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Upcoming events (4+)
See all- On the Abolition of All Political Parties - Simone Weil | Full Reading & ChatAce Hotel, New York , NY
Hi folks -
For the fifth installment in our wayward wandering into the woo-woo, we will be focusing this week on French philosopher, political activist, résistante, champion of the worker, and mystic, Simone Weil and her 1943 treatise On the Abolition of All Political Parties. Described by contemporaries such as Camus as the "only great spirit of [his] time" and by de Beauvoir as hosting a "heart that could beat right across the world," Weil's biography is as fascinating as her philosophical output, leading to those indebted to her work such as French philosopher Gustave Thibon to suggest that had her life as she had lived it occurred earlier in the historical record, she would now be canonized as a saint. So, I reckon that's worth digging into.
As with our intro to Illich, this reading is something of an attempt to merge my desire to dig into mystics with our unfortunate inescapable exposure to contemporary PoMo goings-on. And, lo and behold, it's recently come to my attention that there's quite the political divide occurring stateside so who better to seek wisdom from than a veteran of the Spanish Civil War who eventually died of self-imposed starvation as an act of solidarity with prisoners and victims of the Second World War. Right?
I will be reading the NYRB Classics edition available here on Lauren Sánchez's boyfriend's website.
Here is the same version as a free PDF. Thank you Columbia University for this generous donation.The essay itself is only around 35 pages but, for a more comprehensive discussion, I'd encourage everyone to read the included The Importance of Simone Weil & In the Light of Simone Weil essays. All-in-all, it amounts to 70ish pages so let's just knock it out as best we can.
As always, if you're unable to complete the book prior to our meeting, no worries - we're just happy to have you and welcome whatever insights, critiques, questions, etc. you may have.
We will be meeting in the Ace Hotel lobby on W 29th. It's cozy, there are couches, there is lunch, there is wine (thank god) and there is a Stumptown Coffee in the front. It's great. Message me the day of if you can't find us. I usually sit toward the back next to the bar.
And, it bears repeating, this is open to newcomers to Weil, novices of philosophy, ragamuffins, ne'er-do-wells, urchins of all sorts, etc. Just be kind and respectful, it'll be great.
Alright, looking forward to it and reach out to me with any questions in the meantime. I'll be posting podcast and video essay recommendations for y'all to ignore as we get closer to the meet-up.
See y'all then!
Hamp - I and Thou by Martin Buber: Book Discussion (Part 1)Pier 57, New York, NY
"I and Thou" is the centerpiece of Buber's groundbreaking philosophy. It lays out a view of the world in which human beings can enter into relationships using their innermost and whole being to form true partnerships. These deep forms of rapport contrast with those that spring from the Industrial Revolution, namely the common, but basically unethical, treatment of others as objects for our use and the incorrect view of the universe as merely the object of our senses. Buber goes on to demonstrate how these interhuman meetings are a reflection of the human meeting with God. For Buber, the essence of biblical religion consists in the fact that -- regardless of the infinite abyss between them -- a dialogue between man and God is possible.
Heavily influenced by the writings of Frederich Nietzsche, Martin Buber united the proto-Existentialists currents of modern German thought with the Judeo-Christian tradition, powerfully updating faith for modern times.Join us to discuss this classic book over the course of 4-weeks!
Week 1 Sat 4/12 12:30-2:30pm *in the Seahorse Room
Week 2 Sat 4/19 12:30-2:30pm
Week 3 Sat 4/26 12:30-2:30pm
Week 4 Sat 4/3 12:30-2:30pmReading for Week 1
Part 1 Aphorisms 1-14 (roughly 8 pages)
*Walter Kaufman's Prologue optional*A couple notes about the reading:
- Translation
Feel free to read any translation of the book you like. I will be reading both the Walter Kaufman Translation free pdf here
and The Ronald Gregor Smith Translation free pdf here - Aphorisms
The Aphorisms are not numbered. They are just given bullet points or are separated by spaces depending on the version you're reading. The final Aphorism we'll discuss this week begins...
"The Relation to the Thou is Direct..." - in the Gregor Smith Translation
or
"The relation to the You is unmediated..." - in the Kaufman Translation - Supplementary Sources
Finally, though the reading is fairly short —it is quite dense. Therefore, I will be reading a few supplementary sources to help me understand the text. I'll link below to the ones I'm using, but feel free to use others and to share any good sources you come across in the comments! (:
- Martin Buber's I and Thou: Practicing Living Dialogue by Kenneth Paul Kramer (book) here
- I and Thou Sparknotes here
- Eric Dodson lectures (youtube) here
We follow a mindful conversation approach, details on this along with a general FAQ on how we run the meetup can be found here.
Reading is required to participate in the discussion, but not required to attend.Can't wait discuss these ideas with all of you!
-Zach - Translation
- Ovid's MetamorphosesLink visible for attendees
Hello!
Join us for an exciting journey through Ovid's Metamorphoses. Every two weeks, we will delve into captivating stories of transformation that have inspired countless generations. Each session, we'll explore different themes and tales, uncovering the richness of Ovid's world.
How to Participate:
- Audience Member: If you're new to the text or prefer to observe, join us via the link provided. Your video and voice will be turned off, allowing you to enjoy the discussion quietly.
- Panelist: If you've completed the reading for this week and want to participate, join through the same link. Raise your hand in Zoom to become a panelist. You'll be on video and voice, actively contributing to the discussion.
📅 Schedule Overview:
The schedule may change as we progress we will keep attendees updated if we need to take time off or move dates / times. But please see link below for readings to read in advance:
🔗 Click Here for Tentative Information on Assigned Readings.📚 Translations
Please choose a translation that works for you, there are different kinds of translations:- A.D. Melville - balancing poetic faithfulness to original Latin and modern readability.
- Stephanie McCarter - highly awarded and fresh, contemporary and modern translation.
- Mary M. Innes - prose version, making stories more straight forward and easy to follow, also I found a free version of this one online too.
- David Raeburn - poetic form closely following the original latin, slightly more challenging than prose versions.
Ryan will probably be reading the Melville version, but may switch it up. Zita is probably reading the McCarter version. Use whichever version works best for you.
👥 Event Details: Open to all! Visit our FAQ section for more information about our group and meeting format.
📬 Contact Us: Questions or feedback? Reach out via our meetup page.
We can't wait to explore these enchanting stories with you. Let's delve into the mythical world of Ovid together!Best Regards,
Ryan and Zita - Presence in the Modern World - Jacques Ellul | Full Reading & DiscussionAce Hotel New York, New York, NY
Hi all -
For the sixth installment in our spiritually-oriented series, this Easter gathering will focus on Christian theologian, philosopher, tech-critic, and anarchist Jacques Ellul and his 1948 text Presence in the Modern World. In keeping with the spirit of this collection of readings, I will (of course) continue to over-prescribe pages for you to read in a minimal amount of time so, yes, we will be tackling this work in its entirety. We have 16 days - I believe in us.
I will be reading Lisa Richmond's translation published by Cascade Books available here at our favorite billionaire cosmonaut and playboy's homebase.
It is also available here via the Anarchist Library (so cool). Please refrain from scratching Circle-A symbols into the tables at the hotel.As always, if you're unable to complete the book prior to our meeting, which in this case would be forgivable, no worries - we're just happy to have you and welcome whatever insights, critiques, questions, etc. you may have based on what you were able to read.
We will be meeting in the Ace Hotel lobby on W 29th. It's cozy, there are couches, there is lunch, there is wine (thank god) and there is a Stumptown Coffee in the front. It's great. Message me the day of if you can't find us. I usually sit toward the back next to the bar.
It bears repeating, this is open to newcomers to Ellul, novices of philosophy, ragamuffins, ne'er-do-wells, urchins of all sorts, etc. Ellul is a favorite of mine and his work The Technological Society was, at risk of sounding cliché, a transformative text for me so I'm excited to dig into this with you all. Just be kind and respectful and it'll be great.
Alright, looking forward to it and reach out to me with any questions in the meantime.
See y'all then!
