Sociocracy

Looking for consistent rhythm in your work? Been putting something off for too long? Join us for our Weekly Co-Working Session in the excellent **Jaz in the City** — and let’s get it done, together. 📲 **Want** **to** **connect** with others before/after? Looking for extra support and accountability: Join our [WhatsApp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/K6LidaoQhe16wZ0Se9pNM6), Keep in touch via [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/nocrastinationclub/) This is a **reliable**, safe, supportive in-person space to move through procrastination with presence and companionship. Whether you’re working on admin tasks, tax returns, writing, creative/coding projects, or simply clearing up your inbox — bring whatever needs getting done and we’ll focus gently beside you. After a 30' intro and goal setting session, we will go through 3 **Pomodoro** **sessions** of 45' focused work and 15' breaks in between. 🕐 **Time**: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM 📍 **Location**: Jaz in the City – Ground Floor long table: Windmühlgasse 28, 1060 Vienna 💻 **Bring**: Your laptop(& charger), journal, creative tools, or anything you’ve been procrastinating on 🌿 **Hosted by**: NoCrastination. See you across from the ground floor bar ✨ you will see us sitting at the long table with our laptops ☕ Please do order something from the bar, so as to keep us in their good graces! Espresso: €3.5, Americano: €4.5, Latte: €5.5. Donations to support the community are voluntary and welcome. 🌱 **What to Expect** * **Welcoming space**: we meet in the creative, cozy lobby of the **Jaz in the City** * **Social start**: intro from **1:00 to 1:30 PM**, we mingle, get to know each other and share goals; our first focus session begins at **1:30 PM.** However, **drop in anytime** if you can't make the intro session — stay for a bit or settle in for the whole session * **Clarify your goals**: write down your measurable tasks for the day on a Post-it when you arrive, or join us for the 30' intro session where we introduce ourselves and share our goals for the day * **Enough spaces**: main table is for quiet focus, multiple nearby tables for casual conversation, and sofa's in the back for taking video calls(be mindful that the hotel music is always on in the background). After each focus session, if you’re still in the flow, feel free to remain seated — no need to move. If you're up for a chat, we can move to a social area for a relaxed break * **Pomodoro-style rhythm**: We work in 45' focus blocks followed by 15' social breaks. If 45' feels too long, feel free to break it into two 20' focus sessions with a short 5' reset in between. You’ll need to self-regulate these shorter cycles, just tune into your own flow and rejoin when ready * **Quiet companionship**: no pressure to talk during focus time — just shared presence and support 💡 **New to Pomodoro?** Don’t worry — we’ll guide you gently. No apps or timers needed. **🪑Seating information:** * If this is your first time joining us, please look for **Vlad** when you arrive in front of the **Ground Floor Bar** (not at the hotel reception). * There is a **long table with about 12 seats** for those joining the **peer accountability session** — please arrive on time if you’d like to sit here. * There are also **round tables nearby** for anyone who prefers a more flexible setup. * If you’d like to **work independently (without the Pomodoro sessions),** but still be part of the group energy, just let **Vlad** know — we’ll make sure you’re comfortably included. 💛 💬 Why Join? * Beat procrastination with gentle accountability * Reclaim your momentum without doing it alone * Enjoy a change of scenery that boosts your focus * Be part of a community that shows up — without hustle Bring your project. Bring your presence. Let’s work side-by-side. 💚

Social meetup and making friends Would you like to make new friends? ⛳️After a long day at work, what’s better than to communicate with great people, good vibes, and city views? Let’s meet, chat, and enjoy the evening together! ✨Participation fee is 2€ Donations are welcome ✨ This is your chance to: • Meet new people and catch up with familiar faces • Share stories • Exchange contacts and grow your circle • Soak in the winter vibe ⭐️Please register if you go and unregister if you don’t go. Join us on WhatsApp and Instagram and don’t miss new events https://www.instagram.com/makegoodfriends?igsh=YjA2czVxNjF0cGJi&utm_source=qr https://chat.whatsapp.com/ERvtYIUDqtHLtVwwytpKLZ

**\*\*\* Enrollment and all info** [https://www.iicv.at/intermediate-classes](https://www.iicv.at/intermediate-classes)**\*\*\*** **Description:** **Come join for a journey of some of the nitty-gritty of improv performance.** We’ll work on scene work, stage presence, breaking out of our patterns, finding fun in the stillness, and stillness in the craziness of Improv. This is for improvisers who understand the foundations and concepts of improv and want that extra challenge to perform or refine their performance skills. **Teacher:** Shawn Fisher Shawn Fisher is an improviser, performer, and educator. With over 15 years of experience in improv, you can see him with The English Lovers, one of Vienna’s longest-standing improv groups, Two-Buttons Short, and with Rainbow’s Last Wish. Originally from the US, he has taught classes, workshops and led open improv sessions in Vienna since 2018, fostering community where curiosity leads the way. ​ Whether directing, MCing, or coaching at venues like Vienna’s Maestro, Shawn thrives on the spontaneity and connection of live performance—especially when leaning into the fantastical.

Things to know before playing: Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls; We play Thursday Night Football (outdoor only) . We play 90 minutes (kick off is at 20:30, and we meet at least 15 minutes before for a warm up phase). Post-Corona football matches are most likely between 14-16 and 28-32 players. If you would like to join please bring artificial turf shoes (like the ones for indoor turf) and shin pads (not mandatory but definitely recommendable). All I ask is that you come with a good mood, be respectful to everyone, and pay online using the link below. [FOOTxp Thursday Night Football](https://footballexperiences.net/kickaball/p/thursdaynightfootball/) Other methods for payments. **Bank Transfer**: Sorin-Florian Brici AT27 2011 1829 5564 7001 **\* [Revolut](https://revolut.me/brici)** \- Recommended **\* [Wise](https://wise.com/pay/me/sorinb256)** \- Also recommended **\* [Paypal](https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/sorinSocial)** \- Please use non\-Commercial product We play light: no sliding, hard tackling, fighting, screaming, & hopefully no injuries. We need to respect current regulations in Vienna, Austria. The main priorities are to have fun and being safe. The drinks are relatively free after the game in the local pub, served to those who have shown fantastic football fair-play skills. We’ll confirm the location, the pitches, and the dressing room numbers via our dedicated Football WhatsApp group. Keep an eye out for the group messages. See you all soon. Sorin SMS/ WhatsApp +43 6764276984 (please ask to be added to our football groups). We will probably need to confirm your presence if you are coming for the first or second time. Important management rule: \> "No shows" are penalized with 10€ fee\. Please remove your name from the list at least SIX\!\!\! \(6\) HOURS before the event\. Book a place via FootballExperiences\.NET using this link [Kick A Ball via FOOTxp.COM](https://footballexperiences.net/kickaball/) One small final note: Please avoid trying to take justice in your hands. If someone is talking bad, complaining, insulting someone, fouling on purpose or committing the usual football shenanigans, please let the organizers know. Measures will be taken, we assure you. Any misbehavior on your part, such as responding in an obscene way, fighting, or leaving the pitch is not a practical and diplomatic way of resolving the issues (it tends to create more tension and cause more problems). Let’s be respectful and mature and try to enjoy the game we all love. That’s why we’re all here. Get to know people from all over the world and have fun! Thank you. Sorin

Genügsamkeit trägt viel zum Lebensglück bei - genauso wie zu einem nachhaltigen Leben für uns alle auf unserem Planeten Erde. Ab Februar laden wir Dich einmal im Monat zum Genug-Lehrgang ein, der vom Verein SOL entwickelt wurde. SOL steht für Menschen für Solidarität, Ökologie, Lebensstil. Wir treffen uns jeden ersten Donnerstag im Monat, 15:30–17:00 Uhr im „Lieber Ohne“ (Otto-Bauer-Gasse 8-10), um gemeinsam zu lernen, zu reflektieren und konkrete Schritte in Richtung eines guten, genügsamen und nachhaltigen Lebens auszuprobieren. Ins Leben gerufen wurde das neue Angebot unserer Mitmach-Region durch Angelika, die professionelle Transformationsbegleiterin ist, und die die Treffen gemeinsam mit Maja und Eva organisiert und leitet. Du würdest einfach gerne einmal vorbeischauen? Kein Problem! Eine durchgehende Teilnahme am Jahreszyklus ist begrüßenswert, aber nicht obligatorisch. Die Teilnahme ist kostenlos, eine Spende an SOL für die Bereitstellung der Unterlagen ist erbeten. Mehr Infos zum Lehrgang findest Du hier: https://nachhaltig.at/genug-lehrgang/ Bei Fragen melde Dich bei Angelika unter angelika.pohnitzer@leadership.associates Wir freuen uns, wenn Du dabei bist und gemeinsam mit uns den Wandel weiter voranbringst!

Mixed indoor volleyball. We play intermediate and advanced levels in a friendly and respectful environment. We play for enjoyment. Please note that numbers are important, so if you cannot come, please cancel 48 hours in advance so others can join. Failure to do so will result in exclusion from future games and payment of any outstanding fees. Best regards.

**Die absurdeste deutsche Comedy-Show Wiens: jung, wild & unberechenbar. Gratis Eintritt – jeden Donnerstag im Comedy Pub.** # [Hol dir deine Tickets hier!!!](https://www.universe.com/events/comedy-sein-vater-absurd-witziges-stand-up-open-mic-thecomedypub-tickets-CZ89PB?ref=MeetUp) Willkommen zu **Comedy sein Vater**, der Show, die klingt wie ein Meme und sich auch so anfühlt. Jeden Donnerstag im *The Comedy Pub* übernehmen junge, wilde Comedians die Bühne, um mit absurden Ideen, schrägen Gags und gnadenlosem Humor das Publikum zum Lachen (und manchmal auch zum Kopfschütteln) zu bringen. Hier gilt: nichts muss, alles kann. Von wahnwitzigen Gedankensprüngen über dunklen Humor bis zu völlig chaotischen Auftritten – **Comedy sein Vater** ist das Open Mic, bei dem Regeln aufhören und die Absurdität beginnt. Wer brave Comedy will, geht woanders hin. Wer das Unerwartete liebt, ist hier genau richtig. ## 🤔 Was ist ein Open Mic? Ein Open Mic ist die Spielwiese der Stand-up-Comedians. Hier werden Ideen geboren, getestet und manchmal auch sofort wieder beerdigt – live, unzensiert und direkt vor Publikum. Genau deshalb ist es so spannend: du erlebst, wie Stand-up entsteht, wie Comedians Risiko eingehen und wie oft daraus die lustigsten Momente des Abends werden. Bei **Comedy sein Vater** ist das Ganze noch ein Stück extremer: mehr Mut, mehr Chaos, mehr Überraschungen. ## 🍻 The Comedy Pub – Zuhause für Chaos & Lacher Austragungsort ist das **The Comedy Pub** (Kettenbrückengasse 7, 1050 Wien) – ein Irish Pub mit Herz und einem historischen Altbaukeller, der wie geschaffen ist für wilde Stand-up-Abende. Oben wartet die Bar mit Drinks und Pub-Atmosphäre, unten der Keller mit Underground-Flair. Niedrige Decken, warme Lichter, intime Stimmung – genau der richtige Ort, um Comedy an ihre Grenzen zu bringen. Dank der U4-Station **Kettenbrückengasse** gleich ums Eck ist die Anreise so einfach wie ein Lacher auf einen guten Witz. ## 💡 Eintritt frei – Spenden willkommen Hier gilt: Lachen kostet nichts, aber wer lacht, sollte geben. Der Eintritt ist frei, Spenden sind willkommen. Jede Reaktion des Publikums – ob Applaus, Gelächter oder betretenes Schweigen – hilft den Comedians, besser zu werden. Aber wer herzhaft gelacht hat, darf das auch im Spendenhut zeigen. ## 🎟️ Regeln für das Publikum Ja, auch im Chaos braucht es ein paar Spielregeln: * Sei pünktlich – sonst verpasst du den besten Wahnsinn. * Respektiere die Bühne – auch wenn’s absurd wird. * Lachen, Stöhnen, Kopfschütteln – alles erlaubt, aber bitte keine Zwischenrufe. * Kein Heckling – das endet nie so lustig, wie du denkst. * Spenden sind Liebe – und Comedy sein Vater lebt davon. ## 🎉 Warum Donnerstag? Weil am Donnerstag alles passieren darf. **Comedy sein Vater** ist das perfekte Ventil für Wochenend-Vibes, die schon zu früh kommen. Hier siehst du Comedians, die an die Grenze gehen – mit Humor, der nicht brav sein will, sondern mutig, absurd und manchmal gnadenlos ehrlich ist. Wenn du eine Show suchst, die dich überrascht, irritiert und garantiert zum Lachen bringt, dann bist du hier genau richtig. Willkommen beim Chaos. Willkommen bei **Comedy sein Vater**. #ComedySeinVater #ComedyWien #StandupWien #OpenMicWien #DeutschComedy #AbsurdComedy #EdgyComedy #WildComedyWien #ComedyNightWien #ComedyClubWien #StandupComedyWien #WienLacht #LachenInWien #ComediansWien #ComedySzeneWien #ComedyShowWien #WienEvents #WienNightlife #ComedyLovers #WienOpenMic #GermanComedy #ComedyVienna #ViennaComedy #StandupVienna #ViennaEvents #ViennaNightlife #ViennaOpenMic #ViennaStandup #ViennaFun #ViennaUnderground #ComedyLifeWien #WienHumor #StandupSceneWien #LaughsInVienna #ComedySpotWien #FunnyInWien #AltbaukellerComedy #ViennaLaughs #WienThursday #AbsurdWien #IronischeComedy #JungeComedyWien

Welcome Book Lovers! Join our Meet Up Group to find like-minded book readers! This event is for everybody interested in listening or sharing new book content or comment on it. You are welcome just to come for inspiration. You definitely don't need to read books at the moment. It is a gathering for everybody to find like-minded people interested in learning something new. :) Feel free to bring your own book with you. The event will take place at the volunteer organisation MUT. It is an organisation to supports humans, animals and the environment especially in Vienna. I am happy to host it there. MUT or the Social Book Club look forward to some donation to cover the cost of this event. If you would like to help, please bring some cash with you. This is the address: Rechte Wienzeile 37, 1040 Wien Walk until the end of the main entrance hall. At the end of the hallway you find a big green gate with a sign of the Social Book Club. Please give your best to be on time so that we can have a nice introduction round together. If you can't attend anymore please cancel the event to give someone else the space to come. :) Check out the Social Book Club Website for more content: https://socialbookclub.de/ Looking forward to seeing you there! :)

Heyho and welcome to our cozy Science Fiction Circle which is part of the Social Book Club! We meet every month to discuss one book (or short story). This time we read the hard science fiction novel **"Echopraxia" (2014)** by the Canadian author **Peter Watts**, sequel of the book "Blindsight", which we already discussed in November. It's not necessary to have read the first part, but it helps to understand some concepts that are not explained in the second. Anyway please read at least "Echopraxia" before the book club, to follow the discussion. We meet at IKEA Westbahnhof at JOE&JOE'S in the 5th floor. Drinks and some food can be bought there.

### **,,Wirklich sehen, hören, fühlen – Wie geschärfte Wahrnehmung Nähe ermöglicht''** **Workshop für Sinne, Selbsterkenntnis & Beziehungstiefe** *** **Was, wenn echte Verbindung nicht durch Reden, sondern durch Wahrnehmen beginnt?** Wie nah wir anderen kommen – in Partnerschaft, Freundschaft oder Familie – hängt oft davon ab, **wie klar und fein wir wahrnehmen können**: uns selbst, den anderen, die Situation. In diesem Workshop schulen wir unsere Sinne – **sehen, hören, riechen, fühlen** – und erkennen, was zwischen Wahrnehmung und Reaktion liegt: unsere gelernten Muster, Schutzmechanismen und tiefen Bedürfnisse. *** **Inhalte & Übungen**: * Wie „Wahr“-nehmung funktioniert – und wie sie getäuscht werden kann * Sehen, Hören, Riechen, Fühlen bewusst trainieren – mit alltagsnahen Übungen * Schulz von Thun: Was höre ich wirklich, wenn jemand spricht? * Virginia Satir: Welche Reaktionen schützen mich – und verhindern Nähe? * Karen Horney & Bindungstheorie: Warum wir uns so schwer tun mit Kontakt * Sinneserfahrungen mit Alltagsgegenständen (z. B. Kaffee, Stoffe, Düfte) * Achtsame Selbstwahrnehmung & ehrlicher Austausch in Kleingruppen *** **Warum das wichtig ist:** Viele Kommunikationsprobleme und Beziehungskonflikte entstehen nicht durch bösen Willen – sondern durch **nicht wahrgenommene Signale**, alte Muster oder unbewusste Schutzreaktionen. Wenn wir die Welt feiner spüren lernen, **werden wir echter, weicher, verbindlicher** – ohne uns zu verlieren. *** **Für wen?** Für Menschen, die sich selbst und andere besser verstehen wollen – nicht theoretisch, sondern **im Spüren, Erleben und im echten Kontakt**. *** 📍**Ort:** jeden Sonntag 🕖 **Zeit:** 11:00-14:30 ☕ **Mit Sinnesimpulsen wie Kaffee & Duftübungen** Kaffee & kleine Snacks inklusive! 💶 **Beitrag:** 25€ 📝 **Anmeldung:** über Meetup oder Emailanmeldung unter: orhanberatgueclue@gmail.com

All info and registration: [https://www.iicv.at/community-event](https://www.iicv.at/community-event) Join us for a night of socialising with your favourite improv-people Bring your own drinks and some snacks to share, and meet some old and new faces of the improv community in Vienna. There may or may not be some improv games, depending on the mood, but the primary goal is just getting to know each other and networking in a chill environment :) If you can no longer make it, please update your attendance so we know how many people to expect!

Hello ! and welcome to our international family in Vienna! [[Click this Whatsapp Groupchat link to join](https://chat.whatsapp.com/IHjiqrhVEYDEyGaB7uQfzu)] This isn’t just a language exchange — it’s a lively gathering of globally minded souls in their 20s and 30s who love new experiences. We meet every Saturday at 7:30 PM in the heart of the city. Whether you’re a backpacker passing through or a Viennese local curious about the world, you'll find open minds and open hearts here. Come practice new languages, share your culture, and make authentic connections.

Weekly screenings from a large archive of many of the most significant, yet seldom seen and rarely accessible cinematic masterpieces in the history of film - from its earliest beginnings to the present day. Screenings are in original language, if English, or original language with English subtitles. Films are selected democratically on the inspiration of a brief pre-screening discussion. The selected title is typically a "neglected gem" that most of us discover together for the first time. Individual taste is not a criterion and all participants are expected to put the interests of the group as a whole above personal preference or prejudice. In this sense, the emphasis is on openness, exploration, and surprise. Each screening is followed by an in-depth group discussion, led and moderated by the curator. WARNNG: FilmStory is not just about watching movies! Rather, it's a socially responsible, intellectual engagement, involving an organic approach to group study of film language, philosophy, art, history, politics, and technology. In this sense, the film is always merely the current highlight in an explorative, ongoing group discussion. **FilmStory** is a members-only series that involves a closely knit community of cinephiles. Events take place every Sunday in a comfortable, private setting with limited capacity. Participation is reserved primarily for regular members, but we're always ready to make new friends! Non-regular members may request to meet the community and, upon acceptance as a "new joiner," are welcome to participate in one event, according to space availability. New joiners are asked to make a €6 member dues contribution in advance of the requested date. New members receive a message of confirmation and the address of the Living Room in 1080 Vienna upon receipt of their dues contribution. **FilmStory** is presented and hosted by **[KulturSalon Wien](https://www.meetup.com/kultursalon-wien/)**.

# [GET TICKETS HERE!!!](https://www.eventbrite.at/e/why-so-serious-interactive-stand-up-comedy-experience-thecomedypub-tickets-1981787768564?aff=MeetUp) An interactive English comedy show where the audience becomes part of the show. Games, confessions & bold stand-up — every Sunday in Vienna. 🎭 About the Show Why So Serious? is Vienna’s boldest interactive stand-up comedy show — a weekly Sunday night where comedy happens with the audience, not in front of it. This is not a passive sit-back-and-watch kind of night. This is a show for people who want to laugh, react, participate, and experience comedy in real time. Through crowd work, improvised formats, live tryouts, audience confessions, Q&A segments, and interactive games, the audience actively shapes every show. No scripts. No repeats. No safety net. If you’re looking for traditional stand-up only — this might not be for you. If you want comedy that feels alive, risky, and different every single week — welcome. 🎤 What Makes Why So Serious? Different Interactive comedy formats built around the audience Crowd work-heavy sets by professional comedians only Live joke tryouts with real-time audience feedback Games, challenges, and improvised moments A safe space to test bold, smart, and absurd comedy ideas Every show is unique — nothing is repeated This is comedy magic happening in real time. 👥 Who This Show Is For Comedy lovers who want more than punchlines People who enjoy being part of the moment Expats & locals looking for English comedy in Vienna Anyone who wants to end their weekend laughing and reset their brain Age: 16+ Language: 100% English 🧠 The Sunday Vibe Sunday night, but not sleepy. Think wild reset, playful chaos, honest laughs, and bold ideas. It’s the perfect way to: Shake off the week Laugh at yourself Start Monday lighter than you expected 🏛 Venue The Comedy Pub – Vienna The city’s home for international stand-up comedy. Intimate stage, full bar, and the perfect setting for a show where anything can happen. 📍 Kettenbrückengasse 7, 1050 Vienna 📅 Event Details When: Every Sunday Doors: 18:30 Show starts: 19:00 Duration: \~90 minutes (no break) Language: English Tickets: €15 Seating: First come, first served 💥 Why You Should Come Because this isn’t safe comedy. Because it isn’t polished to death. Because it’s honest, playful, risky — and alive. Why So Serious? The most daring interactive comedy show in Vienna. #WhySoSeriousComedy #InteractiveComedyVienna #ComedyWien #StandUpVienna #EnglishComedyVienna #LiveComedyVienna #ComedyExperience #CrowdworkComedy #ImprovComedy #ViennaEvents #TheComedyPub #ComedyNerds #ComedyMagic

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“A Practical Guide to Social Change,”** a research-based look at how communities bring about reform and progress, with Marissa Robinson, founder of Real Health Impact LLC and an adjunct professor at George Washington University who teaches courses focused on public health leadership and social change. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-social-change](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-social-change) .] Systems built on inequality rarely transform without deliberate pressure from the people most committed to justice, because progress takes coordination, conviction and willingness to change what has always been accepted. Real change starts when people choose to move together. Learn what research and experience say about how to make real social progress with Dr. Marissa Robinson, a public health practitioner who previously worked in federal agencies coordinating global and national public health initiatives focused on infectious diseases, HIV, and health equity. Among the key questions she’ll tackle: How do communities overcome barriers to create real change? When should evidence guide decisions and when does context matter more? She’ll discuss established frameworks for moving from intention to measurable progress and talk about the importance of building coalitions that actually work and of making decisions grounded in real data. You’ll learn about the importance of testing ideas on a small scale before going big, as well as how to use rapid feedback loops and continuous improvement cycles to refine approaches and scale what truly works. Dr. Robinson will share stories of ordinary people and communities who refused to accept the status quo and pushed through real barriers to achieve breakthrough results. She’ll talk about practical strategies, usable frameworks, and evidence-based examples that people can apply immediately in their own communities and organizations to support change that lasts. If you have dreamed about bringing about progress in your world, this talk will give you the clarity, direction, and confidence it takes to turn such dreams into reality. ( Door: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image by Canva.

**Is the "wisdom of the crowd" a real phenomenon?** In an era of deepfakes and decaying institutional trust, a new kind of "Truth Machine" is rising: **Prediction Markets**. By forcing participants to put their money where their mouths are, these markets claim to filter out bias and reward objective reality. But can we actually "bet" our way to a more rational society? Join the Fairfax Freethinkers for a deep dive into the Epistemology of Prediction Markets. We will explore how "skin in the game" might fix our broken information ecosystems—and where it might lead us into a new kind of dystopia. I bet you can't resist attending! ; ) I encourage everyone to bring food to share! ***Thoughts/Questions*:** \- Is there truth behind the wisdom of the crowd? What about the mob mentality and collective delusions? \- What are the benefits/risks of using predictive markets as an epistemic tool? \- How do human biases like tribal play a role? Can a system built on economic rationality ever truly account for our basies\, such as needing to feel right? \- Does this market simply measure knowledge/reality\, or shape it? **The Death of the Expert** \- Is the world becoming more decentralized with crytpocurrency \(economic\)\, populism \(government\)\, AI and predictive markets \(knowledge\)? \- In a decentralized market\, does a PhD matter less than a profitable portfolio? \- What are the advantages of the democratic element to prediction markets? Credentials\, status\, or pedigree do not matter\. Only accuracy does\. \- Does "skin in the game" filters out bias and irrationality? \- What is the risk of an epistemic plutocracy \(the truth is determined by the most money\)? \- Does the move from centralized to decentralized knolwege actually bypass institutions\, or will it inevitably re\-create them? At what point does a decentralized truth machine become a centralized council of judges? **Role in Scientific Knowledge** Science is currently facing a "reproducibility crisis"—many landmark studies simply cannot be replicated. We will compare our current scientific method against a market-integrated approach: * The Current Model: Relies on peer review, institutional prestige, and "publish or perish" incentives. It is slow, prone to gatekeeping, and often rewards "interesting" results over "true" ones. * The Market Model: Uses financial "skin in the game" to validate claims. If a researcher publishes a study, others bet on its replication. If it fails, the "proposers" lose money. * The Question: Would you trust a medical study more if you knew 10,000 independent actors had bet their own money that it was true? Can a profit motive truly replace the scientific method, or does it prioritize "profitable" science over ethical research? * Acoording to some, we currently approach science by "blind evolution"—we throw ideas at the wall and see what sticks. If prediction markets can tell us which "crank theories" have a 10% chance of being true (versus 0.01%), should we divert all our research funding to those signals? (See final link below). * Can a financial market force a level of intellectual honesty that a peer-review panel cannot? **Policy and "Decision Markets"** The [NPR report](https://www.wnyc.org/story/the-problems-with-prediction-markets/) discusses how the new administration is clearing the way for people to bet on policy outcomes. Should politicians be influenced if most people predict a negative outcome of a policy? ***Podcast and Articles:*** [https://www.npr.org/2026/02/19/nx-s1-5719312/the-problems-with-prediction-markets](https://www.npr.org/2026/02/19/nx-s1-5719312/the-problems-with-prediction-markets) [https://medium.com/@devdollzai/the-epistemology-of-prediction-markets-81a79de49488](https://medium.com/@devdollzai/the-epistemology-of-prediction-markets-81a79de49488) [https://paradigmresearch.substack.com/p/prediction-markets-as-epistemic-tools?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web](https://paradigmresearch.substack.com/p/prediction-markets-as-epistemic-tools?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web) Super deep dive [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ajes.12546](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ajes.12546)

…Carroll, 304 pages [Physics] • Hardcover • Kindle • Audiobook • Library: https://fcplcat.fairfaxcounty.gov/search/title.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.1&pos=1&cn=611358 Check the How To Find Us section for Zoom Link **(Remember, the Zoom Link is different each month, do not bookmark)** ### Review Praise for Quanta and Fields: “Readers will be electrified by his discussion of wave functions, entanglement, fields, and so much more. From the most infinitesimal of subatomic particles to the seemingly vast infinities of the universe’s great expanse, Carroll’s latest inquiry illuminates, well, everything.” —Booklist "In that void between hand-wavy popular science and academic textbook, this modern, informative and engaging account of quantum physics ticks all the boxes. Carroll the Explainer at his very best." —Jim Al-Khalili ### About the Author Sean Carroll is Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University, and Fractal Faculty at the Santa Fe Institute. He is host of the Mindscape podcast, and author of From Eternity to Here, The Particle at the End of the Universe, The Big Picture, and Something Deeply Hidden. He has been awarded prizes and fellowships by the National Science Foundation, NASA, the American Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of London, and many others. He lives in Baltimore with his wife, writer Jennifer Ouellette.

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Terrors of Irish Fairylore,”** an introduction to Ireland’s strange and unsettling folkloric “Good People,” with Brittany Warman, former instructor at Ohio State University, co-founder of The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic, and co-author of the new book *Fairylore: A Compendium of the Fae Folk.* [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-irish-fairy-terrors](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-irish-fairy-terrors) .] Today it is common to think of fairies as small, childlike, sparkly creatures with glittering wings and dresses made from flower petals. But the fae of traditional Irish folklore were no such things. Amoral, capricious, even malicious when they chose to be, the too-frequently forgotten fairies of times long past would, more often than not, haunt nightmares. Join Brittany Warman, a folklorist who has earned a devoted following among Profs and Pints fans, as she explores the darker side of Irish fairylore. The figures she'll discuss include: The Leanan-Sidhe, a vampiric fairy who gives artistic inspiration in exchange for your mortal spirit. The Dullahan, a fairy with a human spine for a whip and a habit of hurtling across fields in a death coach made from human skin. The Banshee, a mournful fairy whose cry signals a death in the family to which she's attached herself. Dr. Warman also will examine the surprising impact of fairy folklore on two classics of Irish Gothic literature, Oscar Wilde's *The Picture of Dorian Gray* and Bram Stoker's *Dracula.* It’s a talk that will remind you that the relationship between the Irish and the spooky stretches well beyond Halloween. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: “The Banshee Appears,” an 1862 illustration by Robert Prowse (Wicklow Heritage / Public domain).