Secular Solstice Round Up 2024

post by dspeyer · 2024-11-21T10:49:36.682Z · LW · GW · 15 comments

Contents

15 comments

This is a thread for listing Solstice and Megameetup events (dates, locations, links, etc.)

Those of you who have not been may be wondering what a Solstice is in this context.

Secular Solstice is a holiday designed by and for rationalists. It started as an attempt to match the sort of gatherings traditionally religious people tend to have in wintertime, but without compromising on truth.

Is it possible to create that same sense of emotional weight without making stuff up to do it? And without the aid of a long tradition? (Though this is the 14th year we're doing it, so there's some tradition).

Empirically, yes.

Because the world is full of things that genuinely inspire awe. Things entirely worth honoring and celebrating.

And the world is also full of things that genuinely inspire fear. We can and should face them squarely, and together.

This is not a silly holiday. It is not Festivus. It is not Santa Claus and Reindeer. We gather on the longest night of the year to stare together straight into the deepest darkness and *make* *it* *back* *down*.

What does it mean in practice? Lots of singing. Some speeches. Sometimes other things.  The whole thing runs a couple of hours.

And what is a Megameetup?  It's a meetup that's larger than a normal meetup (though not literally a million times larger).  Often it lasts an entire weekend and draws from multiple cities.  It may include presentations, organized discussions, games, and other activities rationalists tend to do when in large groups.

What do Solstices and Megameetups have to do with each other?  It's common for people to travel significant distances to a Solstice, so attaching a Metameetup makes best use of that travel overhead.

15 comments

Comments sorted by top scores.