Social media has become a large part of our everyday lives. As a society, we continue to devote an increasing amount of time to these online platforms, engaging with a wealth of information from our friends to celebrities, family members to politicians, cat videos to devastating world news. Increasing rates of social media use along with high rates of mental illness have led many researchers to begin examining how social media use and mental health may be related. Perhaps surprisingly, only a few consistent conclusions have been drawn in this area, leaving researchers and community members alike wondering if and how social media use may be affecting our mental health. This presentation will focus on a newly developed model of understanding social media use that categorizes social media behaviors into four broad patterns. Topics discussed will include an overview of what these four different patterns of social media behaviors are, how they have been observed to impact people’s emotions in the moment, and how they are shown to correlate with various components of psychological wellbeing.

The Pledge Campaign is the time of year when we dream about what the Ethical Society of St. Louis could be and do if we had all of our needs met, and strategize ways to meet those needs. We need strong roots to build a strong future. Now is the time to reinvest in the future of the Society and to imagine what we can create together. This Platform talk is offered in conjunction with President-elect Scott Wright’s Opening Words for this day, as we launch pledge season together.

Does the pursuit of morality come at a cost to personal well-being? Several conceptualizations of morality emphasize its role in regulating or sacrificing the pursuit of one’s own interests for the sake of others. This might imply that being and becoming more moral would be personally costly. In this talk, however, I present empirical evidence showing that 1) moral people tend to experience more happiness and meaning in life and that 2) people believe that becoming more moral would contribute positively to various aspects of their well-being. I will discuss the implications and limitations of this research in relation to the broader question of when morality and well-being are likely to go hand in hand and when they might come into conflict with one another.

What does it take to thrive in a world that is volatile and uncertain, unjust and unfair? How can you experience well-being in a world so full of suffering? Research in human development, potential, longevity, and learning indicate that thriving is a state of being that we can tap into throughout our day and across our lifetime — no matter what we face. In this talk, we will explore ten timely and timeless "whole life" practices that enable us to experience wholeness and well-being at every age and stage of life. These ten practices support us individually and collectively and they activate and align with humanist commitments and beliefs.

The New Year is a time of celebration and renewal and optimism. What does it mean to have a fresh start? How do we reset our relationships when there has been damage to connections? How can we show up for each other and ourselves in a different and better way in the coming year? What are our hopes and dreams for the new year?

In Gabe's own words, they say, "The writer Gregory Orr believes, 'Poetry is about survival first of all. Survival of the individual self, survival of the emotional life.' It is my belief and experience that Orr’s statement applies to most creative pursuits, including various modalities of art and self-expression that have helped me move through and beyond the traumatic events of my early life. Our own creativity has the unique gift of helping us process the unrelenting amount of information we’re exposed to, including the overwhelming, painful, and traumatic memories that can threaten to undo us. 'Self-Expression as Survival' de-emphasizes the importance of identifying as an artist, and instead focuses on the many ways creativity can combat the reality that trauma often renders us voiceless. It is not hyperbole to say that my exploration of photography, watercolor, performance art, sculpture, and, most importantly, writing memoir, saved my life. I learned to create order from chaos, make meaning from the mess, and transform something big and boundaryless into a work of art I could hold in my hands. To share our suffering in some way—trading off playing the role of artist and observer—is an important way forward." Gabe Montesanti

The Ugandan students and schools the Ethical Society supports are full of strength, resilience, and hope. Come learn about the recent developments at the Uganda Humanist Schools and leave inspired by the schools’ and students' promising futures. Note: The Ethical Society community currently supports 36 female high-school students with full boarding scholarships ($525/yr) and provides reusable menstrual supplies for all menstruating students in the primary and secondary schools. If you would like to make a donation to benefit the schools and you cannot attend the Platform, please contact Krystal White at krystalsnowhite@ gmail.com or Nancy Jelinek at [email protected].

This performance experience features new and familiar music investigating the questions above and, hopefully, inspiring us to action in our St. Louis community. Enjoy music from the newest chapter of the international Justice Choir movement, Justice Choir STL. We are a radically inclusive community choir amplifying local justice movements through collaborative partnership performances. Led by Ethical Society of St. Louis Music Director Claire Minnis, this ensemble is open to all voices. If you have an interest in singing and a passion for justice, you belong here.

As a last minute fill in for an ill presenter, Amy talks from her book chapter on shame.

Scientists and engineers worldwide are devoted to helping find solutions to the negative effects of climate change. In this (largely nonscientific) presentation, Sophia will showcase some of those efforts. In short, there is "hope" -- and it may help to recognize -- we have done this before with other threats to our environment.