Bella Vandramini organises the Practical Philosophy Club meetings at Timbermill Studios in Bulli – a place to dive right in to conversations about life, the universe and everything. Photo: Zoe Cartwright.
It’s easy, in the era of internet trolls and echo chambers, to find yourself nostalgic for the lost art of conversation.
If you’d like to indulge in a good old-fashioned face-to-face exchange of ideas, head down to Timbermill Studios in Bulli on a Tuesday evening.
The Practical Philosophy Club will be in session, and they’ll welcome you with open arms.
It’s not as academic as it might sound.
The key word in the name is ‘practical’, and the focus is on investigating the personal beliefs of participants, rather than quoting ancient thinkers (although you’re welcome to do that too, if it brings you joy).
The club hosts lively, collaborative conversations about ideas from personal growth to the existence of free will.
Organiser Bella Vandramini first came across a Practical Philosophy Club when she was travelling in Mexico and determined to bring the concept home with her.
“I was in a beautiful seaside town called Playa Del Carmen that has a huge expat and digital nomad community,” Bella said.
“There were hundreds of meet-ups and the Practical Philosophy Club quickly became my favourite.
“I learnt more from those conversations than I did in the hallowed halls of academia.
“I learnt about myself and I met incredible people. It affected my life in a really positive way.”
The conversations at Practical Philosophy Club are less adversarial than a pub debate, and more exploratory.
The club gives out some guidelines to keep discussions positive.
Participants are encouraged to ask questions if they disagree with someone’s perspective, to make sure they fully understand it before responding.
Sitting around a table with a group of kind, thoughtful people helps to keep things from getting heated – it’s hard to feel explosive anger towards someone who just offered you a Mintie.
Bella said the supportive environment was one of her favourite things about the club.
“Coming together to discuss ideas is a wholesome way to meet people,” she said.
“You’re not there to argue and make your point, it’s about listening and learning about other people’s points of view.
“In this lonesome digital age, with so much division, I believe the way we heal is to come together.”
The Bulli branch of the Practical Philosophy Club is still in its early stages, but already attracts more than half a dozen people to the weekly meet-up.
Participants range in age from 16 to 90, and come from all walks of life.
“There is wisdom in everybody,” Bella said.
“When we’re exposed to new ideas that’s when we start to examine our own beliefs and that’s a healthy thing to do.
“If it makes us feel uncomfortable that’s not a bad thing – tolerating a bit of discomfort helps us grow.”
If you’d like to attend a meeting of the Bulli Practical Philosophy Club, head to Timbermill Studios on Tuesday night at 6:30 pm. Meetings run until 8:30 pm.
For more information, Bella manages a Whatsapp for the group that can be joined via this link.
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