Is Self-Improvement Possible?
2026-02-20 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Chicago) | Roden House, 418 Texas Street, Denton, TX, 76201, United States
In contemporary life, many people’s sense of agency is diminishing. Isolation, social media, economic and existential uncertainty, institutional decay–as well as the endless self-help content and essays–all point toward an anxiety about our own capacity to act well in relation to each other and our values. There is general malaise regarding our own sense of authority in this world and among others. We want to change our lives in some way, but we feel ourselves hampered by a mix of habits, society, and human nature.
In this special event, hosted by Drink & Think and The Cluny Institute, we will discuss the possibilities and limits of human freedom, agency, and ways we might enlarge ourselves and our world to increase both.
This event is free and open to the public. RSVP here to reserve your spot.

What is the Purpose of Education?
2026-02-21 19:00 - 21:00 | San Marcos, TX
Join us for a special Drink and Think in San Marcos, TX, benefitting the Blanco River Academy. We’ll be spending an evening exploring the question, What is the purpose of education?
Hosted by the Barnards at their home in San Marcos, Texas. This is a fundraiser and tickets are $15, which includes one drink ticket. Secure your spot here.

AI and the Future of Humanity
2026-03-21 19:30 - 21:30 | Roden House, 418 Texas Street, Denton, TX, 76201, United States
“DANGER WILL ROBINSON!” AI promises to disrupt every aspect of human life – the economy, education, business, the arts, relationships, entertainment, and even what we mean by human intelligence. What will remain for us mere humans? What remains distinctly human in an age of robots? Will we know the difference? Will we even care?
Drink and Think has always been about confronting and (re)discovering our humanity, so this seems like something we should discuss together.
RSVP to reserve your spot here.

What is the good city?
2026-04-18 19:30 - 21:30
This Spring brings us yet another local city council election, bringing with it a slew of candidate forums, yard signs, and Facebook fights. By the time this discussion comes around, we’ll have considered views on affordable housing, street construction, zoning, economic development, homelessness, and other issues of great importance to our citizenry.
But underneath it all is a question that has been asked repeatedly for the last 2000 years – a question so important, so foundational, yet it is too often ignored in the political discourse of our day: what is the good city?
I will invite all the candidates and I imagine some of them will come. But this isn’t a forum for them, it’s for you, the citizen.
RSVP here to reserve your spot.

America: Do we still believe in this idea?
2026-06-27 19:30 - 21:30 | Roden House, 418 Texas Street, Denton, TX, 76201, United States
I’ve heard that for people with summer birthdays, it’s all the rage to throw a birthday party for yourself and America’s 250th at the same time…
I’m going to spend the evening of my birthday reflecting on the idea of America, whether we still really believe in it, and how we are doing 250 years in. Feel free to join me. To help us, we’ll be reading a couple sentences out of the Declaration of Independence and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
Drink and Think is free and open to the public. To secure your spot, please RSVP here.
