A conference in 2017. (Photo: Scandza Forum)
I remember back in the fall of 2014. I and a friend from Norway travelled to London to attend the London Forum.
The London Forum doesn’t exist anymore, but back then it hosted a range of important speakers.
That was actually the first time I met Mark Weber and Greg Johnson and many others in person.
My friend and I landed at Heathrow airport Friday afternoon. Checked in at the hotel. (A weird labyrinth, I got lost a couple of times trying to find my room.)
Then we went to look for the bar where everyone else was gathered. It was a quiet bar and basically everyone there was going to the event the day after.
I remember a Scottish fellow telling funny stories and everyone laughing. It was a good time.
Greg was there and so were many others. (I don’t think Mark was there Friday evening, so I met him the day after.)
We were sitting there talking, telling stories and having a couple of drinks before it was time to go back to the hotel and get some sleep before the event the next day.
I had been talking to Mark and Greg by email for years about philosophy and history and so on. But we had never met in person before. This was before big, international conferences became a thing in Europe and it was just too expensive for me to travel all the way to the US.
So on Saturday it was time for the main event. Greg gave a talk about Vico and I believe Adrian Davies gave a talk about WW1. There were a couple of other speakers. (As I remember, I don’t think Mark gave a speech.)
Lots of older, eccentric folks there as well. It was memorable. Lots of good stories that I can’t share with you.
Then on Sunday we went to the British Museum to have a look at the Rosetta Stone and other famous objects. And in the evening we had dinner at a fancy Polish restaurant, just a few of us.
Talking, discussing all day long.
So what?
Why am I telling you all of this?
Just to give you an example.
Because if you stay home, you miss out.
During my trip to London I made a bunch of friends. And that was only one of many events I’ve attended through the years.
When you talk to people online, you don’t make personal friends. It’s not the same.
Here’s the thing:
It could be that this life is all we have. These experiences.
Maybe you can dream of making the world a better place. But really, there are no guarantees.
Chances are society just keeps going on its own track, and there is little you can do about it.
It’s unpredictable. (As we’ve seen the last couple of years, to say the least.)
The best you can do is make the most out of your time in this world. Connect with people who share your interests, improve your immediate surroundings. Take the opportunities that come your way.
Changing the world comes as a side effect of doing something you enjoy doing.
The purpose of the Spring Conference [1] next week is to give you an invaluable opportunity.
The opportunity of a lifetime. (These aren’t empty words.)
There will be other events in the future. But not this event. Not with this line-up.
Professor Nyborg is 86. Mark Weber and Jared Taylor are getting up there in age. One day they will retire, and then it’s too late. (Time waits for none of us.)
These men are legends. They have already made history. They have educated thousands and changed the direction of our cultural debate.
We might take it for granted now, but a lot of it is thanks to them.
Guido Taietti is an important author and thinker from Italy, representing Southern Europe.
Dr. Devlin is one of the sharpest philosophers out there.
Prof. Dutton has raised the bar for popular science discourse through his hugely successful YouTube channel, The Jolly Heretic.
Timo Hännikäinen is a leading publisher, author, intellectual.
Ruuben Kaalep is a Member of Parliament. He has already made history in his home country.
And you don’t get a chance to meet one or two of them. You get a chance to meet eight of them.
(You’ll see a total of nine speakers, but my Scandi modesty doesn’t allow me to include myself among the legends.)
Your grandkids will envy you for having met these men in person.
(And to be completely honest, what are you going to do instead? Sit at home and scroll social media?)
In the famous words of Elvis Presley, it’s now or never…
This is your last chance to sign up. Go here [1] to find out more.
Send an email to register (follow the link [1] for instructions).
P.S.
We are quickly running out of Patron tickets. There are only so many seats.