open to anyone and everyone regardless of gender, ability, or background.** Quadball, formerly quidditch, features players on each side aiming to outscore their opponents by throwing a volleyball through one of three opposing hoops, whilst defending their own hoops with tackles or knocking out opponents with dodgeballs - all while on a broom. **[Short Video on How To Play Quadball](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKUZ9LLH-_c)** These sessions are open training days with the **Werewolves of London Quadball Club** who train every week in Clapham Common ## Despite our quidditch origins, quadball is very much a sport unto itself and has no relation to or any involvement with Harry Potter or JK Rowling. We celebrate the inclusion of members of the LGBTQ+ community and welcome people of **all** backgrounds and gender identities to get involved. **These sessions are training sessions, and are for beginners and experienced players alike!** * Training is organised and managed by the Werewolves of London. * Expect a mix of drills, followed by games and socialising afterwards. **Please bring** * Suitable athletic or outdoor footwear * *Trainers or Football Boots* * Suitable clothing for exercise Whether you’re brand new to sport, a seasoned athlete, or just wanting to give something new and interesting a go - this is the place to be!

This meeting is for anyone who wishes to explore non-duality and awakening. At the meeting, Richard will give an introductory talk followed by plenty of time for questions, answers and discussion. If you would like to know more about Richard's approach, you can watch videos on his YouTube channel, go to www.richardsylvester.com or read his books (see below). Seeing non-duality is the recognition that our most basic assumption about our life, that we are separate, is simply an appearance. We may seem to be the subject of our life, moving through a world of other people and objects. But actually there is no separation, there is no subject and object, there is only seamless oneness. When this is seen, there is often a radically changed view of reality. Seeking ends and at last relaxation can take place. Richard is the author of four books about non-duality, including the much-loved 'I Hope You Die Soon' and 'Non-Duality Questions, Non-Duality Answers'. His fifth book is 'Confessions Of A Seeker - Adventures in Spirituality, Therapy and Belief'. Richard has held regular meetings about non-duality in London since 2005. He has also held meetings in Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, The Czech Republic and Japan. PLEASE NOTE:- The meeting may be videoed and uploaded to YouTube. Your participation will be taken as consent to this. Please pay on the door - cash if possible. The meeting is held on the first floor and there are no lifts. Don’t be put off if there are only a small number of RSVP’s for this event. The meeting is also publicised in other ways and people often don't indicate on meetup that they are coming. There will be a friendly group of people ready to share discussion.

**BOOK HERE**: https://sportas.co.uk/games/47757 **Game Description:** Come and play in a mixed gender casual 8 aside game ⚽️ Super chill game with some fun football 🙌 Directions: 🚶‍♂️7 minute walk from Stratford International DLR Station. **Rules** -No aggressive behaviour \- No slide tackles \- Change keeper every 6 minutes \- Be positive\, respectful and have fun\!

**What this is** A lot of women have said they want a space where they can actually meet and communicate properly, so this is a simple BSL social. It’s a group of women meeting at the bar, practising British Sign Language, chatting properly, and spending a couple of hours together. Most women come on their own. That’s completely normal here and we make sure you don’t feel it. Women usually range from their 20s through to their 60s. It’s normally a mix of new and returning women, so you won’t be the only new person there. If you’re feeling nervous, that’s very common. You can message beforehand or on the day and we can help you settle in. [www.thelcommunity.com/bsl-club/](https://thelcommunity.com/bsl-club/) **Where to find us** BFI Bar London **What to expect** Some women already know some BSL, others are completely new. The setup makes it easy to actually practise and communicate rather than just sit and watch. You can go at your own pace and join in as much or as little as you want. **Important** This is a female-only lesbian space. That boundary is clear and upheld at events. **How to attend** You must register in advance to attend [www.thelcommunity.com/events](https://www.thelcommunity.com/events) One quick note on how the community works L Community is member-funded. The standard contribution is £13 per month and covers the platform, events, moderation, and safeguarding. If £13 isn’t workable right now, you can opt out. Most people just come to a few things first and decide later. Support can be changed or cancelled at any time [www.thelcommunity.com/back-us-now](https://www.thelcommunity.com/back-us-now) **Arriving and support** If you’re nervous or can’t find us, Message and we can come and meet you WhatsApp Jenny +44 7591 386019 **Staying connected** To access WhatsApp groups and stay part of the network: [www.thelcommunity.com/go](https://www.thelcommunity.com/go)

**Beginner friendly mixed football** A friendly mixed gender football game in Regents Park. Equipment such as balls, goals and bibs will be provided. You will have the choice of playing in a beginner friendly or intermediate level game. We aim to have roughly equal numbers of men and women for each game. This is the **Womens Signup Page**. Please check the [meetup page](https://www.meetup.com/socialsportsmix/) for the Mens Sign up Page. We also welcome non-binary and other genders to join us. **About Social Sports Mix** Social Sports Mix is for anyone interested in playing mixed gender sports and meeting new people in London. This event happens every Sunday throughout the Summer. You can join our events as an individual or with friends. There is no commitment to come weekly required and we welcome beginners. **How it works** We meet at the venue to organise teams and for everyone to get to know each other. Here is where we meet: [https://www.socialsportsmix.co.uk/regents-park-football-and-rounders](https://www.socialsportsmix.co.uk/regents-park-football-and-rounders) This is a friendly game with no hard tackles or aggression! We will play for 60-90 minutes depending on how we all feel and there will be a half time. There is no pressure to stay for the entire event and you can leave early if you need to. If there is no Goalkeepers, players who are willing to go in goal will rotate every 8 mins. We recommend you bring shinpads and water. We usually go for drinks in the pub or have a picnic in the park after. **Free or play for charity** Our Sunday football events are free for everyone. The organisers volunteer their time and fund for the equipment, public liability insurance, marketing and meetup costs to make this happen. We would like our events to raise awareness and money for worthwhile charities. If you appreciate our events, please consider making a donation on our fundraising page. To donate and for more info, please visit: [https://www.justgiving.com/page/social-sports-mix-warchild](https://www.justgiving.com/page/social-sports-mix-warchild) Here are our Terms and conditions [http://www.socialsportsmix.co.uk/terms-and-conditions](http://www.socialsportsmix.co.uk/terms-and-conditions)

Join us as we get together to see Paul Rudd in the latest comedy-drama-musical from John Carney, POWER BALLAD! The film follows a washed-up wedding singer, a fading boy band singer and a stolen hit song. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: Rick, a washed-up wedding singer, and Danny, a fading boy band star, bond over music and a late-night jam session. When Danny turns Rick's song into a hit, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves. Power Ballad is written/directed by John Carney, the master of the modern musical and creative mind behind Once, Begin Again and Sing Street! It stars Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu and Jack Reynor. BUZZ & ACCLAIM: The film premiered to rave reviews at this year’s Dublin International Film Festival where critics call it “a sure-fired crowd-pleaser” that “just might be the feel-good hit of the year!” Others say, “Paul Rudd delivers a career-best performance in this charmer” that’s both “hilarious and deeply moving!” SUMMER OF ICE CREAM, VOL 2: SHAKE NO. 8! Ranked the #1 Ice Cream Shop in Columbus in 2024, this is the perfect place to kick off our Summer of Ice Cream and grab a sweet treat after the show! Their menu features an array of traditional, specialty and vegan shakes, hot cocoa, and more! You can check out their full menu here: [https://www.shakeno8.com/menu.php](https://www.shakeno8.com/menu.php) PLAN: We’ll plan for a 7pm-ish showing and will meet in the lobby area about 20 minutes before the show. Once showtime is announced, advance ticket purchase is advised! Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments section of this event. We'll head to nearby Shake No. 8 immediately following the show! Should be a fun one, Dan

Rev. Steven Clevenger is an ordained spiritualist minister with over 40 years experience as a Spiritual Healer, Clairvoyant and Spiritual Teacher, educated and trained at the White Lily Chapel. Rev. Siobhan Wolf Shaffer is an ordained spiritualist minister and certified medium and healer with over 20 years experience. She began her development in 1988 in Pennsylvania and continued when she moved to Ohio in 1998 where she studied at Rays of Lights Church with Rev. Steven Clevenger. Our full worship services consist of an inspirational lecture, healing meditation, and messages from the spirit world that serve to demonstrate evidence of eternal life. Please visit our Official Church Website (http://raysoflightchurch.com) for more information.

**Welcome to Drunken Philosophy** a casual, curious social discussion **Optional topic for this meetup: What's up with all the AI hate?** A recent survey found that 74% of Americans have a negative view of AI, and I want to know why. Come out and debate whether AI is good or bad. My hot take: a labor-saving tool that could potentially help cure cancer gets called dangerous because it might raise unemployment or cause a speculative investment bubble, that tells you a lot more about capitalism and the economic system we live under than it does about the tool itself. As a computer programmer, I think AI is a wonderful tool that has increased my productivity by at least an order of magnitude. I'd go so far as to say Claude Code is the best tool I have ever used. Debate me and name a better one. Is AI potentially dangerous? Yes, but so are a lot of tools. Chainsaws. Steam engines (early ones would occasionally explode and kill everyone in the room). Do you think cavemen sat around debating whether fire could be used as a weapon or for self-harm, and decided not to discover it? I have two friends who hate AI for opposite reasons: one thinks it's a fad and not useful, and the other thinks it's going to take over everything and cause human extinction. Come out tonight, have a friendly debate, and make some friends. No lectures. Friendly crowd. Drop in for one drink and stay if it's fun.

Welcome to Casual Boardgames, where we enjoy classic tabletop games and social deduction games while bonding over good food, drinks, and great conversations. 
We started this group to meet new people and make new friends, and bonding over games in a relaxed atmosphere is a great way to do that. We currently meet near route 23 and Polaris Parkway, and this is close to areas like Powell, Lewis Center, Worthington, and parts of Westerville and Columbus. 
Feel free to bring your own games or play one of the many games our members bring. If you are inexperienced, we will help you learn. 
Here are just a few examples of the kind of games we play. 
Tabletop/board games: Splendor, Catan, Azul, Dominion, 7 Wonders… 
Social deduction games: Code Names, Chameleon, Werewords… 
IMPORTANT: 
1. While we love playing a variety of games and competing, we are not just about the games. We interact and talk while playing, and this leads to a lot of laughter and fun. If you just want to compete and focus solely on the game, then this is probably not the group you are looking for. 
2. Many people join groups like this and never (or rarely) show up after weeks or months. If you join and never really come, we will eventually remove you from the group as a courtesy to our members. Why? Because limiting group conversations (on the app) to regular members makes communication and planning much easier. Also, while it may be rare, it protects members from people who join because they are interested in following a person instead of having a real interest in our group. If you get removed, it is just because you haven’t come, and we follow this protocol as a courtesy to our regular game players.

Join us this Pride season to paint your own pride on rocks, paper, canvas, and yes- we are bringing back the bricks! Come create and paint with us. Seats and supplies limited! Come while you can for as long as you like! Westerville Public Library Meeting Room D.

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** Like it or not, AI agents are now capable of turning a quickly written paragraph of requirements into a pull request that is ready to be integrated into real-world production applications and it's now our responsibility to make sure AI doesn't go rogue and take down prod - or corrupt our data by misunderstanding the requirements or our existing schemas. In this session we'll explore strategies to protect our codebases through unit and integration testing, documentation, and code review along with additional ways of providing context and guard rails to our AI agents as they carry out the work we've assigned them to do. By the time we're done, you'll have a firm grasp of the problem and understand some helpful options for protecting your codebase from vibe coding mishaps getting YOLOed into prod. **YouTube Link** TBD

Join us as we get together to see the top-reviewed comedy-drama, I LOVE BOOSTERS! The film comes from writer/director Boots Riley and follows a group of shoplifters who take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. Here are details, trailers and our plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: The film follows a group of shoplifters who take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. It is written/directed by Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You) and stars Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter, Don Cheadle, and Demi Moore. BUZZ AND ACCLAIM: I Love Boosters was the opening film at this year’s SXSW Festival and premiered to rave reviews! It is currently earning a tremendous 97% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes where critics call it, “an unexpected celebration of friendship, community, and solidarity.” Others call the film “an exercise in radical empathy,” a “masterful” and “optimistic” film designed to “provoke discussion” while making the audience laugh. TRAILER: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4lPRISgr9c](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4lPRISgr9c) SUMMER OF ICE CREAM: GRAETER’S! Established way back in 1870 in Cincinnati, this historic, family-owned brand is famous for their delicious small batch ice cream and any chocolate chunk flavors! They are currently the only commercial ice cream maker using the French Pot method that they’ve been using since they first opened! Plus, those chocolate chunks, oh my goodness! Vegan options are available. PLAN: We’ll plan for a 7pm-ish showing and will meet in the lobby area about 20 minutes before the show. Advance ticket purchase not required for this theater but Showtime and complete details will be confirmed/announced as the date gets closer. Look forward to seeing you there, Dan