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Morality and Ethics Events Today

Join in-person Morality and Ethics events happening right now

Authentic relating and circling for beginners
Authentic relating and circling for beginners
Welcome! Join these beginner sessions if you are searching for deep connection, and want to learn some basic techniques (from authentic relating and circling) that can support you. Activities may include meditations (to connect to yourself, your body and the other), structured dialogues (in pairs or small groups), exercises about sharing and owning your experience, and much more. There are no prerequisites for these sessions. Just show up as you are. Please add yourself to our whatsapp group to ask questions or to stay informed: https://chat.whatsapp.com/ClH8EhaItZPKU5cSkjkcC7 We look forward to meeting you!
Tuesday Night Philosophy Club
Tuesday Night Philosophy Club
Ever find yourself mulling over life's big questions after a long day? Like what it means to live well, or why anything matters at all? You're not alone! Come pull up a chair, grab a drink, and join a friendly bunch of curious minds for some thoughtful conversation. This group is all about creating a relaxed, welcoming space where we can explore meaningful questions together. No lectures, no gatekeeping, just a chance to hear different perspectives, share your own, and maybe walk away with a few new ideas (or at least a better question than the one you started with). No philosophy background required, just an open mind and a willingness to chat (or just listen). Each session loosely centers on a topic picked by the group from suggestions we all pitch in (via a dedicated WhatsApp group). Themes can range from love and hate, to society and politics, family and friendship, harmony and conflict, and beyond. For those interested, you're welcome to join the WhatsApp group - just ask Nicolas, Det or Reinier at one of the meetings.
Kundalini Challenge
Kundalini Challenge
Vous voulez (re)découvrir le yoga Kundalini et ses effets positifs sur votre corps et votre esprit ? Rejoignez-nous ! Défi du matin Yoga Kundalini : **Mardi et jeudi 7h30** 60mn de mantra, pranayama, kriya, et méditation, pour commencer la journée dans d'excellentes conditions, bien centré et prêt à affronter la journée. Inscriptions : **miraclemorningyoga@gmail.com** Où: **La Hulpe, Rue des combattants 125 et/ou via zoom** Apportez votre tapis de yoga et une couverture pour la méditation. **10€/session**, total = 10€ x nombre de semaines Au plaisir de pratiquer avec vous :)
In the Light of Truth - Spiritual Discussion Programme Radio Show
In the Light of Truth - Spiritual Discussion Programme Radio Show
Greetings All, The Spiritual Discussion Programme (in English) on BLESS RADIO 1 is on today from 7pm to 9pm CET time which is 6pm to 8pm UK time. The topic is "In the Light of Truth” To listen visit www.blessradio1.com Alternatively you can listen on zeno.fm/radio/blessradio1 [Please note that this link has changed from the previous address] We are also live streaming on YouTube. Goto www.YouTube.com Search for Blessradio1 Grail Message ln the Light of Truth (i.e. TOPIC OF THE SHOW) After the show, you can also listen to the recording of the show on YOU TUBE (as above). Hope you can listen tonight and join in. You are welcome to join in the discussion by: PLEASE call /text / WhatsApp us with your questions or comments on +44 7939 641 958. OR MESSAGE us on Bless Chat box on [www.blessradio1.com](http://www.blessradio1.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2fGBcwr_zqUzBvp1UNYPsReHJqU4HJqhn3rg3XZGIk-3b5QHFKoJQolAs_aem_ONWb__d3tcI4BshpKmv6ag) Regards, Saad Farooqi
Intercambio español - neerlandés / Dutch
Intercambio español - neerlandés / Dutch
Nos juntaremos en el centro cultural Metaprosa para practicar español/ castellano y Neerlandés/Flamenco/Dutch con un café o una cerveza en la mano. Apto para todos los niveles. Dirección: chaussé de Saint Pierre 9, 1040 Etterbeek Hemos creado un grupo de Whastapp en caso de que estéis interesados en comunicaros antes de cada martes ya que somos consciente de que a veces nos hay suficiente gente para practicar neerlandés [https://chat.whatsapp.com/IaESqYfdbGiFVPR5teQkIf](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/chat.whatsapp.com/IaESqYfdbGiFVPR5teQkIf__;!!DOxrgLBm!DOeGH6jS_pBgwY_CvN1vYuh-JPX71kQpuIJl8WlhFejYKqyHCL0Q3HkfIXxOF7cvSDOpeAeYzr8K_zELLw75wZA7pfw2-jQW7_2x6UaK$) No Spam please!
FREE tryout in Krav Maga Self-Defense for beginners!
FREE tryout in Krav Maga Self-Defense for beginners!
Want to get in shape and learn self-defence while having fun at the same time? Come and try our classes for **FREE**! Confirm your attendance by e-mail: **bxl.kravmaga@gmail.com** For more details, check out our website: **https://kravmagabrussels.be/** We recommend wearing sports outfits, including indoor sports shoes, and bringing a towel and water to drink, as we will be active!
Afterwork Session : Baghdad, the City of Peace
Afterwork Session : Baghdad, the City of Peace
Let's play a new eurogame from Fabio Lopiano : Baghdad, City of Peace. "*Set during Baghdad's Golden Age, players take on the role of Viziers, looking to build their family's prestige and grow the great City of Peace.* *Move your Vizier around the circular city, collecting scientific equipment, teaching students, and translating works.* *Each turn, play a card, pushing another card out of your tableau and triggering its ability. Build up sets of icons to pull of more difficult actions and plan ahead to complete upcoming objectives. Work together to build the Golden Palace, Fill the House of Wisdom, and send ships down the Tigris.* ***Baghdad: The City of Peace*** *is a semi-cooperative game. Points are scored for Night Characters, Artefacts, Favour, and Shame tokens. The player with the highest total score wins, becoming the most eminent courtier in the great City of Peace."* [BGG Link](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/425630/baghdad-the-city-of-peace) The game has several mini-expansions which we may add in or not if we feel confident about it. In my opinion, they improve the game, but also significantly increase its complexity.

Morality and Ethics Events This Week

Discover what is happening in the next few days

[LOCATION: THE SISTER CAFE] Philosophy Meetup: 17:00-18:30
[LOCATION: THE SISTER CAFE] Philosophy Meetup: 17:00-18:30
Welcome to our weekly event in the upstairs room of The Sister Café, rue Chair et Pain 3, one block from the Grand Place. Please get there early enough to order your drink at the bar first. Thank you! After introductions we will collect questions from the group participants, choose one by voting then discuss it for an hour. Then most of us stay for drinks and bizarre conversations. Past questions have been wide and not confined to academic philosophy: What is a genuine friend? Is social media turning us into emotional zombies? Do we lose some of the experience of things by defining them? Are we driven by sex? Is loneliness a personal failure? Is morality relative? **Crucially, be kind and respectful and generous** in your disagreements; remember how much you personally enjoy someone else proving you wrong before celebrating your cutting counterexamples.
Comment améliorer le vivre ensemble  ? - Dialogue philo
Comment améliorer le vivre ensemble ? - Dialogue philo
🤝 Comment améliorer le vivre ensemble ? 🌍 **Dialogue philo** Dans un monde où les divisions semblent s’accentuer, comment recréer du lien, du respect et une véritable fraternité ? Le “vivre ensemble” ne se décrète pas : il se cultive, jour après jour, par une meilleure connaissance de soi et une ouverture sincère aux autres. Lors de ce dialogue philosophique, nous explorerons ce qui favorise l’harmonie entre les individus et les communautés, à la lumière des sagesses d’Orient et d’Occident. Un moment d’échange accessible à toutes et à tous, dans un esprit d’écoute, de réflexion et de bienveillance. ✨ Venez avec vos idées, vos questions, et la curiosité d’apprendre des autres ! Tarif : 5€ (boisson comprise)
Saturday Morning Coffee, 10:00 @Château Modern
Saturday Morning Coffee, 10:00 @Château Modern
Hi everyone, This coffee morning event is @ **Château Moderne**, on Saturday, is 17 January 2025, from 10:00 - 13:00. **Château Moderne is changing its name to Radio Moderne!** 1. The **prime time** of the event is **10:30 - 12:30**. That's when most people will be there. 2. When you enter the place, you will see a long table that is set up for the event. 3. If you intend **to join past 12:00** (high noon), then there is no need to register. Just come and join! 4. **DON'T forget to cancel** if you can't join! 5. **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** **As always, feel free to follow us on INSTAGRAM!** https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA== *** **THE STRUCTURE of THE EVENT:** * I post the event on Saturday/Sunday for the following Saturday. * I send out a reminder as an email or a comment on the event page on Thursday/Friday. * There is sometimes a waiting list. * **For everyone on the waiting,** please check your status and messages on Friday evening the latest. I message everyone on the waiting list on Friday. * **Please, move to "not going" AS SOON AS you know that you can't come anymore, that includes everyone who is on the waiting list.** **IMPORTANT:** * When you register yourself, be careful not to register accidentally a +1 guest (unless you bring a guest). It happens very often. * If you have any questions then, message me. *** **A MESSAGE FOR NEWCOMERS:** *In the three years of hosting this coffee group, I have met many people who struggle with anxieties when coming to an event for the first time. Sometimes, it took them more than one attempt before being able to join.* *Occasionally, people reach out to me before the event, and I have always been grateful for that as it offers the opportunity to communicate with each other and to find the best and most gentle way for that person to join the group.* *I would like to encourage everyone who struggles with this to contact me before. It would really be too bad if you can't join us, as it mostly gets better the second or third time you come.* *In addition to that, if you arrive and notice any signs of nervousness or fear, you can always let me know right then.* **THANK YOU AND SEE YOU ALL ON SATURDAY!** **LOCATION:** Château Moderne Mont des Arts 1 1000 Bruxelles
Critical Theory Reading Group #4: Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man, Part I
Critical Theory Reading Group #4: Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man, Part I
Common Ground Book Club
An in-person reading group exploring critical theory, from the Frankfurt School to contemporary thinkers. We’ll read books and essays, and our discussions will focus on society, power, and modern phenomena: from politics to media and social trends. 
Fourth Meeting
We will discuss the first part of Marcuse’s “One-Dimensional Man”, Introduction and Chapters 1-4 (till p. 123): https://files.libcom.org/files/Marcuse,%20H%20-%20One-Dimensional%20Man,%202nd%20edn.%20(Routledge,%202002).pdf The next meeting(s) will be devoted to Parts II and III :) 
Who is it for?
No prior philosophy or theory background is required, just curiosity and a willingness to engage. I (the organiser) am not an expert; I just seek other kind souls who want to exchange thoughts ✨ 
Format
• Readings may be short essays, selected chapters, or full books.
• Each meeting begins with a short recap/introduction of the text.
• Open, informal discussion.
• Everyone is encouraged to bring a passage or question they found interesting, confusing, or provocative.
• Language of discussion: English.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please reach out on Meet-up or Instagram: @commongroundbe
Zumba class: humor and energy!
Zumba class: humor and energy!
Debate Night: Children and Social Media
Debate Night: Children and Social Media
In the early 2000s, social networking sites such as Friendster (2002), MySpace (2003) and Facebook (launched in February 2004) helped make the internet feel personal and social, promising connection, community and self-expression. Since then, the centre of gravity has shifted from “keeping up with friends” to large-scale feeds powered by recommender systems. Much of what people see is selected to maximise attention and time spent. Research on impacts is still contested and causality is difficult to establish, but public health bodies are flagging clear warning signs. WHO Europe reports that “problematic social media use” among adolescents rose from 7% in 2018 to 11% in 2022, and that many young people report near-continuous online contact. Regulation is now moving fast, and increasingly towards age-based restrictions. Australia began enforcing a rule from 10 December 2025 requiring platforms to prevent under-16s from holding accounts, with penalties aimed at companies. France is preparing an Australia-style ban for under-15s from September 2026. At EU level, the Digital Services Act is being operationalised through the Commission’s guidelines on protecting minors (published 14 July 2025), while the European Parliament has backed an EU-wide “digital minimum age” of 16, with parental consent between 13 and 16, in a non-binding resolution. The hard question is what works best in practice. Age limits are difficult to enforce and raise privacy concerns around age checks, but they also send a strong signal about what society expects from platforms used by children. That is the choice we will test together: should we focus on bans and age thresholds, or on redesigning platforms so children can safely benefit from the online world they will grow up in. This debate will follow a British Parliamentary format with eight debaters split into **four teams of two.** Participants who wish to speak are highly encouraged to bring a paper and pen. You are welcome to participate even if you have no prior debating experience. We aim for debates that are respectful, constructive, and welcoming: * **Respect ideas and people** Listen actively, stay quiet while others speak, and debate arguments, not identities or beliefs. * **Be concise and civil** Keep questions short and relevant; avoid hostility, hate speech, or discrimination. * **Respect boundaries and time** No unwanted advances or suggestive behavior; arrive on time to avoid disrupting the debate. * **Follow moderators** They guide the discussion and ensure fairness.
Security through environmental, social and economic sustainability
Security through environmental, social and economic sustainability
*Originally scheduled for November 25, 2025 — postponed due to national strike* **REGISTRATION IS COMPULSARY [HERE](https://www.science-by-trianon.com/event-details/security-through-environmental-social-and-economic-sustainability)** **Stop pretending sustainability and security are separate conversations. They never were.** Here's the uncomfortable truth most security establishments refuse to acknowledge: Environmental degradation, social inequality, and economic instability aren't peripheral "soft issues", they're direct threat multipliers that undermine both national and international stability. While defense ministries obsess over conventional threats, the real security challenges are already here: climate-induced state failure, resource wars masquerading as territorial disputes, and social fragmentation that external powers exploit like a geopolitical cheat code. This panel brings together people who actually work at these intersections, defense strategists, environmental policy experts, economists, and social governance specialists, to do what should have been done decades ago: integrate sustainability into security doctrine, not as a nice-to-have, but as strategic necessity. ### Why this actually matters (And why now) The scramble for critical minerals essential to the green transition, lithium, cobalt, rare earths, is creating new spheres of influence and dependencies. Control over sustainable technologies and resources is becoming as strategically significant as fossil fuel dominance was in the 20th century. Yet most security frameworks still treat this as "environmental policy." Meanwhile: Rising seas are redrawing maritime boundaries and creating stateless climate refugees at unprecedented scales. Climate impacts are forcing geopolitical realignments, from small island states forming new coalitions to food exporters gaining leverage, to climate-induced state failure creating power vacuums that major powers vie to fill. The question isn't whether sustainability matters for geopolitics. It's who will shape the rules of this new geopolitical order, and whether cooperation or competition will define the transition. (Spoiler: current trends suggest the latter, which is precisely why we need different thinking.) ### What we're actually discussing **Geopolitical competition & Resource control** How control over renewable energy supply chains, Arctic resources amid ice melt, and transboundary water basins is reshaping strategic competition. Because apparently we learned nothing from oil-driven conflicts and are determined to repeat the pattern with green tech. **The new energy geopolitics** The transition away from fossil fuels is fundamentally restructuring global power relationships. Petrostates face existential challenges while nations controlling green technology and manufacturing capacity gain strategic advantage. We're watching the greatest power shift since industrialization, and most security establishments are cosplaying like it's still 1985. **Climate change as a geopolitical disruptor** Maritime boundaries, climate refugees, and state failure. This isn't theoretical, it's happening now. **Environmental security as national security** The nexus between climate change, resource scarcity, and conflict, water stress, climate-induced migration, food security disruptions, and extreme weather impacts on critical infrastructure. The stuff that actually destabilizes regions while we debate missile counts. **Social cohesion & Stability** How inequality, lack of access to services, and social fragmentation create conditions for instability, extremism, and state fragility—with particular attention to how external powers exploit social divisions for geopolitical advantage. Because nothing says "national security threat" like a population with nothing to lose. **Economic resilience & Security** The relationship between economic sustainability, supply chain vulnerabilities, and strategic autonomy, examining how economic disparities and unsustainable development models generate security risks. Turns out you can't bomb your way out of economic dependency. **Breaking Institutional Silos** Practical approaches to integrate sustainability considerations into defense planning, foreign policy, and security frameworks—and conversely, to integrate security thinking into environmental and development policy. Revolutionary concept: maybe different government departments should talk to each other. ### Who's Speaking **Hélène de Rengervé** \- Business & Human Rights Advocate\, Forced Labour expert\, currently Senior EU Corporate Accountability Advocate at Human Rights Watch\. She led the advocacy that resulted in the EU's Forced Labour Regulation and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive\. **Serge Stroobants** \- Director Europe & MENA at the Institute for Economics and Peace\. Former Belgian military officer with 25 years operational experience\, now focuses on political science\, international relations\, security and defense\, global risk analysis\, and crisis management\. **Two additional speakers TBD** \- Because we're selective about who gets to challenge the status quo on this stage\. ### The Bottom Line Nations that fail to integrate sustainability into their security doctrine will find themselves strategically disadvantaged. Those that control clean energy technologies, critical minerals, and sustainable food systems are emerging as the new power brokers. This event aims to foster cross-sectoral dialogue, develop integrated policy frameworks, and build coalitions that can translate the sustainability-security nexus from concept to operational reality. Because good intentions and conference declarations have gotten us precisely nowhere. Time to stop treating security and sustainability as competing priorities and start recognizing that in 2025, they're the same damn thing. **REGISTRATION IS COMPULSARY [HERE](https://www.science-by-trianon.com/event-details/security-through-environmental-social-and-economic-sustainability)**

Morality and Ethics Events Near You

Connect with your local Morality and Ethics community

Nature's God: The Heretical Origins of the American Republic
Nature's God: The Heretical Origins of the American Republic
This is the first of several meetings on *Nature's God: The Heretical Origins of the American Republic*, by Matthew Stewart. For this meeting, please try to read the first three chapters (pages 1-129 in the paperback). **Where did the ideas come from that became the cornerstone of American democracy?** America’s founders intended to liberate us not just from one king but from the ghostly tyranny of supernatural religion. Drawing deeply on the study of European philosophy, Matthew Stewart brilliantly tracks the ancient, pagan, and continental ideas from which America’s revolutionaries drew their inspiration. In the writings of Spinoza, Lucretius, and other great philosophers, Stewart recovers the true meanings of “Nature’s God,” “the pursuit of happiness,” and the radical political theory with which the American experiment in self-government began. [LINK](https://a.co/d/bkTWJNb) I hope to see you there! Fred
What Kind of World Do We Want to Live In?
What Kind of World Do We Want to Live In?
**What Kind of World Do We Want to Live In? (Free Event)** **In times like these, we can see more clearly the potential for humanity when it works together in unison – as well as the challenges if we don’t and continue to operate as we have been before. If you could design the world of the future, what spiritual values would you want to see in it to help realize those potentialities?** **All of us hope for a better future for ourselves and for our children, but how do we get there? What sort of ideas and behaviors will we need to leave behind – and what values will we need to build the foundation of the future on? And how can we work together to build a future that works for all of us, where each of our fullest potentials as human beings can be realized?** **Come join a different kind of conversation – one that welcomes every perspective in a search for the truths that unite us all – as we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’í Teachings on what a future society might look like and the role each of us can play in creating it. Join us for a lively discussion as we explore the role of spirituality in the unification, peace, and progress of all.** **“The betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct.” – Bahá’í Teachings** **\*\*\* This event is free and open to all regardless of background or belief. Donations will not be accepted.**
Discussion Group - New Year, New Intentions
Discussion Group - New Year, New Intentions
Let's get together in a warm and open atmosphere to talk about ethical non-monogamy and how we actually do it. Ask for advice, give some in return, meet and mingle with your peers. Let's kick back and get to know each other and learn a few things. TOPIC: What would you like to do differently in your relationships going forward this year? What did you do last year that really didn't work? What's your stretch goal? The location of our group will rotate between VA and MD. This week, we'll be in VA back at home with our most frequent host. As usual we'll send out the details on the morning of the event. FOOD: bring food that supports the diet you are undoubtedly on this month. Please consider bringing a vegetarian or vegan option; we do currently have active members who need these options. Cut-up fresh fruit is always great! If you don't feel like schlepping, we also always appreciate a donation. Please note: we share the address on the morning of the meeting, via the messaging/email system here. If you don’t have the details by Friday noon, you will need to message us directly to get them.
Profs & Pints Northern Virginia: The Life of Frankenstein
Profs & Pints Northern Virginia: The Life of Frankenstein
[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“The Life of Frankenstein,”** on the birth, evolution and impact of a tale of man-made monstrosity, with Bernard Welt, an emeritus professor of arts and humanities at George Washington University who frequently lectures on Frankenstein in literature, cinema, and culture. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/nv-life-of-frankenstein](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/nv-life-of-frankenstein) .] Guillermo del Toro’s lush and lovingly produced film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel *Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus* is just the latest of many iterations of the story to capture the public’s imagination. People have watched Victor Frankenstein give life to his monster in numerous films, on television, and on stage, and even perform “Putting on the Ritz” with him thanks to the comic genius of Mel Brooks. Mary Shelley did not just tell a tale. She spawned the modern genre of speculative fiction and gave rise to a myth that would crop up in debates over nature versus nurture and other matters. Even today it stokes anxieties over the potential impacts of robotics, artificial intelligence, and genetic engineering, by evoking the image of a monster turning on its progenitor. Come gain a new appreciation of Mary Shelley’s creation with the help of Dr. Bernard Welt, who has studied the relationship between nightmares and the horror genre and is the author of *Mythomania: Fantasies, Fables, and Sheer Lies in Contemporary American Popular Art.* Dr. Welt will start by telling a literary origin story almost as famous as Frankenstein itself, of how an 18-year-old Shelley started writing *Frankenstein* in 1816 while staying in a villa on Lake Geneva with two of her era’s leading poets, Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, her lover. Housebound by foul weather, the three read Gothic tales of ghosts and monsters and challenged each other to produce something even more terrifying. Mary dreamed up a story of a man who defied death by creating a living being out of scraps of deceased men harvested from graveyards and anatomy labs. The resulting novel, *Frankenstein*, published anonymously in 1818, would by that century’s end become a touchstone in philosophical discourse on the nature of humanity and in political discussions of imperialism and populism. By the 21st century, Mary Shelley (as she became) had earned a more significant place in the literary canon than Byron and her husband Shelley. We will examine how this grisly tale became a landmark of modern thought and look at the part played by numerous film adaptations from the first years of cinema to the present day. (Door: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: From a Theodor von Holst engraving in an 1831 edition of *Frankenstein* published by Colburn and Bentley of London.
Profs & Pints Northern Virginia: Satanic Panics
Profs & Pints Northern Virginia: Satanic Panics
[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Satanic Panics,”** a look at waves of fear of demonic activity as an American tradition, with Luxx Mishou, cultural historian and former instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy and area community colleges. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/nv-satanic-panics](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/nv-satanic-panics) .] The 1980s found the United States gripped by fear of Satanic cults targeting children. They were believed to be corrupting young ones in daycare centers and tempting teens through subliminal messages on heavy metal albums or through the quiet inclusion of demonic rituals in role-playing games. Satanic serial killers supposedly stalked the suburbs. Doctors helped patients uncover what were claimed to be repressed memories of ritualistic satanic abuse. Parents, police, and politicians were urged to protect impressionable youths from both moral and physical danger. With Satanic cults deemed to be a real and material threat, it was a frightening time for everyone, including those who suddenly came under suspicion for doing evil deeds. Then, suddenly, it all faded from public consciousness, just as surely as did eighties fads such mullet haircuts, leg warmers, and Cabbage Patch Kids. Why did it all start? Why did it stop? And has this happened before or since? Hear such questions tackled by Luxx Mishou, a cultural historian and media specialist who has long researched the devious and villainous in cultural artifacts. She’ll discuss moral panics as a longstanding cultural tradition, with each new one stemming from fear of cultural shifts and shaped by the time and place where it occurred. Among the panics we’ll look into are the Red Scare of the 1950s and the public response to the gruesome 1969 murders committed by the Manson Family. Delving into the 1980s panic, Mishou will describe how it began with the 1980 publication of psychiatrist Lawrence Pazder’s memoir *Michelle Remembers*, detailing the suppressed memories of ritualistic abuse reportedly suffered by a patient. As that book quickly became a best seller, its ideas saturated American culture. A California daycare center became the focus of a three-year investigation, followed by three years of trials, based on allegations that its owner had engaged in secret ritualistic abuse of the children in its care. Mishou will lead you through the media that convinced the public that devil worshipers were among them, and she’ll talk about how reactions to imagined threats can have very real social costs. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image by Canva.
Winter Fitness Festival - FREE parkour, aerials, dance, and more
Winter Fitness Festival - FREE parkour, aerials, dance, and more
Welcome to MindShift Gym! We're hosting free introductory classes on Saturday, January 17th for ages 6-99. Curious about parkour, aerial silks, dance, yoga, and more? Come play with us. ​ **Schedule** Click the class to be taken to its registration page. **Classes will fill up so please RSVP online to guarantee your spot.** All classes listed are introductory classes; NO experience needed. Classes are between 45min-1 hour. ​​ Intro to Parkour * 11am [Family (kids and adults ages 9+)](https://mindshiftgym.sites.zenplanner.com/event.cfm?eventId=424F72E8-E563-4FEB-BDF7-E65EAA89CDB5) * 12pm [Nano parkour (ages 6-8)](https://mindshiftgym.sites.zenplanner.com/event.cfm?eventId=B73041E7-26DB-4C10-AB2E-3E480C9B8918) * 1pm [Youth (ages 9-14)](https://mindshiftgym.sites.zenplanner.com/event.cfm?eventId=A41489AA-CFEB-4C12-B9A6-7B2FA0A3D7FF) * 2:30pm [Youth & Teens (ages 9-17)](https://mindshiftgym.sites.zenplanner.com/event.cfm?eventId=06CADFA0-BF66-4F09-99FF-19A3A0E4E219) * 2:30pm [Adults (ages 18+)](https://mindshiftgym.sites.zenplanner.com/event.cfm?eventId=3E6914FB-09FF-4837-A87F-CBAAD10649DC) * 3:30pm [Low-impact parkour (ages 35+)](https://mindshiftgym.sites.zenplanner.com/event.cfm?eventId=DF5565F6-2FF0-4736-AE6B-2EF807D51332) ​ Intro to Aerial Silks * 1pm [Teens & Adults (ages 15+)](https://mindshiftgym.sites.zenplanner.com/event.cfm?eventId=FE1AB527-3BEF-4E55-94EC-25528CC24918) * 2:15pm [Youth (ages 9-14)](https://mindshiftgym.sites.zenplanner.com/event.cfm?eventId=B33B2A88-19F4-4CEC-9ED1-EFF468F66E93) ​ Intro to Dance * 2pm [Intro to Ballet (ages 15+)](https://mindshiftgym.sites.zenplanner.com/event.cfm?eventId=C27E27E8-AFB8-4D02-B74B-15C8C319F6F5) * 3pm [Intro to Contemporary Dance (ages 15+)](https://mindshiftgym.sites.zenplanner.com/event.cfm?eventId=C65E2271-3901-4305-9DA1-E847146565C3) ​ Intro to Hammock Yoga * 12pm [Intro to Hammock Yoga (ages 18+)](https://mindshiftgym.sites.zenplanner.com/event.cfm?eventId=73498455-4CB2-46F4-AF5E-5D219CF29C5F)
BreadBreakers One-Meeting Book Club: Of Mice and Men
BreadBreakers One-Meeting Book Club: Of Mice and Men
**BreadBreakers is a community where people of all different belief systems and backgrounds can create community - and what better way to do that than reading together?** Join us as we combine the kind, curious, and welcoming atmosphere of a BreadBreakers dinner with the thought-provoking, fun format of a book club. Here's what to expect: * We'll be reading *Of Mice and Men*, by John Steinbeck. * This will be a one-meeting club, so if you've ever wanted to do a book club but couldn't commit to multiple meetings, here's your opportunity! * Snacks :) * BreadBreakers ground rules apply - we'll lead with curiosity, converse with kindness, and strive to dig beneath the surface level. * We'll be gathering in Meeting Room 1 at the Reston Regional Library. * Participants will be responsible for obtaining their own copies of the book. [Here's the Amazon link, if helpful.](https://www.amazon.com/Mice-Men-John-Steinbeck/dp/0140177396) * Our BreadBreakers table hosts will come ready with questions and facilitation skills - you come ready to discuss! **I've never attended a BreadBreakers event before - what is BreadBreakers?** BreadBreakers is a community where neighbors from all different beliefs and backgrounds can **hear, be heard, and know one another.** Most frequently, we do this through the ancient practice of breaking bread around a common dining table. But we're more than just a discussion group - we're a movement to heal our world's broken discourse and forge togetherness in a time of isolation and loneliness. **Through the sacred act of just "being" together, we're working to rebuild the town square, one table (or book club) at a time.** BreadBreakers is a religiously inclusive by Restoration United Methodist Church in Reston, VA. All faiths, beliefs, and stripes are welcomed, and our leadership and community include people who attend Restoration and people who don't.