Public Spoken
I did a presentation with the Humanist Society of New Zealand. About 20 people attended, all in a meeting room above a pub in the middle of the city. I’d say it went well, although I’m sure from an outside perspective I was awkwardly squeezing words out of my mouth.
I get the impression the bulk of the discussion was different to what most people expected. I spoke about science! How evolution allows for the development of beautiful and complex life without supernatural intervention, and demonstrating the evidence that it occurred. People were expecting more talk on religion specifically, and the path out of it. I don’t really know what to say about that, theology might be an interesting discussion but science fact is far more compelling.
Another key point I brought up was one of hope. To paraphrase what was said:
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Hope can at first seem like a very beneficial thing, but is it? It’s defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen, but in many ways hope can be a driving force behind decision making.
Someone in a dire financial situation may buy a lottery ticket or go into a high return but unsecured investment because of the hope that it’ll make all the problems go away. A fighter pilot might not eject from a plane spiralling out of control under the hope that he can recover and save it from disaster.
Is hope beneficial? In all but the most absurd or farfetched of scenarios the best and most likely way to improve anything is to have a clear and factual understanding of your actual situation, fighting to cast any confirmation bias based on hope aside.
Doing this doesn’t make the world seem like a more bleak or depressing place – it strives to make your perception of reality as accurate as possible.
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The response from the room was amazing. I had a small personal blurb at the end of the speech that I somewhat intended to skip, it was… very emotional and soppy. I’m glad I had the nerve to get it out, not just to share my story but also to convey how many others in a similar situation might be coping.
Everyone was incredibly supportive. I spent around an hour afterwards answering questions from the floor, and after that more time just talking socially. I think a little bit of wine helped with keeping people sane. The one person I invited even showed up, despite being in pain from a back injury. Be careful when doing a Deadlift, kids.
I’ve done some things in the few days since too. Nothing with big or lasting ramifications at all, but stuff all the same. Right now I’m putting together a portfolio of all my work and experience, I’m sure lavish six figure employment opportunities will soon follow. Besides, everyone has to live off their wits and savings at some point.
Help and suggestions would be hugely appreciated. Anything that pays better than an Amazon Mechanical Turk will be considered.