Postmodernism

**Please note: the first 200 RSVPs are free 🎉 After 200, there will be a small charge of £3. This is to ensure no time wasters ✅** Hey you! Looking to meet kind, fun people from all over the world 🌎 and make genuine new friends? Come join us for a relaxed, feel good evening at this new venue ✨🍹 We’ll chat, laugh, and connect 💬😄, and play some easygoing games to break the ice 🧩🎲 I’ll bring a few, and you’re more than welcome to bring your favourites too! Whether it’s something silly 🤪, clever 🧠, or just fun to share 🎉, it’s all part of the magic ✨ No pressure, no awkward vibes, no fancy rules 🙌 Just real people, warm conversations, and good energy, plus a chance to make London feel a little more like home 🏙️💛 International crowd welcome 🌍 all backgrounds welcome 🤗 and all smiles welcome 😁 Come as you are 💫 Bring a game 🎲, bring a friend 👫, bring your curiosity 🌟 Let’s make it a night to remember ✨🎉 Khu

For most of human history, religion wasn't a lifestyle choice, it was part of life. It told you who you were, why you suffered, what death means, and how to live. Then science explained the sky, the earth, and everything around us, and we told ourselves we'd evolved past all that. But the meaninglessness of life was never explained. Millions of people are still medicated, addicted, and quietly lost, in the most comfortable civilisation that has ever existed. Maybe we just stopped feeding something that was never going to stop being hungry. Can a life be meaningful without believing in anything bigger than yourself? Can science tell you how to live? Are the people replacing religion with politics, wellness culture, or ideology any less religious or just less honest about it? Is dismissing religion a sign of progress, or are we just arrogant enough to think we don't need what every civilisation before us had? Here is a video related to this topic: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DffqK6j-y1U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DffqK6j-y1U) *Please do your own research and share resources related to this topic in the comments below.* —————————————————————————————————————————————— **💛 Support The Examined Life** Enjoying the discussions? Please consider donating, it keeps us running. 👉 Donate here: [https://examinedlife.uk/donation/](https://examinedlife.uk/donation/) —————————————————————————————————————————————— **Join our Telegram group chat** Stay connected between sessions: [https://t.me/+o9T9DL5u6AcwMmRk](https://t.me/+o9T9DL5u6AcwMmRk) —————————————————————————————————————————————— **About the session** The Examined Life "Let's Discuss…" session is an open, welcoming discussion, no prior reading or expertise required. Format: * **13:15** Free-flowing group discussion on the topic * **14:00 (ish)** We split into smaller groups for deeper conversation on what interests you most * **16:00** Official end of the meetup. Most attendees stay on and keep chatting until around 18:00 —————————————————————————————————————————————— **Please RSVP accurately** Please update your RSVP if plans change, it helps us plan and frees up spots for others. —————————————————————————————————————————————— **Artwork:** Interior of a Gothic Cathedral 1612 by Paul Vredeman de Vries

**​Founders Running Club (FRC)** brings founders, investors, tech, creative people and startup enthusiasts together for weekly easy runs and networking. We like to be comfortable when we run and finish with coffee and conversations. Choose your pace or follow a pacer—pets, friends, family, are welcome. ​9:15 Bag drop at the Regent's Bar and Kitchen, Regent's Park: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MmZdAVM8yXT9euKc7 ​9:30 Warm Up starts at the Inner Circle & York Bridge, South Gate: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/qw45ehLmDQY7maMD6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/qw45ehLmDQY7maMD6) 🗓️ Launched in San Francisco, July 16, 2022 🌍 Now in 27 cities 📅 Running + Networking events + Community **Join the community [http://foundersrc.com/chats](http://foundersrc.com/chats)** **Stay updated:** **Instagram [http://instagram.com/foundersrc/](http://instagram.com/foundersrc/)** **Podcast [http://podcast.foundersrc.com/](http://podcast.foundersrc.com/)** **LinkedIn [http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/](http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/)** **Strava [http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC](http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC)** **Website [http://foundersrc.com/](http://foundersrc.com/)**

A chance just to work in company on your writing, be it a book, blog, screenplay, dissertation, poem, song, coursework, memoir, play, journal, travel writing or work stuff. Newcomers always welcome. No one will see what you're writing or give you unsolicited advice. WE FILL THE ROOM, so you MUST SIGN UP below AND ARRIVE BY 11.40 at the latest, or we can’t guarantee you a seat. And if you can't make it CHANGE YOUR RSVP to "not going" ASAP to give someone else a chance, thanks. WHERE? FIFTH FLOOR CAFÉ, Floor 5, Waterstones, 203-206 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE TIMINGS:- 11.00 - Café starts serving 11:30 - Host of the day will be there. Say hello, especially if you’re new. 11.40 - Brief introductions for everybody - your name and what you’re working on 11:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 12:30 – Break, chat to your neighbours if you like 12:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 13:30 - The End…feel free to stay and keep writing or chat some more. Bring whatever you need to be able to write. It’s a café, there’s some noise so earbuds/headphones/earplugs are handy. There’s very few mains sockets so charged-up laptops are a good idea too. And please remember everybody, thank our venue by buying a drink or food, and don’t consume anything from outside while you're here. IF YOU ARRIVE AFTER 11.45 - everyone will be quiet and writing. If there's no spare places then there's sofas on the sales floors below as well as one cafe at the back of the ground floor and another in the basement. The hosts won't have any other alternatives to offer you. Please feel free to join us for the break and afterwards. We’re looking forward to writing with you, your hosts, Sarah, Nick, Laura and Anna

We’re heading to the Seven Sisters — join Leanne for a scenic coastal hike along the iconic white cliffs! 🥾🌊 🥾 Saturday 6th June 🌊 Distance: 14 km (4-5h) ⛰️ Difficulty: Moderate/Hard ☀️ Weather: 16 degrees, partly sunny 🍻 Most likely! We’ll be walking one-way from Seaford to East Dean, along the scenic coast and iconic white cliffs. There are some steep climbs but they will be worth it for the stunning views ✨ We’ll also stop for lunch along the way and most likely a pub at the end. It may be windy in places so bring a windbreaker or warm layer just in case — and don’t forget suncream, water and a packed lunch! Train times and bus info will be posted in the WhatsApp group. Join: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHxMIRN8HwSAgReFT3h0no

**We will be at The Mitre pub in central Greenwich.** This meetup is free and casual. We just sit around for a few hours and write together. Bring a laptop, or use a pen and paper or clay tablet and stylus if that's what works for you. The structure of the session is roughly: 2pm: chat 2:20–3:25: writing time 3:25: chat/coffee break 3:40–4:45 writing time 4:45: chat But our Saturdays are very casual, so feel free to drop in and out. **This is usually in the meeting room at the Mitre. If you arrive a bit later, you may need to ask the bar staff to show you through to the room.**

Join us at the top of the biggest bookshop in Europe to work in company on your own writing, be it a book, blog, screenplay, dissertation, poem, song, coursework, memoir, play, journal, travel writing, work stuff or anything else. Newcomers always welcome. No one will see what you're writing or give you unsolicited advice. Now that our regular Saturday events are filling all the seats we're adding some Sundays when we're able to - check Meetup for dates. Same format but an hour later. WHERE? FIFTH FLOOR CAFÉ, Floor 5, Waterstones, 203-206 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE TIMINGS:- 12.00 - Shop and café open 12:30 - Host will be there. Say hello, especially if you’re new. 12.40 - Brief introductions from everybody - your name and what you’re working on 12:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 13:30 – Break, chat to your neighbours if you like 13:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 14:30 - The End…feel free to stay and keep writing or chat some more. Bring whatever you need to be able to write. It’s a café, there’s some noise so earbuds/headphones/earplugs are handy. There’s very few mains sockets so charged-up laptops are a good idea too. And please remember everybody, thank our venue by buying a drink or food, and don’t consume anything from outside while you're here. We’re looking forward to writing with you, your hosts, Sarah, Nick, Laura, Anna, Solitaire and John

**Early arrivals** 11am, this gives you the time to settle in and chat with the other writers **Start of the session** 11.30am the timer will start of no-talking and focused witing time. **End of the session** 12.30pm the no-talking time is over and you are welcome to stay and keep writing or stay and chat. For our full event schedule, visit [https://shutupwrite.com](https://shutupwrite.com).

We start June by reading Amanda Montell's 2019 effort, *Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language*. Our first non-fiction of 2026 is a 'brash, enlightening, and wildly entertaining work of pop linguistics and a feminist look at gendered language and the way it shapes us.' (Book jacket) '[Montell], reporter and feminist linguist, deconstructs language—from insults, cursing, gossip, and catcalling to grammar and pronunciation patterns—to reveal the ways it has been used for centuries to keep women and other marginalized genders from power.' -Waterstones https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53066379-wordslut In the eternal hope of good weather in London in the spring/summer, we will have the meeting in Haz St Paul's lovely outdoor area. So come along for some great atmosphere, delicious Turkish food, and insightful discussion. N.B. We will be charging an event fee of £3, non-refundable, to discourage no-shows and contribute to the running costs of the group. Please only sign up if you intend to come along as space is limited to make for an effective discussion!

*“It's all make-believe, isn't it?”* (Marilyn Monroe) Join us at **Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait at the National Portrait Gallery** to explore the life, career and legacy of Marilyn Monroe through portraits created by some of the greatest photographers and artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Bringing together works by Andy Warhol, Pauline Boty, Marlene Dumas, James Gill, Rosalyn Drexler and Audrey Flack, alongside over 20 era-defining photographers, including Cecil Beaton, Philippe Halsman, Bernard of Hollywood, Sam Shaw, Richard Avedon and George Barris, the exhibition will foreground Monroe’s collaborative approach to image making and her creative agency. The exhibition will also include personal belongings such as books, scripts and clothes to enrich understanding of the woman behind the image. From the earliest ‘cheesecake’ pin-ups made when she was a young model named Norma-Jeane, to the most poignant final photographs taken on the beach in Santa Monica in 1962, Marilyn Monroe was one of the most photographed people in the world. A defining presence in popular culture, she captivated audiences with performances in much loved films such as *Some Like it Hot*. **Read more here:** **[https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2026/marilyn-monroe-a-portrait](https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2026/marilyn-monroe-a-portrait)** **MEET DETAILS:** **FROM 1.45pm: MEET AT AUDREY GREEN CAFE** Address: Ground Floor, NPG, St Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE **2.30pm: ENTER THE MUSEUM/EXHIBITION** Address: Ground Floor, NPG, St Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE **4.30pm-Late: PUB SOCIAL at the BREWMASTER (optional)** We'll head to a local pub for a social chit chat over drinks. Address: 37 Cranbourn St, London WC2H 7AD **TICKETS:** **You will need to purchase your own ticket for this event.** **Please book [here](https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2026/marilyn-monroe-a-portrait#dates)** and choose the **2.30pm slot** (or thereabouts). Ticket: £27 Ticket with Art Pass: £13.50 Members: free, no need to book **GETTING THERE:** **See 'Visit' page of website [here.](https://www.npg.org.uk/visit/?_gl=1*3jbiem*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MTQ1NjE5NDQwOS4xNzc0ODEwNTQ1*_ga_3D53N72CHJ*czE3NzQ4MTA1NDUkbzEkZzAkdDE3NzQ4MTA1NDUkajYwJGwwJGgw&gclid=Cj0KCQjwm6POBhCrARIsAIG58CLQ-vKfzVdSiI57rKFMPG4RbqxNc4GHPHsyuuN-_JtcWj_9JEqV_X0aArUQEALw_wcB&gbraid=0AAAAA9abo5aycXhzScHgcm4chfCVMAqJ3)** **EVENT WHATSAPP GROUP:** Please join the event WhatsApp group to help you find the group on the day. The link can be found in the Event Comments for those on the 'Attendees' list. *NB* *Joining this WhatsApp group will make your phone number visible to other members in the group.* **PLEASE READ:** LoMAZ events are run by volunteers. This event has an attendee limit as we prefer a smaller, friendlier group. If you RSVP but can no longer attend, please change your RSVP as soon as possible, **otherwise you will be marked as a 'no show'.** We remove members from the group who: * repeatedly sign up for events then 'no show'. * repeatedly change their RSVP to 'No'. * are on the event waitlist or have not RSVPd but turn up anyway. Please see the **[About Us section](https://www.meetup.com/london-museums-a-z-for-30s-40s/)** for more information about the group and how it works. **Thank you for your interest in the group & being part of LoMAZ.** 📸 Follow LoMAZ on **[Instagram.](https://www.instagram.com/londonmuseumsatoz/)** Image credit: *Marilyn Monroe, Ballerina Sitting*, 1954, by Milton H. Greene, Milton H. Greene © MHG Collective, LLC.

**Write together with other writers. If you write more surrounded by others, I hope you'll join these new sessions.** Starting up regular Saturday sessions where we writers will gather to write in the same space. There will be plenty of time for you to push forward your own individual projects, but I can provide a writing prompt, short exercise or challenge to anyone who needs them. You can book a spot for a guest with your ticket if you want to bring a writing friend with you. They don't have to be a member of our group. Timing: From **12:30** grab a drink, a table and set up **12:35** individual writing time\* *\*if you'd like a prompt or writing exercise, please ask when you arrive.* **13:15** take a breath (stand up, stretch, look out window, tea, wine etc) **14:00** end of writing time **14:00** we'll gather at the same table to say hello, compare notes and how we got on with our projects in the session **15:00(ish)** end of session I'm hosting this in the main public area of the pub so you can come and go as you please. You can come to write for a short time or the whole thing. I've allowed two hours for the session but you can easily stay on longer if you wish. I will be there for 12pm when the pub opens to grab us the horseshoe of tables (pictured above) so most of us can be sitting in the same vicinity together. That said, it's a spacious pub so if you want to spread out and choose your own spot, feel free. Manners suggest that you'll buy a drink and perhaps a snack or two from the pub as a part of using their table. Please don't bring your own drinks from elsewhere (water bottles included) as the pub will never let us back in. See their menu on the website for more info. Location: The Square Pig, 30-32 Procter St, London WC1V 6NX. Closest tube is Holborn. Timing: Doors open 12pm for a 12:30pm start and we'll finish the main session by 3pm at the latest. Cost: £10 for hosting, venue arrangement, writing task prep etc. Please follow the steps to pay via PayPal when you RSVP. Refunds or credits will only be offered if the meetup is cancelled by admin. If you change your mind after booking, please change to RSVP to 'not going' as we often have people waiting. Download the Meetup app (check the app store) to manage your RSVPs on the go and be notified about new workshops. Questions or concerns? Please post a comment below and I'll respond. I'm looking forward to it already!

[Follow this link for more info, no tickets needed](https://wellcomecollection.org/exhibitions/the-coming-of-age) ‘The Coming of Age’ explores experiences and perceptions of ageing, from adolescence to later life, and asks how societies can adapt for us all to age better. Across the globe, people are living longer. One in ten children in the UK are expected to live beyond the age of 100. But who gets to live longer and ‘age well’? This exhibition explores how experiences of age are shaped by our environment, culture and society. ‘The Coming of Age’ features more than 120 artworks and objects, including historical artefacts and works by contemporary artists. We will join the free intro tour at 14:15 if it's running, then visit by ourselves and you can also check the 'Being Human' permanent exhibition afterwards. When you finish, meet us at the cafe to socialise, if full we will go to a venue nearby. _See comments below for updates_

I have been studying the question of "self" online with Prof. Ellie Anderson and so I thought a prompt on the "self" might be interesting. Full confession: I had Claude create this prompt and I like it, so here goes: Imagine a thought experiment that merges two classic puzzles: > You undergo a procedure, performed neuron by neuron, in which every biological component of your brain is replaced with a functionally identical synthetic substitute. At each step, your behavior, memories, and personality remain unchanged. When the last neuron is swapped, is the consciousness experiencing the world still you? And — more pressingly — was there ever a continuous "you" to begin with? ### Questions to Wrestle With * If consciousness is purely physical, does the *gradual* nature of the replacement matter, or is it equivalent to being destroyed and rebuilt? * Could there be a "self" without continuity of experience — even moment to moment, while you sleep? On a more practical level, consider the simpler case first: **hemispherectomy** patients — people who have had an entire cerebral hemisphere surgically removed — often retain a strong sense of personal identity and continuity. This suggests "you" are not rigidly tied to specific physical material. But does that vindicate the synthetic neuron case, or merely show that identity is more *flexible* than we thought — not that it can survive *complete* substrate replacement? I used Claude so I could get this out today and let everyone have some time to consider it. Hope to see you at the Oracle. Sorry about the location change two weeks ago. That's what I get for trusting local weather predictions!

Columbus Code & Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. People of all skill levels attend, and we love it that way. Many people (optionally) bring projects to work on, and many other people (optionally) socialize the entire time. It's entirely up to you! **What to Expect at the Intro Circle** \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ Near the beginning of the event (1:30 pm), we do a standup: * Organizer announcements, updates, and logistics Round 1 - (7 secs max): * Your name * What you're working on * What you can help others with Round 2: * Community events you wanna plug. If none, that's cool too. Round 3: * Job opportunities you're hiring for OR announce that you are looking for one. If none, that's cool. After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized! Feel free to work alone, pair up, attend one of our workshops/presentations, or mingle!

[Columbus library link to book](https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S105C3351321) Location: The Goat River South 219 S High St, Columbus, OH 43215 Street parking is free on Sundays [Menu](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/686d3ed16745133042482c5f/t/68ff654dbb03b96875430bde/1761568077220/all_brunch-20250311.pdf) Book summary: On a hot day in Bethlehem, a twelve-year-old Palestinian-American girl is yelled at by a group of men outside the Church of the Nativity. She has exposed her legs in a biblical city, an act they deem forbidden, and their judgement will echo on through her adolescence. When our narrator finally admits to her mother that she is queer, her mother's response only intensifies a sense of shame: 'You exist too much,' she tells her daughter. Told in vignettes that flash between the U.S. and the Middle East--from New York to Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine--Zaina Arafat's debut novel traces her protagonist's progress from blushing teen to sought-after DJ and aspiring writer.

Join us as we discuss our June pick: Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider! Book description: Even though she's not one of them, Brynn has spent her life among the Alaha, training to be a guard and waiting for the chance to attend the annual market hosted by the Kenta–the very same people who exiled her adopted community to a life at sea. Going to the market is a rite of passage eagerly anticipated by all young guards, but Brynn does not anticipate breaking a century-long peace treaty while there. Nor does she plan for the intense encounter with an enemy soldier that now threatens to unwind the fragile coexistence between their people–and everything Brynn once believed about herself to be true. Brynn's loyalty to the Alaha is tested when the truth of her identity is brought to light by this soldier who's taken an oath to bring her back to where she belongs. Narrowly escaping death on the violent high seas, Brynn's connection to the Alaha is further tested when she learns about the world of magic she's been denied. She was once certain of her fate and where she belonged, but the dark, knowing eyes of this stranger have her questioning everything, including her heart. Packed with knife fights and seafaring adventure, METAL SLINGER is the smash-hit start to the romantic fantasy duology, the Fire & Metal series

Let’s meet and share discussion of the James Baldwin short story collection, Going to Meet The Man.

**💕 Orlando Virtual Speed Dating – Hosted, Curated & on Zoom** A hosted online speed dating experience for Orlando locals. Join from home, get paired with Orlando singles your age, and have real conversations on Zoom. A host manages everything so you can just relax and enjoy. **✅ Grab your spot by RSVPing.** The host will send you a personality quiz and Zoom details directly after you RSVP. Don't leave it too late — places fill up. --- 🎯 **Perfect for:** - Introverts who shine in one-on-one conversations - Anyone who likes connecting online before meeting face-to-face - Orlando locals after personality-matched dates - First-timers new to speed dating - Singles in Orlando who want to meet people from home **Event Details** - **Format:** Hosted on Zoom – one-on-one video dates - **Location:** Online from home – no need to go anywhere - **Host:** Professional host keeping the evening smooth and relaxed - **Vibe:** Laid-back one-on-one chats with Orlando locals - **Privacy:** Contact info only shared when both match - **Rounds:** Multiple short one-on-one rounds **How It Works** 1. **RSVP here** – Secure your spot on Meetup. 2. **Check your Meetup messages** – The host will reach out with a personality quiz to match you with compatible Orlando singles. 3. **Complete the quiz** – A quick personality quiz so we can find your best matches. 4. **Log in on the night** – Connect to the Zoom session from home. The host runs the show. 5. **Speed date** – One-on-one rounds with personality-matched Orlando locals. Matches shared afterwards. ⭐ *"I was nervous but the host made it effortless. Met someone wonderful first try."* – Orlando single **Frequently Asked Questions** **What if I'm shy?** The virtual setting and hosted rounds keep things comfortable for everyone. **When will the host contact me?** Usually within a day or two of your RSVP, well before the event. **Do I need experience?** Not at all. The host walks you through everything. --- ✨ Speed dating from home — easy, fun, and personality matched. 💝 ✨

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!