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“…because two bodies, naked and entwined,
leap over time, they are invulnerable,
nothing can touch them, they return to the source,
there is no you, no I, no tomorrow,
no yesterday…” – Octavio Paz
New series by Interintellect founder Anna Gát exploring the history of our notions of romantic love, from the time of hunting and gathering to colonising space.
By nature social and caring, competitive and loyal, humans had a preference for strong emotional bonds even before becoming sapiens. Tribal and familial ties, friendships and sexual attraction, have been integral parts of our species’ life since the beginning of our bipedal journey.
But some of these relationships have changed greatly in the past centuries, as we conquered and invented, migrated and rebuilt, and reimagined what kind of societies and social units we wish to live in. Arguably, the relationship type that underwent the deepest transformation is our notion of the couple – what romantic attachment means, how it begins, what it can lead to, and how it relates to social status, family structure and personal identity.
In this 7 part series, we will look at the evolution of “love”: from hunter-gatherers to the lords of Rome, from medieval monks to lavish royal courts, from the scientists of the Enlightenment to the libertines of republican chaos, from the equalities that emerged from war to the many challenges – and solitudes – of our technocratic peace today. Once a month you will join us to read poetry, the Bible, scandalised news clippings, and sex robot manuals, so we can trace back where all the romance started, and whether it still exists.
Let’s make 2022 the Year of Love! I hope to see you there…
7 episodes: 3 pm New York / 8 pm London, on the last Monday of each month
Dates: – December 27th, February 14th, February 28th, March 28th, April 25th, May 30th, and June 20th
Series tickets: $120
Depending on availability, the host might release tickets for each individual salon too.
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| 1 | December 27th | Prehistory: From hominids to the first settlements to Egypt |
| 2 | February 14th | Antiquity: Greece, Rome, Barbarians, the monotheist scriptures |
| 3 | Moved to March 7 | Middle Ages and Renaissance: All the way to Shakespeare, the Reformation and the Puritans |
| 4 | March 28th | Neither Reason, Nor Enlightenment: The New World, the Enlightenment, the Scientific Revolution |
| 5 | April 25th | Love in the Age of Machines: From the French Revolution to Darwin to the Titanic |
| 6 | May 30th | Love in the Century of Change: From World War I to 911 |
| 7 | June 20th | The Future: From online dating to the gig economy to sex robots |