Patriotic, well-dressed, and serious. The type of men who gathered in Nashville on Saturday evening for our Bull Moose Symposium, a dinner event centered around the character and philosophy of Theodore Roosevelt. There is something very special about gentlemen gathering among themselves for an intentional conversation, and that was the case thousands of years ago for ancient men just as much as it is for us today.
The idea of men’s “speaking clubs” or “debate societies” goes back as far as ancient Athens. Through that span of history leading into Rome’s power, fraternities and clubs would gather to debate, read poetry, deliver orations, and feast together. The word “symposium” is even from the Greek word “symposia”, which means “drinking together” and were the famous Greek drinking parties where men would recite the world’s greatest poetry and fall on the floor drunk by the end of it.
At Meriwether we don’t fall flat on our faces like some of these ancient iron-bellies, but we maintain the tradition of taking the table and using it for something truly meaningful. Just this past Saturday evening, 38 men from three states took their seats at the Meriwether table for one of these ancient gatherings. A table where great food is served, wine flows, and men with fire in their hearts take the floor and speak their minds for the greater good.
We’ve been hosting these symposiums for over a year in Nashville and have sat down to discuss philosophy, architecture, history, the liberal arts and humanities, and more, with speakers such as Dr. Michael Millerman, Dr. Mark Anderson, Dr. Howard Miller, Dr. Alex Petkas, and more taking the stage to share their knowledge with us. Over the year it has become more than just a dinner party; it is a place where very ambitious and intelligent men gather to learn something, share what they know, and find a community of people who still have a little sanity in this backward world we’re living in.
Our last event on Saturday was centered around the character and philosophy of Theodore Roosevelt. We discussed civic duty, patriotism, what it means to be a man in the arena, and how important it is for young men to study role models like Roosevelt if they want to emulate greatness themselves. Men from TN, MS, and KY congregated around the table, and the consensus is the same across the board: “There are not enough groups doing this.”
We take a unique approach to our format. Rather than everyone chatting with the people in their immediate vicinity, our Jeffersonian Dinner format curates a collective conversation that the entire table is a part of, one person speaking at a time, with no interruption or side chatter, and with everyone’s full attention given to whichever gentleman has the floor. What comes out of it is a deep, meaningful, collaborative discussion on the topic that prods through the surface to the very meat of the issue at hand.
The hostility of our culture toward men has placed many in a horrible predicament: forcing them either to tame themselves to avoid harassment or to endure the slurry of names meant to reduce their masculinity to a laughingstock. With the ancient fraternities of the past long gone and the modern ones reduced to drinking clubs, there is a massive gap in American culture for places where men can gather among themselves and fraternize with each other. Our nation needs real men, and real men need other real men, and all of them need a place to gather.
Our Academy symposium dinners not only solve this crucial social dilemma for men but, centered around deeply important and purposeful topics, bring together serious, learned men looking to improve their lives and do their part to help others.
“Excellent event and stimulating discussion. Looking forward to more of these. If you’ve read Ben Franklin biography, this event is evocative of Franklin’s Junto as mentioned in the book. Gatherings focused on world of ideas and culture are rare, or at least those that do it well. This one was great.” – Adam
If you are a man looking for a community of ambitious men who are hungry for knowledge like yourself, we’d love to have you join us at the table. Visit our events page to read more about our upcoming opportunities.