Nerd Nite ChCh #29: Dungeons, Democracy, and Deep Freeze

Are you ready to get nerdy!?
Think TED talks with beer. Discovery Channel meets Drunk History.

Be there AND be square! 

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Speakers

"Love and Ice: Stories from Antarctica"
by Lewie Chilcott

People often have a very limited understanding about that icy continent at the bottom of the world. So to remedy this Lewie will tell us some of the stories of Antarctica to help you understand (and hopefully) love this continent.

Lewie has been a guide at the international Antarctic centre for nearly three years. It is here that he gets the joy of talking to people about the wonders of Antarctica. He has visited Antarctica as part of a tourist expedition. In addition, he has a Bachelor of Wildlife Science and a Master of Science from the University of Canterbury.

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"Roll for insight: Why playing TTRPGs can benefit your mental health"
by Alex (Waffles) Williams

You might think that Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs) are all fun and games, but there is a lot of research showing many benefits to playing pretend. This brief talk will outline some of the subtle ways that playing games with your friends is changing your brain and affecting your mental health. So grab some tissues and your nearest +2 greatsword as we journey together to discover that the real treasure was the learning and growing we did along the way.

Alexander (Waffles) Williams is a professional DM, an amateur actor, and full time weirdo. He's been playing various TTRPGs for the past five years and has been suffering from various mental illnesses for even longer, after observing how he’d often feel better during and after playing with my friends he went down a rabbit hole researching why that was, and now like Alice, he is taking you down that same rabbit hole. He doesn’t have a fancy PHD just a lot of dice and experience.

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"The Memory of a Goldfish: New Zealand Politics on Repeat"
by Quentin Findlay

The New Zealand band Split Enz sang, “that history never repeats”.  However, New Zealanders have the political memory of a goldfish. They say those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it—but here, we don’t just repeat it; we remix it – bigger, brasher, and with extra stupid. Our modern political history is a masterclass in forgetting, and as a result, we’re making the same mistakes we did over a century ago. However, back then, the Left was left, and the Right was right. Now? The Left is somehow right, and the Right has rocketed so far off the spectrum it’s entered another dimension.

Quentin Findlay holds various degrees (including a PhD) in politics and history.  He has lectured in those two subjects at Otago and Lincoln Universities and teaches classes to intelligent seniors at the CWEA.  He has been politically active and has worked in Parliament.  He currently works for a trade union.  He is, as a result, both well-seasoned and knowledgeable about politics, history and people’s general ignorance of both.

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Doors: 6:00pm
Presentations: 6:30pm

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