EthicalStL.org

Poets once had the reputation as prophets. They crafted poems that reflected the culture and truths of their community for listening audiences. Yet, poetry is not typically viewed as a medium for truth but something dead or too insular for relevance. Furthermore, poems that are performed have somehow lost their place in literature. This talk challenges the notion that good poetry is only experienced on paper and seeks to reconnect this literary art to its prophetic, oral history.

MK Stallings is an artist who voices his truth through poetry. Founder of arts-based nonprofit UrbArts, MK facilitates youth poetry workshops, coaches poetry slam teams, teaches sociology using poetry as a learning strategy, and advocates for marginalized artists. UrbArts acts as the fiscal sponsor for Brick City Poetry Festival and MK is a key member of the planning committee.

Poets once had the reputation as prophets. They crafted poems that reflected the culture and truths of their community for listening audiences. Yet, poetry is not typically viewed as a medium for truth but something dead or too insular for relevance. Furthermore, poems that are performed have somehow lost their place in literature. This talk challenges the notion that good poetry is only experienced on paper and seeks to reconnect this literary art to its prophetic, oral history.brbr MK Stallings is an artist who voices his truth through poetry. Founder of arts-based nonprofit UrbArts, MK facilitates youth poetry workshops, coaches poetry slam teams, teaches sociology using poetry as a learning strategy, and advocates for marginalized artists. UrbArts acts as the fiscal sponsor for Brick City Poetry Festival and MK is a key member of the planning committee.

Our lives are increasingly affected by accelerating technological advances, forcing ever faster changes in our lives. We will eventually be forced to face our planet’s increasing temperature and rising oceans, and deal with an ever-growing population with diminishing resources. How do we prepare ourselves for the inevitable new deluge of problems?

Alan Ranford does not claim to have solutions: “I’m just a layman looking at the world that awaits us all.” A member of the Ethical Society for over 45 years, Alan was a mechanical engineer in areas including guided missiles, advanced aircraft systems, and disposable medical products. Forty years ago, he became concerned about our environment and excess population growth. He conducted adult classes on environmental issues and created a program to teach our 5th and 6th graders about the consequences of unsustainable living, disguising this message as a fun series of role-playing classes in which they were the passengers and crew on board a gigantic spaceship circling the sun; each week there was a new problem/situation to solve.

Our lives are increasingly affected by accelerating technological advances, forcing ever faster changes in our lives. We will eventually be forced to face our planet’s increasing temperature and rising oceans, and deal with an ever-growing population with diminishing resources. How do we prepare ourselves for the inevitable new deluge of problems?

Alan Ranford does not claim to have solutions: “I’m just a layman looking at the world that awaits us all.” A member of the Ethical Society for over 45 years, Alan was a mechanical engineer in areas including guided missiles, advanced aircraft systems, and disposable medical products. Forty years ago, he became concerned about our environment and excess population growth. He conducted adult classes on environmental issues and created a program to teach our 5th and 6th graders about the consequences of unsustainable living, disguising this message as a fun series of role-playing classes in which they were the passengers and crew on board a gigantic spaceship circling the sun; each week there was a new problem/situation to solve.

Doubt often gets a bad rap: self-doubt is frequently considered a major barrier to progress in life, and “Doubting Thomas” is portrayed in the Bible as the unfortunate, skeptical disciple who should have believed on faith alone. Yet doubt is essential to learning and to growth. In this Platform we’ll rehabilitate this much-maligned emotion and explore the many ways doubt helps us live more thoughtful, truthful lives.

Doubt often gets a bad rap: self-doubt is frequently considered a major barrier to progress in life, and “Doubting Thomas” is portrayed in the Bible as the unfortunate, skeptical disciple who should have believed on faith alone. Yet doubt is essential to learning and to growth. In this Platform we’ll rehabilitate this much-maligned emotion and explore the many ways doubt helps us live more thoughtful, truthful lives.

In Ethical Humanism, for better or worse, professional Leaders don't have all the answers, or even most of the answers, even for themselves. Kate will share some of life’s conundrums whose solutions contin-ue to vex her, including environmental, ethical, and philosophical dilemmas. Why would anyone come hear this? Maybe this Platform is a terrible idea??

In Ethical Humanism, for better or worse, professional Leaders don't have all the answers, or even most of the answers, even for themselves. Kate will share some of life’s conundrums whose solutions contin-ue to vex her, including environmental, ethical, and philosophical dilemmas. Why would anyone come hear this? Maybe this Platform is a terrible idea??

Usually we consider it good to be trusting, and to trust other people. But sometimes our trust in others is misplaced, and it is right to be skeptical. How can we tell when we shouldn’t trust other people, and how can we be misled by our desire to trust one another? This Platform address will explore how we can apportion our trust appropriately, and when it’s okay not to trust people.

Usually we consider it good to be trusting, and to trust other people. But sometimes our trust in others is misplaced, and it is right to be skeptical. How can we tell when we shouldn’t trust other people, and how can we be misled by our desire to trust one another? This Platform address will explore how we can apportion our trust appropriately, and when it’s okay not to trust people.