Discussion Class

Discussion Class Topics

- Friday the 21st of November -

(12pm)

- Are all cultures equal? -

We are often told we should respect other cultures. That just because something is different, that doesn't mean it is bad or wrong. Different cultures developed out of the situations and conditions of the place they came from. But should we accept all cultures, and especially should we accept them as equal? Is it morally right to say one culture is better than another?

This conversation was sparked recently by a YouTube who went to an Indian village and filmed a cow dung festival, in which the local residents roll around and throw cow dung (poo), because their god was born in cow dung. Many western people are looking at this and saying "wait a minute, that is a backwards culture, and our culture is definitely better than theirs'" and more specifically "why are we accepting people into our country from places that have these backwards cultures?". Another example is the Bacha bazi, from Afghanistan, where adult men get young boys to dance for them, before they rape them. It's their culture, and has been practiced for possible a thousand years by some estimates. Is it right for us with different cultures to day that other cultures are good or bad, or right or wrong? What justification do we have? And if we have that authority, what is stopping other countries and cultures from saying that our cultures are bad and wrong? How would you feel if a foreign person said one of your cultural practices was strange or bad?

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Let's discuss this!

- Friday the 21st of November -

(8pm)

- New York's new Mayor -

New York has just elected its first muslim mayor, Zohran Mamdani. A democrat in name but self described socialist, he has a history of immigrant advocacy and community organising. His campaign focused on perennial issues in New York such as affordable housing, public transport, and other more typically left leaning issues such as climate action, reducing economic inequality, and mental health support for criminals.

Critics argue his plans are completely unfunded and unworkable, and in Trumps words "these communist plans have never worked and will never work". Some warn that raising taxes will push people out of the city, and introducing state run grocery stores will push markets out as well (as well as people losing their jobs).

So can Mamdani deliver on any of his promises? They are promises we've all heard before, especially from socialist politicians...and they usually always fail.

How can New York deal with its high housing prices, terrible infrastructure, and high crime rate?

And does Mamdani's win signify a wind change in American politics away from Trump and right wing politics towards a more left wing and/or socialist style politics?

Let's discuss this!

- Sunday the 23rd of November -

(11am)

- Is plastic reduction possible? -

Plastic has been one of the most influential discoveries of the 20th century. Now, it is used for everything and anything: electronics, foods, containers, furniture, utensils, stationary, clothes, and more. However, while plastic is cheap to make and quite useful in these products, it has the unfortunate characteristic that it can take up to 1000 years to decompose. This means that the trash of humans past will haunt us for years to come. However, despite this characteristic, plastic production has only ramped up and seems to be on an overall upward trajectory.

What can be done about this? What should be done about this? Is it time to kick the plastic addiction, or is plastic now a fundamental part of human society? Will we one day look back at plastic the same way we now look at asbestos or will it continue to be the most prominent material we have?

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Let's discuss this!