TED talks

On Wednesday, November 20 at 7:00pm in the lower meetinghouse of The First Religious Society, there will be a presentation of two short videos of TED talks (Technology, Entertainment, Design.)  The first will be with Michael Sandel, Professor of Political Philosophy at Harvard, and the second, with Professor Sandel in debate with Professor Michael Porter of the Harvard Business School (“Michael vs. Michael.”)
 
In the past three decades the US has drifted from a market economy to a market society; it’s fair to say that an American’s experience of shared civic life depends on how much money they have. (Three key examples: access to education, access to justice, political influence.) In a talk and audience discussion, Sandel asks us to think honestly on this question: In our current democracy, is too much for sale?
 
Michael Sandel teaches political philosophy at Harvard, exploring some of the most hotly contested moral and political issues of our time. Michael Porter is an eminent professor in the Harvard Business School. His writings stress strategies of competition.
 
Within our overall program of Documentaries and Discussions this event represents the second in a sub-series which attempt to clarify the loggerheads seeming to have paralyzed the American political culture. There seems to be a heavy socio-economic emphasis in what we are doing. Our group began in October with Robert Reich in conversation with Bill Moyers, “Inequality for All.” In the November 20 presentation, where we move to the second stage, our theme is “Market Economy/Market Society.”
Documentary and Discussion presents informative and provocative films followed by directed discussion. We encourage participants to develop thoughts and plans for action. Refreshments are served.