17 January 2025
Christmas spending
How much did we spend this Christmas? (Too much? Not enough?) Do we need to spend much at all to enjoy the festive season? Do the really important things cost anything at all?
24 January 2025
Are we becoming an intolerant society?
Many modern societies pride themselves on their tolerance of minorities, particularly those minorities who were once shunned or oppressed. However, we have become quick to castigate those who don’t share our views on many topics. Are we really more tolerant or is it just that our intolerances have changed?
31 January 2025
What has happened to honesty and integrity?
In recent times, governments and organisations have been plagued by resignations for various forms of dishonesty. Is this a new thing? Have our expectations of behaviour changed? Is it just that we now learn of dishonest acts that would have previously gone unnoticed?
7 February 2025
Do we learn from our mistakes?
We all make mistakes – individuals and organisations – but do we learn from them, or do we continue to repeat them?
14 February 2025
Are there jobs that are more suited to one sex rather than the other?
In the past there were jobs that were regarded as being the province of either men or women. Is this still the case? Should it be? Does this apply to tasks we do at home?
21 February 2025
Do we value arts above maths and science?
We often hear people say that they are rubbish at maths and sometimes it seems they are proud of this. People who don’t appreciate art or literature may be considered philistines. Is it time our attitude to these different areas of our culture changed?
28 February 2025
Are we too dependent on technology?
We depend on technology to provide food, heating, transport, entertainment and most things in our modern society. Are we too dependent on it? Would civilisation collapse if there was a major failure of some form of technology?
7 March 2025
Will the 20th century be remembered as the century that plundered the earth’s resources and climate?
The 20th century was a period of unprecedented population growth and improvement in living standards. Will the cost of this in terms of environmental degradation be too great. Will there be sufficient resources for future generations?
14 March 2025
Mystery object?
Each of our members will try to bring along a mystery object and explain its significance to them.
21 March 2025
What were we all doing on 11 September 2001?
It is often said that everyone remembers what they were doing when John F Kennedy was assassinated. Can we recall what we were doing on “9/11”, when the World Trade Centre was destroyed by terrorists?
28 March 2025
Language changes
Over the years, words change their meanings. Sometimes they reverse their meanings. Should we try to resist this, or just accept it? Do we use paoples use of language to categorise them?
4 April 2025
1984
George Orwell wrote his vision of the future in 1948 (published 1949). How much of it rings true today? There is a BBC “In Our Time” programme on the topic that you can listen to if you want.
11 April 2025
What’s in the local news?
In the past we have discussed the headlines in the national media, but local events might have more effect on our daily lives. What has made the headlines in the Driffield and Wolds Weekly over the last couple of weeks?
18 April 2025
Good Friday. No meeting
25 April 2025
The most significant event in human history?
When we discussed this topic last year, John thought that we had selected the wrong event. He will put us right and tell us which event it really was. No doubt at least one of us will disagree.
2 May 2025
What can be done to save television?
Who still watches live television? Do we rely on it for news? Can it compete with the various online sources of entertainment?
9 May 2025
What are the attractions of living in Driffield and the surrounding area, and how could we make it even more attractive?
Many of those I know have chosen to move to the East Riding, even though they had no ties to the area. What makes the area attractive? Do incomers make life better or worse for the “native” population?
16 May 2025
What can each of us do to impress our grandchildren?
I could impress my grandson when he was 2 or 3 years old. Now he’s 6 I’m not so sure. Tales of “when I wor a lad” certainly won’t do it. Is there an unbridgeable gap between the generations.
23 May 2025
Would each of us benefit from writing a book?
It is said that everyone has a book inside them. Others say that it’s where it should stay. Would putting our thoughts in a book benefit us in any way? Would it benefit anybody else?