Intellectual Discussions

🗓 **English Speaking Club — Wednesday Meetup at Stars Coffee (Butyrskiy Val, 10)** Want to practice your English, meet new people, and have some fun? *Join our English Speaking Club this Wednesday at 19:00 at Stars Coffee (ул. Бутырский Вал, 10)! ☕️* 💬 **What to Expect:** We meet in a **friendly atmosphere to chat 1-on-1 in English — every 15–20 minutes you’ll switch partners**, so you get to talk to many different people. **After that, we play some English board games** — it’s a great way to relax, laugh, and keep practicing naturally. 🎲✨ ⏳ **Duration:** *Around 2 hours total:* 🗣 *1.5 hours of chatting* ☕️ *5-min break* 🎯 *25 min of English games* 👥 **Who Can Join:** *Our club welcomes everyone from Intermediate to Advanced (B2–C2) levels. We’re here to practice and get better together.* 💵 **Price & Registration:** * 🇷🇺 **For locals:** *600₽ + a drink at the café* * **📱Sign up in advance** *via* [Telegram-bot](https://t.me/Payment_RealTalkEnglish_bot) * ✨ **If it’s your first time,** *you can pay at the meeting — welcome!* * 🌍 ***For foreigners: FREE entry — no sign-up required!*** ⚡️ **Club Rules:** * ***Speak English only.*** * ***Don’t “teach” or correct others unless they ask for help.*** * ***Be respectful and open-minded — we’re all here to connect and learn together.*** * ***Don’t impose your religious, political, or other personal views on others.*** * ***Please order a drink or snack to support the café that hosts us.*** ☕️ ✏️ **Questions?** *Don't hesitate to reach out to Kirill via* [WhatsApp ](https://wa.me/+79857387761) / [Telegram](https://t.me/RealTalkSpeakingClub). **💻 Stay connected:** [Our Telegram channel](https://t.me/RealTalk_english_speaking_club) [Our VK](https://vk.com/yourrealtalk)

🗓 **English Speaking Club — Sunday Meetup at Grabli (Pyatnitskaya Street, 27с1)** Want to practice your English, meet new people, and have some fun? *Join our English Speaking Club this Sunday at 15:00 at Grabli (Pyatnitskaya Street, 27с1)! ☕️* 💬 **What to Expect:** We meet in a **friendly atmosphere to chat 1-on-1 in English — every 15–20 minutes you’ll switch partners**, so you get to talk to many different people. **After that, we play some English board games** — it’s a great way to relax, laugh, and keep practicing naturally. 🎲✨ ⏳ **Duration:** *Around 2 hours total:* 🗣 *1.5 hours of chatting* ☕️ *5-min break* 🎯 *25 min of English games* 👥 **Who Can Join:** *Our club welcomes everyone from Intermediate to Advanced (B2–C2) levels. We’re here to practice and get better together.* 💵 **Price & Registration:** * 🇷🇺 **For locals: 600₽** *+ a drink at the café* * 📱 **Sign up in advance** *via* [Telegram-bot](https://t.me/Payment_RealTalkEnglish_bot) * ✨ **If it’s your first time**, *you can pay at the meeting — welcome!* * 🌍 ***For foreigners: FREE entry — no sign-up required!*** ⚡️ **Club Rules:** * ***Speak English only.*** * ***Don’t “teach” or correct others unless they ask for help.*** * ***Be respectful and open-minded — we’re all here to connect and learn together.*** * ***Don’t impose your religious, political, or other personal views on others.*** * ***Please order a drink or snack to support the café that hosts us.*** ☕️ ✏️ **Questions?** *Don't hesitate to reach out to Kirill via* [WhatsApp ](https://wa.me/+79857387761) / [Telegram](https://t.me/RealTalkSpeakingClub). **💻 Stay connected:** [Our Telegram channel](https://t.me/RealTalk_english_speaking_club) [Our VK](https://vk.com/yourrealtalk)

**🗓 English Speaking Club — Saturday Meetup at Stars Coffee (Arbat, 19)** Want to practice your English, meet new people, and have some fun? **Join our English Speaking Club this Saturday at 15:00 at Stars Coffee (ул. Арбат, 19)! ☕️** 💬 **What to Expect:** We meet in a **friendly atmosphere to chat 1-on-1 in English — every 15–20 minutes you’ll switch partners**, so you get to talk to many different people. **After that, we play some English board games** — it’s a great way to relax, laugh, and keep practicing naturally. 🎲✨ ⏳ **Duration:** *Around 2.5 hours total:* *🗣 2 hours of chatting* *☕️ 5-min break* *🎯 25 min of English games* 👥 **Who Can Join:** *Our club welcomes everyone from Intermediate to Advanced (B2–C2) levels. We’re here to practice and get better together.* 💵 **Price & Registration:** * 🇷🇺 **For locals:** 600₽ *+ a drink at the café* * 📱 **Sign up in advance** *via* [Telegram-bot](https://t.me/Payment_RealTalkEnglish_bot) * ✨ **If it’s your first time**, *you can pay at the meeting — welcome!* * 🌍 ***For foreigners: FREE entry — no sign-up required!*** ⚡️ **Club Rules:** * ***Speak English only.*** * ***Don’t “teach” or correct others unless they ask for help.*** * ***Be respectful and open-minded — we’re all here to connect and learn together.*** * ***Don’t impose your religious, political, or other personal views on others.*** * ***Please order a drink or snack to support the café that hosts us.*** ☕️ ✏️ **Questions?** *Don't hesitate to reach out to Kirill via* [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/+79857387761) / [Telegram](https://t.me/RealTalkSpeakingClub). **💻 Stay connected:** [Our Telegram channel](https://t.me/RealTalk_english_speaking_club) [Our VK](https://vk.com/yourrealtalk)

🗓 **English Speaking Club — Tuesday Meetup at Surf Coffee (Moscow, Veskovsky Lane, 3)** Want to practice your English, meet new people, and have some fun? *Join our English Speaking Club this Wednesday at 19:00 at Surf Coffee (Moscow, Veskovsky Lane, 3)! ☕️* 💬 **What to Expect:** We meet in a **friendly atmosphere to chat 1-on-1 in English — every 15–20 minutes you’ll switch partners**, so you get to talk to many different people. **After that, we play some English board games** — it’s a great way to relax, laugh, and keep practicing naturally. 🎲✨ ⏳ **Duration:** *Around 2 hours total:* 🗣 *1.5 hours of chatting* ☕️ *5-min break* 🎯 *25 min of English games* 👥 **Who Can Join:** *Our club welcomes everyone from Intermediate to Advanced (B2–C2) levels. We’re here to practice and get better together.* 💵 **Price & Registration:** * 🇷🇺 **For locals:** *600₽ + a drink at the café* * 📱 **Sign up in advance** *via* [Telegram-bot](https://t.me/Payment_RealTalkEnglish_bot) * **✨ If it’s your first time,** *you can pay at the meeting — welcome!* * 🌍 ***For foreigners: FREE entry — no sign-up required!*** ⚡️ **Club Rules:** * ***Speak English only.*** * ***Don’t “teach” or correct others unless they ask for help.*** * ***Be respectful and open-minded — we’re all here to connect and learn together.*** * ***Don’t impose your religious, political, or other personal views on others.*** * ***Please order a drink or snack to support the café that hosts us.*** ☕️ ✏️ **Questions?** *Don't hesitate to reach out to Kirill via* [WhatsApp ](https://wa.me/+79857387761) / [Telegram](https://t.me/RealTalkSpeakingClub).

**🗓 English Speaking Club — Friday Meetup at Stars Coffee (Arbat, 19)** Want to practice your English, meet new people, and have some fun? **Join our English Speaking Club this Friday at 19:00 at Stars Coffee (ул. Арбат, 19)!** ☕️ 💬 **What to Expect:** We meet in a **friendly atmosphere to chat 1-on-1 in English — every 15–20 minutes you’ll switch partners,** so you get to talk to many different people. **After that, we play some English board games** — it’s a great way to relax, laugh, and keep practicing naturally. 🎲✨ ⏳ **Duration:** *Around 2 hours total:* *🗣 1.5 hours of chatting* *☕️ 5-min break* *🎯 25 min of English games* 👥 **Who Can Join:** *Our club welcomes everyone from Intermediate to Advanced (B2–C2) levels. We’re here to practice and get better together.* 💵 **Price & Registration:** * 🇷🇺 **For locals:** *600₽ + a drink at the café* * 📱 **Sign up in advance** *via* [Telegram-bot](https://t.me/Payment_RealTalkEnglish_bot) * ✨ **If it’s your first time**\*, you can pay at the meeting — welcome!\* * ***🌍 For foreigners: FREE entry — no sign-up required!*** ⚡️ **Club Rules:** * Speak English only. * Don’t “teach” or correct others unless they ask for help. * Be respectful and open-minded — we’re all here to connect and learn together. * Don’t impose your religious, political, or other personal views on others. * Please order a drink or snack to support the café that hosts us. ☕️ ✏️ **Questions?** Don't hesitate to reach out to Kirill via [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/+79857387761) / [Telegram](https://t.me/RealTalkSpeakingClub).

As you may or may not know--I didn't until late last year--Aristotle wrote extensively on "friendship" in the Nicomachean Ethics. After 69 years the concept of friendship still creates questions and uncertainty. I had close friends in high school and for a few years after high school but our interests diverged and people moved all over the country so it was hard to maintain connections. * So if I/you haven't talked with a friend for several years, are you still friends? Are we friends who meet at Drunken Philosophy or Omnipresent Atheists? * Can you be friends with someone with whom you have virulently divergent political views? Sartre and Camus could not. * Aristotle regarded friendship as essential to a good life, not merely an added "bonus." Do you agree? * In the Nicomachean Ethics (Books VIII and IX), he claims that wealth and power are meaningless without friends. Trump has wealth and power but seems to have no real friends, but wealth and power seem meaningful to him in perverted ways. Can you have meaning in your life without friends? * Do men and women view and maintain friendships in different ways? * Aristotle categorizes friendship into three types, based on what forms the bond: * **Utility**: Based on mutual benefit, but this type is fragile and ends when the usefulness ceases. * **Pleasure**: Based on shared enjoyment (e.g., humor, hobbies). Common among youth but fades as interests change. * **Virtue (The "Complete" Friendship)**: Based on mutual respect for each other's character and goodness. You wish good for the other for their sake, not yours. * **Key Principles of "True" (Virtuous) Friendship:** * **Permanence**: Virtuous friendships last a lifetime whereas those based on utility and pleasure are fleeting. * **Reciprocity**: Requires mutual goodwill; secret or unreciprocated affection does not qualify. * **The "Second Self"**: A true friend is "another self"—their virtue helps you understand and improve yourself. * **Time and Intimacy**: Deep ("complete") friendships are few, built on time and shared experiences. * **Self-Love and Friendship:** * Good friendship starts with being a friend to yourself. * They distinguish shallow egoism (chasing honors) from real self-love (pursuing virtue). * A virtuous person’s pleasant self-company allows them to be a stable, good friend to others. * Aristotle argues that one's social circle ultimately reflects one's character—a view with striking relevance today. Well--the Drunken Philosophy social circle certainly reflects good character!

We may pick a specific topic and post in advance or may discuss current events and various ad hoc topics . We would love to spend time hanging out and getting to know one another. Atheist, agnostics, other non-theists, and atheist-friendly people are welcome to join us. Note: COUNT operates a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions (http://www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions/) to promote discussions among members and visitors.

[The Board Walks](http://www.theboardwalks.com/) are for curious people who love deep conversations. If that sounds like you, **bring a thoughtful topic** and join us for a 5-mile walk (10,000+ steps!). **HOW IT WORKS** **Step 1: Bring a topic** Before you arrive, think of **one** topic you want to explore. A question. A thought that's been on your mind. An obsession you want to geek out on. This is your ticket to the event. **Step 2: Circle up & share** We gather in a circle. Your friendly walk host gives a speech to set the tone. Everyone shares: your name, what you're grateful for, and your topic. That's it. 60 seconds. **Step 3: Walk, talk & float** We walk 5 miles. You naturally drift into conversation with 2-3 people at a time, pulled by topics that spark your curiosity. When you're ready to move on, just say: "I'm going to float!" **Step 4: Feel more alive** Two hours flies by. You're back where you started — but you feel different. More alive. More energized. More connected to yourself and others. That's why regulars join 20+ times. *For more details, read our [Orientation Guide.](https://www.theboardwalks.com/orientation)* **HOW TO BRING A GREAT TOPIC** A great topic = something you're genuinely curious about. Recent topics include: * "What are you passionate about right now?" * "What makes a good friend?" * "What's a belief you used to hold that you've completely changed?" * "How do you want to be remembered?" * "What would you do if money wasn't a factor?" Think of your topic like the dish you're bringing to our conversational potluck. If everyone brings an A+ dish (i.e. energizing, uplifting, expansive), we'll all walk away feeling lighter and brighter. **WHAT TO EXPECT** This isn't a fitness event with casual chitchat. It's a walking think tank where we explore life's big questions together, beyond small talk. *If you're looking for light banter or a standard networking event, this probably isn't the right fit.* But if you crave depth, genuine connection, and conversations that make you feel alive? You'll love it here. **FAQ** * Wear casual athletic attire and sneakers. It's a long walk! * We have multiple first-timers at each event. We work hard to create a welcoming, inclusive, clique-free space. * We welcome people of **all** ages, backgrounds, and industries who align with the [intention](https://www.theboardwalks.com/ground-rules) of this space. * Rain or shine, we've been out here nearly every week since July 2022. If the event is cancelled, we'll let you know. * Dogs, babies in strollers, parents, and friends are welcome — please text/email them the event link so they can RSVP and prepare a topic! **LOGISTICS** * If you'll arrive over 10 minutes late, we suggest skipping the event. It's hard to find us once we start walking, and your host can't answer messages during the event. * This walk is designed for everyone to *move together at the same steady pace* (about 20 min/mile). This format works best when the whole group moves in unison. If you have mobility limitations, we kindly encourage you to find an event better suited to your needs. * Read our [Orientation Guide](https://www.theboardwalks.com/orientation) for full details. * If you enjoy the event, send **[this](http://www.theboardwalks.com/)** to a friend or sign up for our **[newsletter](https://theboardwalks.beehiiv.com/)**. We're in multiple cities with more on the way. 🤠👋 **IF YOU WANT TO GO DEEPER...** [The Board](https://stan.store/ellebeecher/p/the-board) is the next step: a high-trust collective for renaissance people devoted to creating, connecting, and building lives that light us up. * This is a global HQ for people who crave big talk, deep connection, and dream collaborations with people across industries. If the walks feel like a spark... The Board is the fire. Apply [here](https://stan.store/ellebeecher/p/the-board).

ASH is Atheists, Skeptics and Humanists of First Unitarian Universalists of Columbus Ohio TBD Snacks are usually available, and you are welcome to bringing something to share!

Meeting Room 3B, Main Library Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen). Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. This first gathering is a simple introduction to the spirit of the group and a chance to meet others seeking deeper meaning and community. All backgrounds are welcome.

**I’m planning future book club meetups and would love your input. Please choose your top three from the list below—your picks will help decide what we read next!** **Book Options** *The Hong Kong Widow* – Kristen Loesch *American Spy* – Lauren Wilkinson *God of the Woods* – Liz Moore *Listen for the Lie* – Amy Tintera *The Swallows* – Lisa Lutz *The Drowning Kind* – Jennifer McMahon *The Eights* – Joanna Miller *The Quiet Librarian* – Allen Eskens Thanks so much for sharing your pick! Please **reply in the comments** with your top three. I can’t wait to see which books rise to the top and to discuss them together at our next meetups.