The NY Salon has partnered with The Battle of Ideas in London - several NY Salon speakers will be on panels and we are hosting our own session ‘Why do people hate America?‘ 27 and 28 October 2007 - Click banner for Battle of Ideas website :

Why do people hate America?
Saturday 27 October, 12.15pm until 1.15pm, Student Union Bar-room Rants

America once symbolised (rightly or wrongly) all that was good about the Enlightenment project of human progress: economic prosperity, political freedom and equality – a refuge from the more repressive European nations. Today however many in America including members of the Bush administration wonder ‘Why do people hate us?’

These days Americans feel that hardly anyone supports them, and public opinion polls in Europe and elsewhere seem to confirm this. Indeed, America is accused of a variety of sins: being a bully in world affairs; the major cause of global warming; the superpower spreading consumerist values and crass mass entertainment around the world, to name just a few.

As the race to the 2008 presidential election gets into full swing the NY Salon asks, what’s new about the anti-American outlook in Europe, the Middle East and elsewhere? Is anti-Americanism in the Middle East different from that emanating from Europe? And why are some Americans themselves anti-American?

click for more information…

“Trans Fats- to ban or not to ban?”

16 Oct 2006

Introduced by Susan Hamilton

Articles on this:  ‘A transitional phase’ Alan Miller,  Spiked

http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/2035/

 NY Salon Rumbles with PS122 Theater

‘In search of the American Dream’ with GTA Road Theater USA

Sat 13 October 2007, 6pm at PS122 Theater

‘The NY Salon Rumbles’ with Performance Space (PS122) Theater is an exciting partnership that offers a unique opportunity for New Yorkers to discuss some of the provocative and stimulating ideas that emerge from this cutting edge theater’s innovative international performances. The NY Salon firmly maintains that - contrary to much that is fashionable today - audiences are smart and perceptive and want to debate the important issues of our time. After all, ideas have consequences.

‘Searching for the American Dream’

German Theater Abroad Road Theater USA explores various ideas and themes in Ronald Schimmelpfenng’s play Start Up. After the matinee show on Saturday 13 October, the audience will have the rare opportunity to discuss ideas related to the American Dream and how America is viewed today both here and internationally.

After 9/11 some people asked ‘Why do people hate America?’ and yet it is still the case that America is a popular destination for many people pinning their dreams on a better future. Is America still able to project a confident, anyone-can-make-it outlook or is there a more anxious and defensive position taken today? What does this say more broadly about how we see ourselves in society? While many in the past, such as Arthur Miller, pointed to the shortfalls of the American Dream, there is a sea change today.Is the idea of the ‘American Dream’ relevant today?

The panelists:

Ronald Marx - Director of Start Up and GTA Road Theater USA

Mark Seddon - New York Bureau Chief and UN Correspondent for Al Jazeera English

James Matthews - Business Consultant, NY Salon

Moderated by:

Alan Miller - Director, NY Salon

Sat 13 Oct, 6pm directly after the matinee performance.

http://www.ps122.org/