What does Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' say about history, fate, and the role of the individual? Let's talk about ordinary people living in the shadow of great events.

— Tolstoy, War and Peace

Set the timer (5-30 min), take 20 seconds of prep if you like, start talking. Jot your thoughts onto the sticky-note board.

similar topics

Why is the week seven days long? It matches neither the Moon nor the Sun and has no counterpart in nature; it is an entirely artificial invention from Babylonian astrology, based on the seven classical 'planets.' The most basic cycle organizing our lives comes not from the sky but from human imagination. Why did all of us fall in line with a rhythm that does not exist in nature?
Should eggs be kept in the fridge or at room temperature? America washes and chills them, Europe leaves them unwashed on the shelf; once the protective cuticle is removed, refrigeration becomes mandatory. Why are both systems internally consistent?
Honey or sugar? Both are mostly fructose and glucose; honey seems more innocent because it is 'natural,' but to the body the difference is minimal. Why does a label's connotation distort our perception?
Producing vanilla was thought impossible outside Mexico, because in nature only one Mexican bee pollinated it, until a 12-year-old enslaved boy discovered how to pollinate it by hand. The world's most common 'plain' flavor exists thanks to a child's invention. Does the most ordinary taste hide the most extraordinary story?
In some societies the future feels so uncertain that the culture of making firm promises is weak; everything is made conditional with phrases like 'God willing.' Other societies plan the future with the precision of an appointment book. Is it wiser to treat time as controllable, or to surrender to its flow? Does planning make us strong, or set us up for disappointment?