Antony Loewenstein – The Blogging Revolution – Audio

On Sunday 12 October, the Supper Club on Sunday hosted a discussion on Antony Loewenstein’s new book The Blogging Revolution.

Before the event, Tim T of Will Type for Food commented on a Catallaxy Files thread:

Sounds like it’d be a hoot to attend – Anthony Loewenstein vs. a supper table of Right Wing Death Beasts. Would the RWDBs be able to stop vengefully slavering at Loewenstein for long enough to make polite tea-time conversation?

To find out if they were, download the discussion here.

Thank you again to Michael, Manager at The Royal Hotel for making the impossible possible, and to all the friendly and helpful staff of the Elephant Bar.

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A unified solution to six of the world’s principal problems

In a fascinating analysis of why we’re in the mess we’re in economically, Dr Horace ‘Woody’ Brock, President of Strategic Economic Decisions, talked about what’s right with capitalism and wrong with the way it’s currently practised. Identifying six key issues which have led to our current situation and suggesting ways of fixing them, Dr Brock gave us a taste of his latest thoughts – a verbal first draft of his upcoming paper.

Click here to listen to the talk.

“A ‘Readers’ Digest’ of libertarianism.” – Paul Comrie-Thomson

Thanks to Damian Spruce for arranging this speaker and, of course, to Dr Brock for taking time out on the weekend to talk and eat with us. Thank you also to Holly McLeay for her musical reminder of the alternatives to capitalism during the speech.

Attending were:

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Denis Dutton, 27 August 2008

The most recent Supper Club with Denis Dutton was a good reminder that, while the recorded materials on this site are interesting and thought-provoking, they are only a part of the enjoyable evening or afternoon spent in conversation, joking, quaffing, guzzling and grizzling at a Shaken and Stirred event.

While we cross our fingers and hope for an excerpt from Denis Dutton’s highly entertaining and educational talk at the Supper Club on 27 August to put up on our blog, here’s another plug for his upcoming book The Art Instinct, as well as a reminder to keep broadening your mind at his wonderful website Arts & Letters Daily.

Those attending the dinner were:

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Frank Furedi – talk and questions

On Sunday, 3 August 2008, Frank Furedi talked to us at the Supper Club on Sunday, under the title:

Top of the Pops:
How ideology and policy have been replaced by populist politics in the West

In his very engaging style, he discussed autonomy and welfare, our ‘culture of fear’ and the threat political correctness poses to our ability to identify and deal with the issues which face society today.

Click the link to download the talk given by Frank Furedi at the Supper Club on Sunday.

Frank Furedi at the Shaken and Stirred Sunday Session, 3 August 2008

Attending were:

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If it’s so easy being Green, why is it so hard to be happy?

Supper Club II – 8 July 2008 – Paul Comrie-Thomson

The Speaker:
Paul Comrie-Thomson was charged with obscenity – for publishing the ‘f’ word – in an undergraduate magazine. In the 70s he worked as a copywriter for John Singleton before becoming Senior Editor of the Australian edition of Rolling Stone magazine. In the 80s he studied Theology (with Tony Abbott), wrote a lot of radio ads, jingles and a musical and looked after a band called ‘The Saints’. Currently he co-presents Counterpoint on ABC Radio National.

What’s going to stir us up this time?

Why are Greens so happy being miserable? Paul Comrie-Thomson argues that the answer is Religion. Mainstream religions have declined but Paganism with apocalyptic twist is all the rage! He argues that the chatterers have embraced the New Miserabilism because it is more satisfying to feel sorry for oneself and blame the world than to choose to embrace freedom with all its risks. How can you survive the current climate where ‘lack of nerve’ is the default position? Some humorous and serious pointers will be given about how to survive and thrive.

The theme of the evening is: it’s fun to be free; more paella, more sangria, more robust exchange of views!

Then a teaser proclaimed:
Post Garnaut are we all condemned to go to Hell in a solar-powered hand cart?
Do we say: ‘This is so silly you have to laugh?” or, “Stop laughing this is serious?’
And what would Nigella Lawson’s dad say about all this?

Carbon trading, influence peddling, Emissions Infringement Police and the new Gaia – worshipping green religion are all about to be unleashed.
What to do? First up paella and red wine.

Attending were:
Tristan Blakers – IT/Finance
Renee Conellan – Procurist
Shaun Davies – Journalist
Ben Dutton – Advertising
Bronwyn Herbert – Journalist
Ben Hourigan – Editor, CIS
John ‘Temu’ Humphreys – Writer and Traveller
Nev Kennard – Businessman
Bernard Lane – Journalist
John Lee – Foreign Policy Analyst
Dave Lidster – Advertising
Kirsten Lynn – Lawyer
Parnell Palme McGuinness – Advertising
Ilona Millar – Lawyer
James Morrow – Journalist
James Murray – Risk Manager
Andrew Pettinger – PR
Leonie Phillips – Media, CIS
Gregor Stronach – Writer & Freelance Editor
Alison Tilling – Advertising
Victoria White – Musician
Burchell Wilson – Financial Market Economist

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The Inaugural Supper Club – Tuesday 3 June 2008

Declaring Independence from the State

Speaker at the very first Supper Club was Peter Saunders, outgoing Social Research Director at the Centre for Independent Studies. Due to its hasty organisation, inspired by his imminent return to his native England, there are unfortunately no recordings of what was an exciting and successful evening.

Saunders explained his radical proposal to opt out of government welfare and taxation programs in favour of self-reliance. The debate was fierce and good arguments were made on both sides.

Attending were:

Tanveer Ahmed – Writer & psychiatrist
Meegan Boughton – Events, CIS
Jessica Brown – Social Policy, CIS
Kym Chappel – NSW Ombudsman’s office; UNESCO consultant
Paul Comrie-Thomson – Presenter ‘Counterpoint’ ABC Radio National
Renee Conellan – Procurist
Richard Cooke – Arts Editor, Time Out Magazine
Ben Dutton – Advertising
Ben Hourigan – Editor, CIS
Matthew Johnson – Senior Economist at ICAP
Kristin Le Musurier – Journalist
John Lee – Foreign Policy Analyst
Antony Loewenstein – Author
Tim Longhurst – Communication futurist and innovation expert
Parnell Palme McGuinness – Advertising
James Morrow – Journalist
James Murray – Risk Manager
Leonie Phillips – Public Affairs, CIS
Jeremy Sammut – Health Policy, CIS
Gregor Stronach – Writer & Freelance Editor
Edwina Throsby – ABC Fora
Alison Tilling – Advertising
Kate Vickers – Sub Editor, Madison Magazine
Cass Wilkinson – Author ‘Don’t Panic’ & NSW govt policy advisor
Burchell Wilson – Financial Market Economist

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