Talk: History for Tomorrow

Well, back in London, and back with TAC for another talk at The Conduit - this one was History for Tomorrow, about what we can learn from history, and was, as usual, also the occasion of a book launch. The talks are quite early, so I always eat afterwards.

The bus made it in no time flat - ah, if only it could do that when I'm headed to work - or to the Garden Cinema! Anyway, I'm used to them not opening the doors till 6, so I mooched around the excellent bookshop across the road for a while. Doesn't close till 7. And one day, I'm determined to buy something in it! Well, at 5 to 6, I followed some people into The Conduit, and was sent upstairs with no delay - to find the place full! I guess they've changed their door policy - as it turned out, they had somehow underestimated the number of seats they'd need, and I had to wait for them to drag out a few more folding chairs from the stacks by the wall before I could sit. Got a glass of wine in the meantime - in a not-too-clean glass, and it wasn't great. But hey.

Happily, although I was near the back, I could see between people's heads, and got a decent view of the speaker:

Have to say, he's a terrific speaker - very entertaining. He was described as a philosopher, explained that he has a passion for history, and a PhD in political science. And his talk raised a few interesting points:

• Baby boxes. They're a thing in Scandinavia - and he did laud Finnish society, in particular (although someone challenged him on that in the Q+A, saying they're ageist there). I'd forgotten they were a thing in Scotland as well, though - and it seems they're becoming more widespread in the UK!
• The Radical Flank, as he described it - every movement to change society tends to have its radical elements, and he described how they can be useful: either to raise public consciousness, or for more moderate campaigners to threaten government with, pointing out that this is the alternative. The radicals do, however, run the risk of going too far and alienating public opinion.. blocking people's access to public transport, for instance, or throwing stuff on Stonehenge, to make a point.
• I'm always interested when someone mentions the threat of AI. Working in tech as I do, I can't see it completely as a threat, of course - but of course, like anything, it can be used for nefarious purposes. He likened it to the development of the printing press, in terms of its social impact, and made a very interesting comparison between the fake news of today, and the spreading of witchcraft tales back in the day, which led so many people to believe in it!

Events here always involve "audience participation", in which we're asked to pair up, preferably with a stranger, to discuss, for two minutes, a question that is put to us. His question was to find something in history that gives us a cause for hope. Afterwards, if we wanted, we could tell him what we'd come up with - best I heard was someone who used the example of the smoking ban: now, there's something that worked well!

Upshot was, we can have cause to be hopeful. As I say, a very interesting speaker. I still didn't buy the book. Towards the latter half of the talk, the room became very warm - and in due course, all I could think of was eating. Now, here I'd normally have gone to Bella Italia again - but I've discovered it's actually closer to Seven Dials! So I headed off there, managed to get one of the private tables, and oh man, how moreish it was..! Wine was better than The Conduit too. Worth it, even though the promised rain had arrived in force by the time I was headed home - and I would just miss the bus..

Tomorrow, back - first time in a while - with Over 40 Living the Life, for a dinner in the Greenwich Yacht Club. 

On Wednesday, in Greenwich again - I should nearly stay the night! This time, I'm back with London Literary Walks for The Greenwich Walk. We're meeting in The Spanish Galleon, and as usual, I've booked to eat there beforehand.

And on Thursday, film.. and what completely changed my mind about what I was going to was an email from UK Jewish Film - they're previewing The Commandant's Shadow, about the son of Rudolf Höss, the governor of Auschwitz, and his coming to terms with what his father had done. A documentary about the real-life characters depicted in The Zone of Interest, and a very interesting follow-up.. It's in the Phoenix, in East Finchley, and includes a Q+A (afterwards, I presume) where Vanessa Feltz speaks to the filmmakers. I'll be in the office that day, which is at least a bit closer than home to East Finchley..