11/23 (Sat.) What does politics mean to you? How we can learn from political fanatics (Host: thomas)

[thomas]

[Caution] Please read and obey the content below while the meeting:
"When discussing politics, it's crucial to approach the conversation with a calm and rational mindset. Strong emotions can easily take over, leading to misunderstandings, unnecessary conflicts, or an inability to see another person's perspective. By staying composed and focused on facts rather than feelings, we create a space for respectful dialogue, where different viewpoints can be expressed and considered without judgment. This approach not only fosters mutual understanding but also helps build constructive discussions that are more likely to lead to meaningful solutions."

Reference:
1. [Video 1] https://youtu.be/mVEItYOsXjM?si=zbun8Hswuwx6rS1d
2. [Video 2] https://youtu.be/DOxJyw88kPc?si=GHv-tLGZaCdUgDUa

Session 1:

1. What does politics mean to you? What is the latest political news which attracts you? How do you feel about it? Please be rational : )

2. Do you have friends who are deeply engaged in politics? What kind of characteristics do they usually have?

3. Based on those comments from political fanatics, can you find out the connection between the comments and daily life?

4. Have you heard of Stoicism (斯多葛主義)? It teaches people to distinguish the things which you can control and you cannot control, and focus on the thing you can control. Based on the concept, can you re-examine those political comments which people can and cannot control?


Session 2:
1. Humans are often creatures that need a reason to keep going in life. Just like in a romantic relationship, love serves as the reason that keeps the connection moving forward. When people support one or the other side of a party, they need reasons to convince themself.
a. Except the news, what will other sources come from to build up those reasons?
b. Are the sources of news reliable? How will you prove it?

2. Based on video 1, “So, have you noticed? We are extremely familiar with everything happening within our social circles. We know that Merry downstairs recently went through a breakup, and we know that John next door is on a diet. But when it comes to the world beyond our immediate circle, we rely entirely on the media. Imagine a world without Facebook, Instagram, LINE, or news—everything beyond our circle would be in complete darkness. The media acts like a spotlight, an extension of our senses, serving as our eyes and ears across the globe. Whoever controls the media controls our perception.” Can you still believe your sources? How can you examine your sources?

3. Based on video 2, “We shape our tools, and then our tools shape us.” What did you learn from this video?

4. Have you watched the moive “The Truman Show” (楚門的世界)? If someone says you are the main character of this movie. what will you reply? How do you prove you are not?

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Agenda:
3:45 ~ 4:00pm Greetings & Free Talk / Ordering Beverage or Meal / Getting Newcomer’s Information
4:00 ~ 4:10pm Opening Remarks / Newcomer’s Self-introduction / Grouping
(Session I)
4:10 ~ 4:50pm Discussion Session (40 mins)
4:50 ~ 5:10pm Summarization (20 mins)
5:10 ~ 5:20pm Regrouping / Instruction Giving / Short Break (Intermission)
(Session II)
5:15 ~ 5:55pm Discussion Session (40 mins)
6:00 ~ 6:20pm Summarization (20 mins)
6:20 ~ 6:30pm Concluding Remarks / Announcements

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Meeting Date: As shown on the Subject Line
Meeting Time: 4:00pm – 6:30pm
Meeting Venue: 丹堤咖啡 Dante Coffee (Minimum Order $85)
Address: 台北市濟南路三段25號[MAP]-捷運忠孝新生站3號出口步行3分鐘

Important Notes:
1. We suggest that participants read the articles and think about the questions in advance.
2. Newcomers should prepare a two-to-three-minute self-introduction in English to deliver when called upon by the host before the start of the discussion.
3. We welcome newcomers and other guests to attend the meetings and join the discussion freely for three times. After that, we hope you will consider becoming a YoYo English Club member. We charge a NT$1000 lifetime membership fee, or NT$500 for students.

[Luis Ko]

we now live in an era in which if you don't watch the news you are uninformed, and if you watch the news you are mis-informed. at hte end of the day, there's nothing you can control except you, yourself. and somtimes you can't even control yourself. that's life.

[Iris Wu]

we now live in an era in which if you don't watch the news, you are uninformed, and if you watch the news, you are misinformed.

Well said! So, which one is more harmful—being uninformed or misinformed?

Information has always been a double-edged sword throughout human history. When you're uninformed, the harm may be curtailed. But when you're misinformed, the damage can trickle down and escalate to unimaginable proportions. It’s no wonder some say that data/information is the new oil of our era.

[Rock]

One of the problems of political enthusiasts is "justice". They believe what people told them, that their side is on the justice side. But in reality, most of the time it's only for the interest. They cannot see it. They are true believers.

So next time if you see someone who is agitatedly fighting for their political stance, don't go against them. They are very likely fighting for justice, and justice is not to be challenged.

[Luis Ko]

I totally agree with both of you, Iris and Rock.

[Luis Ko]

i'm not here to talk about one China policy, though it's a fact and a shared policy among US and other countries. instead, i just want to say that politics is merely a bunch of hypcrites trying to use lies to get powers and their own benefit, at the expense of ordinary people.

everyone knows "it's a lot cheaper to prevent war than to have one", but why can't the governments of THE GLOBAL VILLAGE era use diplomacy to stop a war from happening in the first place? the one and only answer is because the powers that be exactly want the war to happen so as to get their benefit. that's all. the latest political news about Biden allowing Ukraine to strike Russia with US supplied long range missiles probably says it all.

it's said the lesson of history is that no one learns. just try your best to be an informed and independent minded person, and learn from history, otherwise, humans are doomed.

[Rock]

Cool! They really stand up and say it. That guy must feel lucky that there were only two of them.