The MIT Media Lab is one of the most iconic and largest research centers at MIT. Despite the press it generates and the volume of talented individuals who pass through, the organization remains shrouded in mystery, perhaps intentionally so. Wes Chow (head of engineering in the lab's Center for Constructive Communication for the past 4 …
In this SuperSalon, writer Luke Burgis joins Interintellect hosts Bronwyn Williams and Alaka Halder to discuss mimesis, markets, manias, and why we tend to want what she’s having. “The truth is that my desires are derivative, mediated by others, and that I’m part of an ecology of desire that is bigger than I can fully…
In this debut salon, Mike Haber will host a discussion on Feedback. This salon will focus on feedback between people. There are many types of occasions when feedback can occur. People can give feedback. People can ask for feedback. It can happen in academic settings, work settings, when dealing with the council, and in relationships. We will…
Rosano invites you to this salon discussing pathways to overcome division. — Post-salon update: read takeaways from our conversation. — What are some ways to deal with misinformation and filter bubbles? Is this phenomenon particular to our heavily politicized present? When ideologies differ, how can we find common ground? How does technology play into these…
"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." (Anaïs Nin) In this salon, fellow Interintellect Vidhika Bansal explores the wonders (and even the woes) of friendship: what it means to us, how it comes…
In this host training series, ii Camp Curiosity host Helena Ng will walk with you on the journey of hosting your own ii salons through the lens of the Hero's Journey. Helena is the host of Camp Curiosity, a series of workshop salons on discovering your own flavours of play, building a compendium of curious…
In this salon, Interintellect hosts Zac Yap and Geffen Avraham lead a discussion on the commercialisation of space through private actors, and how it impacts the governance of outer space. By 2030, as many as 10 million people could travel to space, with 80,000 guests staying at space hotels and other facilities annually. The launch…
Progress writer Jason Crawford is writing a book about the modern world and how it was invented. In a series of salons, we will explore this content together, chapter by chapter, and get…
As summer edges into fall, join host Alaka Halder for a fun (and shaded!) September picnic at Barton Springs (Zilker Park). We'll catch up with friends old and new, share stories from the summer, and make plans for the fall. Bring snacks, sun protection, and something to sit on. This event is family and dog-friendly.…
In this salon, Dave Crouch hosts an exploration of the philosophical ideas and concepts that we can arm ourselves with to help us face the world. A "loadout" is a chosen set of weapons, tools, and other items carried into battle. But what about the philosophical loadouts we all equip ourselves with in order to succeed,…
Dear fellow Interintellects, As September has arrived and most of us have returned to our permanent or temporary homes after the summer, it's time to gather again as a community and as hosts to discuss our intellectual and communal goals for the coming months. Based on the comments in the Host Greenroom, at this training…
After the success of the first "How To Read Poetry" Salon, Hollis Robbins hosts another for those who want to finally understand poetry. Are you secretly insecure about poetry? Wish you could tell what makes a good poem "good," a great poem "great," and a bad poem "bad" (it is not just a matter of opinion)?…
