Discuss ‘All the Rage’

Will you be attending the show “All the Rage”, playing at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater on Saturday evening, Feb. 2nd? We’d love to share reactions afterwards. If you’re interested in joining us for a brief conversation about this provocative play, meet us in the lobby as it lets out and we’ll adjourn to a suitable venue in the building or on the same block. One of us will be wearing a yellow beret.
Sue Salko and Ron Gross
347-640-3601

RSVP at http://www.meetup.com/Conversations-New-York/events/102551142/

Peter Jay Sharp Theater

416 West 42nd St., 4th floor (between 9th and 10th Avenues), New York, NY

(PLEASE NOTE – RSVP closes at 5 pm today because of venue constraints. Thank you.)

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

As you know, we’ve scheduled a Steering Committee session concomitant with the Socratic Conversation on Your Habits and Your Life, at Columbia this Thursday. I hope to see you at one or both!

The Conversation will start at 4:00, and the Steering Committee at 5:30 — RSVP required to receive address/location on the Columbia University campus (area of 120th St. and Broadway), if you are coming for the first time — please write to Ron Gross at grossassoc@aol.com.

There’s much progress to report, including the addition of superb new team members, Yen’s wonderful work on the website, Antonia’s robust launch of our PR campaign, Phil’s inimitable “connecting”, Michele’s editorial wizardry, Herb’s exploration of resources for moderators, and more!

Please come prepared to report from your part of the forest, and to share your next priorities for February.

Ronald Gross
Founder/Director
E-MAIL: GrossAssoc@aol.com

WEBSITES:
http://www.SocratesWay.com
http://www.ConversationsNewYork.com
http://www.OldBetterWiser.com

Imagine…

Hundreds of New Yorkers coming together in small groups of neighbors and fellow citizens to discuss topics of intensive interest…

Hosted at no cost and at convenient locations and times…

Aided by simple guiding principles…

Inspired by the city’s grand tradition of robust conversation…

Our vision is to inspire, organize, publicize, facilitate and celebrate a renaissance of healthy dialogue in New York City.

Join us!

How You Can Help Us Grow!

If you would like to easily add to our strength, we’d be grateful for your taking these easy steps:

1. Visit us at https://conversationsnewyork.com/about-cny/ to learn more about us, subscribe to our website, and spread the word.

2. Share with us your reactions, questions, and suggestions about this venture. conversationsnewyork@gmail.com

3. ”Like” our organization on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ConversationsNewYork

4. Consider convening a Conversation yourself – our site will soon provide resources, but in the meantime just ask us.

5. Tell us about Conversations you think should be listed on our on-line calendar.

We hope you’re as excited as we are about promoting and encouraging stimulating conversations in New York City!

Thank you
conversationsnewyork@gmail.com

in Columbia University area (120th St. and Broadway), but RSVP required to obtain exact location/address — please write to Ron Gross at grossassoc@aol.com.

Aristotle declared that “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a HABIT.” 

Now, educators, psychologists, social scientists, organizational leaders, and people like us are re-discovering the power of this discipline which has been neglected for several decades. It has been harnessed for good and not-so-good, by marketers at Proctor & Gamble and Target, CEOs at ALCOA and Starbucks, and other organizations ranging from the Civil Rights Movement to major churches.Most importantly, each of us can use it to transform our lives.

Please join us to share your opinions, experiences, and reflections: 

What are some good and bad habits? Would you like to change any of your habits, or cultivate any new ones? How do habits determine how we vote, what we buy, who we know, and how we keep healthy, or get sick?

Suggested optional reading:

THE POWER OF HABIT, by Charles Duhigg.

Note: This book is the current selection of the Leonard Lopate Book Club; the author will be interviewed by Leonard on WNYC on Tues., Feb. 5th

Light refreshments will be available.  

Beverages available for purchase in Coffee Shop on first floor where you enter building.

There will be a display of relevant recent and classic books.

For more information: www.socratesway.com/join.html

Laughing Matters!:

What Role Does Humor Play in Your Life –

and in Our Culture?

Hosted by Ron Gross of Conversations New York (CNY)

and Columbia University

January 14, 2012 @ 6:15 PM — Location still to be Decided (please check back closer to date)

RSVP to: http://www.meetup.com/Conversations-New-York/events/95761892/ 

1.   What makes you laugh, and why?

2. Who is your favorite comic performer, author, or work? (New Yorker cartoons, Jon Stewart, Woody Allen, Guys and Dolls. Seinfeld, or….)

3. Is your sense of humor different from other peoples?

4. Do you find some current humor objectionable, “politically incorrect,” or just not funny?  (e.g, jokes about women, people with disabilities, minorities, the elderly, or….)?

5.  What role does humor play in our lives and culture – according to philosophers, psychologists, and humorists?

You’re also invited  to bring the funniest joke you have heard during the next month, to share!

Suggested Reading (optional):

• Inside Jokes: Using Humor to Reverse-Engineer the Mind, Hur, Dennett, and Adams, MIT Press;

• Jokes: Philosophical Thoughts on Joking Matters, Ted Cohen;

• Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One: A History and Philosophy of Jokes, Jim Holt.

Imagine…

Hundreds of New Yorkers coming together in small groups of neighbors

and fellow citizens to discuss topics of intensive interest…

Hosted at no cost and at convenient locations and times…

Aided by simple guiding principles…

Inspired by the city’s grand tradition of robust conversation…

Our vision is to inspire, organize, publicize, facilitate and celebrate

a renaissance of healthy dialogue in New York City.

How You Can Help Us Grow!

If you would like to easily add to our strength, we’d be grateful for your taking these easy steps:

1.  Visit us at https://conversationsnewyork.com/about-cny/ to learn more about us.

2. Share with us your reactions, questions, and suggestions about this venture.

3.  “Like” our organization on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ConversationsNewYork

4.  Join our Meetup group at http://www.meetup.com/Conversations-New-York/

5.  Consider convening a Conversation yourself – our site will soon provide resources, but in the meantime just ask us.

6.  Tell us about Conversations you think should be listed on our on-line calendar.

We hope you’re as excited as we are about promoting and encouraging stimulating conversations in New York City! 

Thank you
conversationsnewyork@gmail.com

CNY hosted its first official conversation on December 3, 2012. We discussed Happiness and divided the topic into “What is happiness and where does it come from,” and “How can one become happier?” More specific questions were, “Are Americans obsessed with being happy,” “Who’s the happiest person you know and why,” “Have you ever given up anything to be happier?” and “Is happiness a choice?”

In one group, the conferees sharply questioned the whole idea of pursuing happiness as the overriding goal of life.  It was pointed out that pessimists may be more in touch with the realities of life which are often quite negative, and American culture brainwashes us into the expectation that we can “have it all.”  Such interrogation of the ideal of happiness is reflected in the recent book, Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America.

In another group, participants largely agreed that happiness comes from relationships, community, and identity. Some participants recounted tragic experiences that led them to this conclusion. Still others discussed how their belief in Buddhism as a philosophy, and psychology as a science, helped them understand themselves and others better, which led them to a greater happiness.

One specific technique for happiness which intrigued many participants was Laughing Yoga, an experiential exercise in which people are encouraged to just start laughing even if they are “faking it.” Pretty soon the ridiculousness of the situation impels widespread genuine hilarity.

The conversation ended by recounting what struck participants, or if any new perspectives had been gained. It was noted that life is filled with ups and downs, and that oftentimes happiness naturally results as a byproduct of daily interactions and experiences that you never expect, rather than resulting from a concerted effort or search for happiness.

What do you think? What idea stuck with you after the conversation? Whether you were able to join the discussion or not, we’d love for you to continue the conversation by leaving a comment on this blog post!