Events | Think Again

In the Open

Benchside conversations

In a time when our ability to connect emotionally, engage in civil disagreement, and empathise with others feels increasingly strained, reading and reflecting alone won’t fix it. In the Open is a monthly, small-group conversation where members meet to explore a shared theme together.

Here’s how it works:

On the Last Saturday of the month: members of the Think & Think Again community meet up in person, in a park (starting with Centennial Park, Sydney, Australia).

The focus: In duos/trios, discuss a theme or topic that purposefully invites nuance and further reflections. Members are invited to choose how to engage in these conversations:

Free Flow: An organic discussion around the topic.
Semi-Guided: One person considers the pros, the other the cons.
Guided: A series of pre-set questions to spark deeper reflection.

Shared Reflections: After each conversation, the group comes back together to share what we found common ground on, where perspectives diverged, and which questions are worth exploring further. These reflections are then brought together and shared with the wider community.

***Take it to your city***

Think & Think Again isn’t just rooted in Sydney; we’re a community spread across the world. As our community grows, I’d love to see In the Open conversations spring up wherever members are. To make it easy, I’ve created a simple playbook for anyone who feels called to facilitate, and I’ll provide all the themes, materials, and guidance you’ll need. If you’d like to bring people together in your own city, reach out, I’d be glad to share it and support you along the way.

In the meantime... In the Open Online

This is for members who don’t yet have enough people nearby to gather in person. Instead of waiting, you’ll be paired with one or two others to explore the same monthly theme online. These conversations mirror how In the Open works in Sydney (using the same themes, principles of conversation, and shared reflections afterwards) and offers a simple way to stay connected and build momentum as the community grows.

Previous events & themes

Previous themes

Who and how do we trust

“Trust” seems to be on everyone’s lips at the moment. We’re asked to place it in people, systems, and increasingly in technologies we don’t fully understand.

Has it always been this way and where to from here?

Directions to explore:

How do you decide who or what to trust; is it based on evidence, instinct, familiarity, or something else?
When trust is lost, what actually happens to relationships, to decisions, to how we move through the world?
What does rebuilding trust look like in practice and is it (always) possible?

Dialogue Playback

Should we follow the news or step back?

The news is constant. Alerts. Headlines. Updates by the hour. Staying informed can feel like a civic duty.

But constant exposure can also feel overwhelming, polarising, even numbing.

So what’s the right relationship with it?

Directions to explore:

What does “being informed” actually mean?
Does following the news make us thoughtful or reactive?
Who are you becoming through the way you consume it?

Dialogue Playback

What does feminism mean and who gets to define it?

Feminism has fought for dignity, equity, and visibility across generations, yet it’s still a word that makes some people uncomfortable.

For some, it feels radical or exclusionary. For others, it’s essential. Its meaning can shift by culture, context, and personal experience.

Directions to explore:

What’s the difference between being for equality and identifying as a feminist?
Why does feminism sometimes feel like a zero-sum game?
What kind of actions are seen as supporting (or undermining) feminist values?

Dialogue Playback

Is using AI in our work cheating or just the new common sense?

Tools like ChatGPT make tasks like writing, researching, and ideating feel almost too easy. But that ease can leave us uneasy. If we don’t use it, are we falling behind? If we do, are we cutting corners?

Directions to explore:

Why does using AI sometimes feel like cheating, even if the outcome is better?
If AI can replicate our skills, what becomes the source of our value?
What kind of thinking is worth doing ourselves, even if AI could do it faster?

Dialogue Playback

When is it okay to say you’re good at something?

We’re often taught to be humble; to let our work speak for itself, to downplay our strengths. But confidence and humility can coexist. So when does modesty become self-doubt, or confidence cross into arrogance?

Directions to explore:

Why does owning our strengths feel uncomfortable?
How do we teach kids confidence without losing humility?
In a new job or interview, how honest should we be about what we’re good or bad at?

What actually motivates us to act? Hope or outrage?

Some people say we need to see what is wrong to want to fix it. Others say change is more likely when we believe something better is possible.

Directions to explore:

Do stories of injustice stir action or just paralysis and guilt?
Can focusing on the positive make us complacent?
What kind of messaging actually changes minds or behaviours?

Our Is it OK series

This time, instead of diving into a single theme, we explored a series of questions. Some were light, some a little thorny, but all of them were designed to surface the kinds of dilemmas we often carry quietly, the kind where your gut might have an immediate answer… but sitting with it for a moment revealed a lot more nuance.

Here are the four that were picked, yesterday:

– Is it OK to not want to have children?
– Is it OK to change your mind about something you were once very vocal about?
– Is it OK to want external validation?

– Is it OK to ghost someone after one date?

Many more to come for the next sessions of "is it ok to"

What are we really signalling when we dress a certain way?

Dress codes are everywhere, at work, at school, at events. But what do our clothing choices actually communicate, and who decides what is “appropriate”?

Directions to explore:

Are dress codes about respect, identity, or control?
When does self-expression clash with social expectations?
Do appearances still hold power in a world that claims to value authenticity?

Bella

I just loved my second 'In The Open' event on Saturday. The theme was perfect - so many directions it could be taken in. It was a pleasure meeting the other members, and I can see that these events will be not only an opportunity for intellectual engagement but also for new friendships.

Oli

I was initially a little bit apprehensive about joining the in person group meeting and discussion, questioning what value I had to contribute. But honestly, it was the warmest bunch of people I could’ve had the pleasure of meeting, and I felt immediately at ease sharing my thoughts/perspective with the group. I liken Think And Think Again to a ‘book club for ideas’… It’s exercise for your mind, delivered in a social, outdoors setting. I’ll definitely be making this part of my monthly ritual moving forward.

Milly

I LOVED IT! I felt so invigorated after it, it was so so marvellous. I cannot wait for the next one. I was nervous before going because everyone seems so impressive but it was just the best conversation. I got the sense that it was a space where all opinions were welcomed, that there was no judgement, just a commitment to listen.