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Reason Events Today
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‘Is the Internet Automating the Battle of the Sexes?'
Freya India - Dating, Loneliness and Faith in Gen Z Women
**1\. Is the internet creating a new battle of the sexes?**
Watch the following sections of the video:
**[https://youtu.be/VDsihdJGiq0?si=xh3yHRhkQkvXlV8l&t=4454](https://youtu.be/VDsihdJGiq0?si=xh3yHRhkQkvXlV8l&t=4454)**
\*\*[01:14:15 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDsihdJGiq0&t=4455s)\*\*Is the Internet Teaching Women to Hate Men?
\*\*[01:17:40 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDsihdJGiq0&t=4660s)\*\*How Social Media Is Straining Relationships
\*\*[01:23:27 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDsihdJGiq0&t=5007s)\*\*Are Women Actually Empathetic to Global Conflicts?
1. Why do you think internet “wisdom” “advice” and “sharing” is creating distrust between men and women?
2. How much of today’s dating morals and norms are influencing this movement?
3. Look at the Reddit Relationship Advice Graph (Unable to post here due to Meetup formating, but we'll include it on the paper sheet.) Why do you think so much has changes over the last 15 years? Is it Reddit in general, or does Reddit reflect the changes in people's opinions about relationship values?
**2: Freya India’s Book “Girls” - Loneliness, the Internet and Culture**
Read the Book Review by Rebecca McLaughlin **- [https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/freya-indias-girls/](https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/freya-indias-girls/)**
As girls spent more time online and less time with friends, they were driven to depression and anxiety. At the same time, they were used to market mental health products. “Opening up about our mental health was not only good for us,” India recalls, “but some sort of moral duty”
Girls shared their struggles to fight stigma and were told to stay online for the solutions. “As my generation opened up, algorithms were advancing, learning about us, logging our vulnerabilities, dragging us deeper into them,” India observes. “We were funneled further into our own insecurities, served more signs, symptoms, advice, and—of course—ads” **(62).**
1. How has being encouraged to share their insecurities online been like “arson” for young women?
2. Has social media or the internet accelerated your own anxieties or fears?
3. How would society claw its way back from this crisis?
**3: Faith and God for Gen Z Women in an Automated Age**
**Justin Briarly and Freya India**
**[https://youtu.be/3vKFCQfevb4?si=Pa_c-Khke-iOAb7W&t=313](https://youtu.be/3vKFCQfevb4?si=Pa_c-Khke-iOAb7W&t=313)**
1. Do you think Christian Morality would help women who are affected by hookup culture? Why? Why not?
2. Is the therapy culture and wellbeing language we see daily a kind of worldview?
3. Do you think faith in God is enough to resolve the myriad social and relationship issues between men and women?
5 Primary Trauma Imprints™ Breathwork Journey
Heal The Wounds Of Your Past. Reclaim The Power Of Your Future.
Event Details
Date: Saturday 20 June
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: Aintree (Near Rockbank), Victoria 3336
Many of our struggles today are not caused by what is happening now, but by emotional imprints formed long ago.
These hidden wounds can shape how we love, trust, communicate, react, and show up in the world.
Join us for a powerful 70-minute 9D Breathwork experience designed to help release and transform the five primary trauma imprints that often keep people stuck in repetitive emotional patterns.
During This Journey You Will Explore:
❤️ Separation From Love
🏠 Abandonment
🚪 Rejection
😔 Shame
💔 Absence Of Love
Using a combination of conscious connected breathing, immersive 9D sound, subconscious reprogramming, guided somatic release, and emotional integration techniques, this journey helps participants access and release deeply stored emotional patterns.
Common Outcomes:
\* Greater emotional freedom
\* Increased self-worth and confidence
\* Reduced emotional reactivity
\* Deeper self-compassion
\* Improved relationships
\* Stronger connection to your authentic self
\* Enhanced inner peace and resilience
**Important Information:**
*This is a deep transformational breathwork experience and may bring strong emotions to the surface in a safe and supported environment.*
**What To Bring?**
✔️ Yoga Mat
✔️ Blanket
✔️ Pillow
✔️ Water Bottle
✔️ Comfortable Clothing
✔️ Open Mind
✔️ Eye Mask (*optional*)
Click the link below to reserve your spot:
**https://buy.stripe.com/cNi9AT91xfeZdUp5dZgA80z**
No previous breathwork experience is required.
Come exactly as you are.
***Your trauma may not be your fault.***
**Your healing can become your greatest gift.**
Gratitude for Healing Pain
*‘Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die, so let us all be thankful.’*
**Buddha**
We experience pain in life but we are also given bad advice to forget about it.
We are told time will heal. Well what if we understood how to heal ourselves by knowing the potential of gratitude? Can we do an alchemical conversion of our emotions back into joy?
Based on her own book - ***The Alchemy of Gratitude,*** Amruta will take us through the ways we can find healing through energy transformation.
**Amruta Joshi** is a Gratitude Coach and a Meditation teacher.
She started Gratitude for Earth with her husband in 2020 during covid to help spread the awareness of gratitude as a mental health self-help tool. They conducted sessions on Meetups and in communities. They saw how instantly people's faces were lifted up by this simple practice. It led them to deep dive and create a whole community out of this.
Inspiration drawn from so many people led to Amruta writing her very first book - The Alchemy of Gratitude which was published in June last year. The book contains simple techniques for a daily habit of gratitude along with the alchemical process of transforming our lower emotions into higher joy.
**The MTS is committed to providing events that align with and further The three objects of The Theosophical Society:**
* To form a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour.
* To encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy and science.
* To investigate unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent in the human being.
However this being stated, the MTS does not endorse any health, spiritual, science-related, philosophical or theological /other assertions or claims made by any facilitator we host.
Thoughtstorm® Session Topic: International Day of Play, Yarraville
Would you like to enhance your creativity, confidence and increase your awareness? We’d love you to join us to Thoughtstorm® the topic International Day of Play in the warm, friendly environment of the Yarraville Community Centre.
How Thoughtstorm came about
Thoughtstorm is a technique developed from a seed of speculation: are there more effective (rational, cooperative, compassionate) ways of thinking? Methods whose long-term consequences will not lead to oblivion. This is the genesis of Thoughtstorm.
What is it?
For anyone with an interest in leadership, deeper conversations or creative problem solving, something much more than a group discussion occurs. What is experienced in Thoughtstorm is a forgotten sensory ability - mind-linking. An evolution in human thinking and learning.
The direction moves from a narrow range of possibility into discovering corecepts, when individual minds merge into a much more powerful collective awareness and experience a deeper, more compassionate comprehension of reality. Corecepts trigger intuitive recognition and agreement by the group, a ‘Why, of course!’ reaction.
New insights guaranteed!
Because this process taps into abilities already present in the human mind and into aggregates of consciousness straining to express themselves, very little practice is required.
Would you like to see and understand things in a way that is new for all of us? Would you like to develop your consciousness and your creative intelligence? Would you like to be inspired to create positive change?
Then come and join us to Thoughtstorm together.
If it’s your first time to Thoughtstorm, please RSVP early to give plenty of time to arrange a brief prep call on Zoom to go over the Thoughtstorm procedures so we can all get started on time together.
**Agenda:**
2pm - Arrive, meet and greet, read over Thoughtstorm instructions
2.15pm - Begin the Thoughtstorm
3.15pm - Finish
When you RSVP we will be in touch with the details.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Thoughtstorm® is a registered trademark of Star's Edge, Inc. All rights reserved.
Readings in Applied Theosophy
Join us every first and third Saturday of the month to learn about Theosophical principles and how we may apply them to our lives.
From its inception in 1875, the Theosophical Society encouraged study of the Ageless Wisdom to discover enduring religious Truth and to make Brotherhood a living reality in the world.
*“For real Theosophy IS ALTRUISM, and we cannot repeat it too often. It is brotherly love, mutual help, unswerving devotion to Truth.”*
HP Blavatsky, Our Cycle and The Next, 1889.
*The mission of the Theosophical Society is to serve humanity by cultivating an ever-deepening understanding and realization of the Ageless Wisdom, spiritual Self-transformation and the Unity of all life.*
Resolution passed by the General Council of The Theosophical Society in 1924.
According to these principles, a theosophic life is not just theoretical, but must also be practical, indeed must be a life of service. Amid the noise and conflict of the modern world, what might be our role, as individuals and as a Theosophical Society?
Through a range of books and Theosophical pamphlets, we will look to both exoteric, widespread social principles and to more esoteric, spiritual principles for discussion and guidance.
Unhurried Fitzroy: Coffee, Culture, Creativity
**F IS FOR FITZROY**
(Some context if you're new. At the start of 2026, I floated the idea of using A-Z as inspiration for our monthly activities, and members have been enthusiastic and supportive.)
**ITINERARY**
11am - Meet outside Blackcat Fitzroy (252 Brunswick St). Say hi, grab your caffeine fix.
11.15am - 12.30pm - Meander along Brunswick St.
This is the unhurried part: we will stop in on bookstores, an art gallery, an artists' market, take photos of interesting street art (there are quite a few side streets notable for street art).
**Stops (in no particular order):**
The Brunswick Street Bookstore (305 Brunswick St)
Through the Looking Glass (341 Fitzroy St)
Brunswick Street Gallery (Level 1 and 2/322 Fitzroy St)
Rose Street Artists' Market (60 Rose St)
If your social battery is still holding up, we'll have lunch nearby. Otherwise, feel free to say you've had enough for the day. Always listen to your body!
**Lunch Suggestions:**
Tora Dumplings
[Our Menu - Tora Dumplings](https://toradumplings.com/menu/)
Naked for Satan (very popular and has a great rooftop space with views of Fitzroy and surrounds - if we can get a table!).
[Naked For Satan - Naked Upstairs](https://nakedforsatan.com.au/upstairs)
Mario's
[Menu | Marios Cafe](https://marioscafe.com.au/menu/)
P.S. There is an organizer fee of $10 for this event.
Feel free to bring cash on the day or PayID to 0403 413 056 (Serena Low).
Food and drinks are at your own expense.
Reason Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
What is Art For? On Emotion, Aesthetics and Creativity
A painting that brings a person to tears. A banana worth 6.4 million dollars. A photograph ending a war. What is behind these phenomena? Please join us this Sunday to discuss the Philosophy of Art, where it comes from, what makes it powerful and why it is a universal across time and cultures.
We will meet at the Captain Melville at 2pm for a 2:15pm start sharp. **Please note the new $5 mandatory donation entry fee** (cash or transfer on day) to help with MeetUp subscription costs, venue costs, etc.
There is no pre-requisite preparation necessary, nor a philosophical background, all that is required is a curious mind. These discussions are both a Socrates Cafe style discussion and lively metaphysical dojo, in the spirit of learning and friendly debate, so please feel free to challenge assumptions and be prepared to have your own assumptions challenged.
This event is also posted to the Philosophy Circle group.
We will explore the topic through a range of questions, including:
**What is Art?**
* What comes to mind when we use the word ‘Art’? What are the categories of objects or activities that you would consider to be art?
* Which of these are art?: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1_1nl2_GKbGzzSbXsRRsnAZlkmNVqWPjm
**Emotion**
* Is art a luxury or necessity in life? Is it essential to happiness?
* Why is art so effective at making us feel powerful emotions, even when we know it doesn’t represent reality? Are these ‘true’ emotions, or somehow different / simulated?
* Why do we sometimes seek our art that makes us feel sad?
**Objectivity**
* Is there such a thing as objectively bad art?
* Are there intrinsic properties that make something aesthetic (beautiful)? Are they universal?
* Are there objective standards of ‘taste’? Can one person be said to have better taste than another? If so, on what basis or criteria?
**Value**
* What gives art its value? Why do we consider replicas differently? Is naturally occurring beauty different to art?
* What compels humans towards art? Is there an evolutionary / biological explanation for the seemingly wasteful expenditure of resources on outputs that have no practical function?
**Creativity**
* Are only humans able to appreciate art?
* Are only humans creative?
* Is there such a thing as something truly new, or is every idea or expression a recombination of existing inputs into a different configuration of outputs?
* Can a machine be creative? If not, what is the constraint?
* Could we ever regard AI-creativity in the same way as that of a human?
Hope to see you there!
Spread Eagle Pub Trivia
Special trivia event at the Spread Eagle in Richmond on a Sunday!
Free trivia in the bar and restaurant from 3pm to 5pm with “Million Dollar Mick”.
Thanks go to Mark for booking the table for this one.
They have a parma special for $20 as well.
Philosopher's Walk - Royal Botanic Gardens
Weather looks reasonable on Sunday. Participants are invited to join us for a walk and talk about science, philosophy, AI and emerging technology.
**Schedule**
* **10.30** am – Meet outside the entrance to the Royal Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre (near the Observatory House, and a walk away from the Shrine of Remembrance)
* **11.00** am – Venture into the gardens and walk the outer path anticlockwise, spiralling inwards towards the lake
* \~1.00 pm – (optional) Lunch by the lake, (BYO or there are Terrace Café options)
**Getting there:** If coming by **tram**, get off at Stop 19 - Shrine of Remembrance/St Kilda Rd
**Parking** is free on Anderson St far side of the Botanic Gardens ([near eastern gate B and Tecoma gate C](https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/interactive-map/)) subject to time limits in some stretches (mostly 3 hrs) - which is the only free parking area near the gardens that I can find. Check signage on the day. See this [PDF for more detail](https://athsvic.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/The-Tan-Parking-Map.pdf).
**Possible discussion topics**
* Latest AI models - Anthropic's Mythos and Fable blocked after US bans foreign use
* AI Pause / Stop - will it work? (Regulatory catch-up, xrisk, global-coordination & geopolitical arms races, enforcement & logistics, existing capability overhang)
* Technical AI safety - Mechanistic interpretability, linear probes, RLHF, behavioural evals
* General AI alignment approaches: control vs motivation:
\- control \(External Constraints\) focuses on building walls *around* the AI to restrict what it can do, trip wires etc.
\- motivation \(Internal Alignment\) focuses on changing the AI’s inner desires so it *wants* to be ethical/help humans/act in accordance with the well-being of all sentience
* AI ethics: how is it related to AI safety? What should be the target for AI alignment? Should the target be aggregate human preferences, religious doctrine, moral naturalism or something else?
* Metaethics and ethics
* Moral realism: a stance-independent moral ontology, useful for capturing non-arbitrary moral choice
* Moral anti-realism: error theory, non-cognitivism, moral relativism etc
* Can AI be fault-tolerantly aligned to moral realism or anti-realism?
* Is sentience required for moral reasoning or moral deliberation? Can it be a hindrance?
* Moral progress and indirect normativity
* AI safety, automated persuasion, the orthogonality thesis
* How epistemics (including science) makes progress
* Health, wellness, and how to live a good life
* Latest trends in AI: ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude
* Economic impacts of AGI, automation, and unbounded inequality
* UBI and universal wealth redistribution
* The likelihood of future doom or utopia
* Human augmentation and hacking human potential
* Plato's cave
* Fun theory and value theory
"All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking." - Nietzsche, *Twilight of the Idols*
Philosophy discussions can feel quite sedentary - hence our experiment in cross-pollinating exercise with engaging discussion. Exerting mind and body together may produce a fascinating dynamic. A sedentary lifestyle (and, by association, philosophy) has been linked to depression, anxiety and chronic stress.
Ease the anxieties of the armchair philosopher engaging in mental gymnastics with minimal muscle movement - join our raggle-taggle crew of aspiring philosophers walking the talk. Healthy body, healthy mind.
Bring elemental protection (umbrellas, sunscreen, etc).
Self Mastery & Enoughness™ | 9D Breathwork Journey
**Self Mastery & Enoughness™ \| 9D Breathwork Journey**
📅 Sunday 21 June
🕓 4:00 PM
📍 Aintree (Near Rockbank), Victoria 3336
⸻
***Have You Forgotten How Amazing You Truly Are?***
Do you ever feel like no matter how much you achieve, give, or accomplish, it still doesn’t feel like enough?
Do you find yourself battling self-doubt, comparing yourself to others, overthinking decisions, or constantly seeking validation?
You’re not alone.
Many of us have spent years unknowingly running an internal program that whispers:
“You’re not enough.”
This powerful 9D Breathwork journey is designed to help you rewrite that story.
⸻
A Journey Back To Your True Self
Self Mastery & Enoughness is a transformational 9D Breathwork experience designed to help you release self-criticism, reclaim self-worth, and embody the truth that has always been within you:
I Am Enough.
Through immersive 9D sound, conscious connected breathing, subconscious reprogramming, and powerful somatic integration, you’ll move beyond the noise of the analytical mind and reconnect with your authentic self.
This is not about becoming someone new.
*It’s about remembering who you have always been.*
⸻
What You Will Experience
✨ Conscious Connected Breathwork
✨ Immersive 9D Audio Technology
✨ Positive Subconscious Reprogramming
✨ Self-Worth & Confidence Activation
✨ Emotional Release & Nervous System Regulation
✨ Deep Self-Acceptance Integration
✨ Guided Visualisation & Reflection
⸻
Common Outcomes:
💛 Increased confidence and self-belief
💛 Reduced self-doubt and overthinking
💛 Greater emotional resilience
💛 Improved self-worth
💛 More self-compassion and acceptance
💛 Increased clarity and focus
💛 A deeper connection to your authentic self
💛 Lasting inner peace
⸻
Perfect For Anyone Who…
• Struggles with self-doubt
• Battles their inner critic
• Constantly compares themselves to others
• Finds it difficult to acknowledge their worth
• Wants to feel more confident and empowered
• Is ready to stop seeking validation and start trusting themselves
⸻
What To Bring:
✔ Yoga Mat
✔ Blanket
✔ Pillow
✔ Water Bottle
✔ Comfortable Clothing
✔ Open Mind
Click the link below to reserve your spot:
**[https://buy.stripe.com/4gMaEX1z5d6R9E9dKvgA80A](https://buy.stripe.com/4gMaEX1z5d6R9E9dKvgA80A)**
No previous breathwork experience is required.
Simply come as you are.
⸻
Philosophy Roundtable: Art
A painting that brings a person to tears. A banana worth 6.4 million dollars. A photograph ending a war. What is behind these phenomena? Please join us this Sunday to discuss the Philosophy of Art, where it comes from, what makes it powerful and why it is a universal across time and cultures.
We will meet at the Captain Melville at 2pm for a 2:15pm start sharp. **Please note the new $5 mandatory donation entry fee** (cash or transfer on day) to help with MeetUp subscription costs, venue costs, etc.
There is no pre-requisite preparation necessary, nor a philosophical background, all that is required is a curious mind. These discussions are both a Socrates Cafe style discussion and lively metaphysical dojo, in the spirit of learning and friendly debate, so please feel free to challenge assumptions and be prepared to have your own assumptions challenged.
This event is also posted to the Socrates Cafe group.
We will explore the topic through a range of questions, including:
**What is Art?**
* What comes to mind when we use the word ‘Art’? What are the categories of objects or activities that you would consider to be art?
* Which of these are art?: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1_1nl2_GKbGzzSbXsRRsnAZlkmNVqWPjm
**Emotion**
* Is art a luxury or necessity in life? Is it essential to happiness?
* Why is art so effective at making us feel powerful emotions, even when we know it doesn’t represent reality? Are these ‘true’ emotions, or somehow different / simulated?
* Why do we sometimes seek our art that makes us feel sad?
**Objectivity**
* Is there such a thing as objectively bad art?
* Are there intrinsic properties that make something aesthetic (beautiful)? Are they universal?
* Are there objective standards of ‘taste’? Can one person be said to have better taste than another? If so, on what basis or criteria?
**Value**
* What gives art its value? Why do we consider replicas differently? Is naturally occurring beauty different to art?
* What compels humans towards art? Is there an evolutionary / biological explanation for the seemingly wasteful expenditure of resources on outputs that have no practical function?
**Creativity**
* Are only humans able to appreciate art?
* Are only humans creative?
* Is there such a thing as something truly new, or is every idea or expression a recombination of existing inputs into a different configuration of outputs?
* Can a machine be creative? If not, what is the constraint?
* Could we ever regard AI-creativity in the same way as that of a human?
Hope to see you there!
Logosophy and a more conscious humanity
Connect with a supportive community dedicated to continuous growth. Together, we’ll dive into meaningful topics that help us become a little better every single day.
Magic Mind & Peak Consciousness: Cultivating Psychic Abilities - Dr. Alex de Foe
**What if psychical abilities (psi) can be cultivated in earlier life?** What are the implications for modern society and our perception of the world? A new theory based on entropy and perception may hold the answers...
After 70+ years of controlled studies into psychical phenomena, scholars still lack a cohesive theory of what makes them possible....
**In this presentation, Dr Alex De Foe** draws on his 15+ years of research to model psi as an emergent lifespan experience - understanding it in relation to neural development and entropy, experiences often reported by children. Drawing upon the "free energy model" in perception and social neuroscience, Alex will make the case for cultivation of psi in pivotal states of consciousness.
Part 2 will focus on experiential analysis to support the argument, including case studies and a short practice task called 'Image Streaming' that engages aspects of the mind at the periphery of experience.
**Image Streaming** is a technique that bridges the divide between the conscious, unconscious, and super-conscious mind, related to Michael Thalbourne's concept of 'transliminality', in which material flows between these dimensions of mind seamlessly.
**Case studies will be presented from:**
* Research into out-of-body experiences (OBEs) and lucid dreams
* A new theory on archetypes and the collective unconscious
* Speculative accounts at the bridge between spiritual emergence and spiritual 'emergency'
**About Dr. Alexander De Foe (PhD, M Couns):**
* Academic at Monash University (2021-2026).
* Runs a research program on mindfulness/consciousness
* At RMIT University (2016-2021), he managed a virtual reality lab focusing on embodied cognition and social neuroscience.
* Published over 30 peer-reviewed studies/papers on consciousness, perception, and general psychology.
* Chair of the Australian Centre for Consciousness Studies
* Committee Member of the Australian Institute of Parapsychological Research
* Associate Editor at the Anthropology of Consciousness Journal.
**Post-Event Social Lunch Hangout (12.45 - 1.45pm)**
NOTE: TRYING OUT NEW LUNCH VENUE...
Afterwards, you are invited to lunch with everyone at **Gopal's Restaurant** (5min walk from the venue)
**PLEASE NOTE:**
* **11AM Start -** Please be considerate and arrive early.
* **$10 Cover Charge:** Room hire, facilities, and running costs.
Reason Events Near You
Connect with your local Reason community
Drunken Philosophy: Where Is Everybody? The Fermi Paradox and the Great Filter
Welcome to Drunken Philosophy, a casual, curious, social discussion club. Come grab a drink and a seat at The Oracle.
**Optional topic for this meetup: Where is everybody?**
In 1950 the physicist Enrico Fermi was talking about aliens over lunch and asked a question that still has not gone away: if the universe is so vast and so old, and even a fraction of those billions of stars have planets, where is everyone? By the numbers the galaxy should be crowded with civilizations. Instead we look up and hear silence. That gap between "they should be everywhere" and "we see no one" is the Fermi Paradox.
One of the most unsettling answers is the idea of a **Great Filter**: somewhere on the road from dead chemistry to a galaxy-spanning civilization, there is at least one step that is almost impossible to get past. Maybe the filter is behind us. Maybe life starting at all, or simple cells becoming complex, or intelligence ever evolving, is the freak accident, and we already cleared the hard part. Or maybe the filter is ahead of us, and advanced civilizations reliably wipe themselves out before they spread.
Here is the part that messes with people. If we ever found life somewhere else, even pond scum on Mars, most people would call it the greatest discovery in history. But it might be the worst possible news. It would mean life is common, the early steps are easy, and the hard step is still in front of us. So the eerie silence overhead might actually be the best sign we could ask for.
**Questions to wrestle with:**
* Is it better to be alone? Would you rather we find alien life and learn we are not special, or find nothing and quietly improve our odds of surviving?
* Where do you bet the filter sits, behind us or ahead of us, and why?
* If it is ahead of us, what is it? Nuclear war, climate collapse, AI, something we cannot even picture yet? And can we do anything about a filter we cannot see coming?
* Two principles pull opposite ways here. The principle of mediocrity (the Copernican principle, Sagan's "no privileged place in the universe") says we are ordinary, so what happened on Earth probably happened everywhere, which makes the silence scream louder. The anthropic principle says of course we find ourselves somewhere life was possible, since we could not observe anything else, so our being here may say almost nothing about how common life is. Which lens do you trust, and does the silence still demand an answer once you account for observer selection?
* And if we did confirm life out there and had to accept we are not special, what would that do to belief in a higher power, and would shedding (or keeping) that belief help or hurt our odds of pulling together as one species?
* Does any of this change how you live, or how humanity should be spending its time and money right now?
As always the prompt is optional. Come for the conversation, stay for the drinks, and bring your own questions.
Free In-Person Meeting: Get Over Losses & Betrayals, Build Lasting Relationships
This is a free, in-person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships.
Burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse.
Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well.
Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship.
Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action?
Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships!
Break free from self imposed limitations
Here we will discuss:
• How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes.
• Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you?
• Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it?
• Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love?
• Fights & arguments - what's really behind them?
• What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others?
• How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change?
• Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them?
• How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about?
• How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career?
Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general.
Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person.
Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life.
We look forward to having you join us!
This class is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.
Sunday Brunch
Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!
Fun & easy way to play more tennis (read event description)
We’re still working to get more people into these Meetups, but our goal is to give PlayYourCourt members a few social tennis outings each week in addition to your practice sessions and Challenge League matches.
These Meetups are co-ed, super laid back, and all skill levels are welcome. Post your skill level and a suggested court in the comments section so we can round up as many players as we can for some tennis fun!
Also, if you’re looking to meet new practice partners or play some matches and you aren’t already in the PlayYourCourt Community, you can go here to see what we’re all about and sign up:
https://www.playyourcourt.com/tennis-community/columbus-oh/meetup/
If you love tennis, we’d love to have you! Be sure and watch the quick video that explains how everything works.
Happy hitting!
- Scott
HCCO at the Pride Parade
We will be marching again this summer at Pride. Come ready to show your Pride and stand-up for every human's right to love, respect, and family!
* **Step-off:** 10:30AM
* **Route:** High Street from the Capital to Goodale Park
Update: We are meeting at Bob Leonhard's house. You can park your car there and we will carpool to the parade. This will eliminate you finding parking in the city and excessive walking.
You SHOULD BE AT BOB'S HOUSE BY 8:45 a.m.! We will leave for the parade at 9:15 am sharp!
Bob's address: 2858 Thorndale Avenue, Columbus, OH 43207
If you have questions, his number is 614-301-7436
Jacksonville Zoom Online Speed Dating
**💫 Live Zoom Speed Dating with Jacksonville Singles**
No apps, no awkward bios. Just live one-on-one Zoom chats with Jacksonville singles picked for you.
**The format is simple:**
- Register and take a short personality quiz
- Jump on Zoom when the event starts
- Meet singles in guided one-on-one rounds
- Get your mutual matches by email afterward
**Find your bracket and grab a seat:**
→ **Ages 18-32** — [Register here](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=573&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Jacksonville&groupurlname=manga-k-drama-foodie-language-feast-network&ar=18-32&face_v=8.0)
→ **Ages 30-46** — [Register here](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=573&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Jacksonville&groupurlname=manga-k-drama-foodie-language-feast-network&ar=30-46&face_v=8.0)
→ **Ages 40-58** — [Register here](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=573&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Jacksonville&groupurlname=manga-k-drama-foodie-language-feast-network&ar=40-58&face_v=8.0)
→ **Ages 55+** — [Register here](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=573&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Jacksonville&groupurlname=manga-k-drama-foodie-language-feast-network&ar=55+&face_v=8.0)
> Note: clicking RSVP alone won't get you in. Register via your age group and take the quiz. Places fill up.
Your next great conversation is one click away. 💌
COUNT RMH Housewarmer Volunteering (Ronald McDonald House)
Some trained COUNT volunteers work together once a month at RMH (http://www.rmhc-centralohio.org/volunteer.php) as Housewarmers (usually on the 1st Sunday from 1 – 5 PM). Some schedule other shifts at their convenience. You may try this out with less fuss by following a "Fast track" or go through the normal process.
Fast track
• Arrange a time to shadow a COUNT volunteer. Call Dave Nohle at 614-268-9558 (cell).
• Show up and try it out.
• Complete application, etc. later.
Normal process
• Complete an online application (http://rmhc-centralohio.org/volunteer/).
• Attend orientation in advance.
• At orientation you will complete forms agreeing to keep family/patient info private and allowing a background check and tour the facility.
• Complete one training shift. Daily shifts are: morning 9 AM - 1 PM, afternoon 1 - 5 PM and evening 5 - 9 PM.
• Schedule shifts online using the on the RMH scheduling system (http://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/?FROM=32895).
The Ronald McDonald House (RMH) provides housing and meals for families with sick children. The Columbus RMH is the largest in the world with 137 rooms. COUNT has been volunteering there since May 2014.
Housewarmers work with RMH guests to provide a home-like environment - greet, assist with family needs, answer phones, give tours, assist with checkin/checkout, prepare guest rooms after checkout, clean facility, laundry, restock supplies and staff the front desk. RMH Housewarmers volunteer at least one four-hour shift a month. All Housewarmers must complete an application and agree to a background check before they can be full fledged volunteers.






















