The PLATO Society of Los Angeles

Founded in 1980, the PLATO Society of Los Angeles is a dynamic lifelong learning community distinguished by its small peer-led discussion groups. Approximately 400 members from diverse academic, professional and business backgrounds, participate in our classes and activities in Westwood Village, on the west-side of Los Angeles, CA.

Looking for something to add to your summer reading list? Poetry, novels, romance, classics there is a wealth of literature available online. Browse works by Mark Twain, Emily Dickinson, Joseph Conrad, William Shakespeare, Geoffrey Chaucer, Edgar Allen Poe and other famous writers using the links provided here.

Thank you to Culture Addict LA and PLATO's own Mark Farber for sharing this list of "Things to Do (Inside) in L.A. This Weekend" from Los Angeles Magazine (and PLATO NOW for pointing us in their direction).

Music for Hope. On Easter Sunday (April 12, 2020), by invitation of the City and of the Duomo cathedral of Milan, Italian global music icon Andrea Bocelli will give a solo performance representing a message of love, healing and hope to Italy and the world. Watch live for free on his YouTube channel 10am LA, 1pm NYC, 6pm UK, 7pm

The PLATO Society of Los Angeles invites you to join us in our quest for learning for the joy of learning. Study Discussion Groups: At the heart of The Plato Society is our weekly study discussion groups (SDGs).... o Plato members meet for 2 hours/week and delve into in-depth discussions in seminar-style classes led by peers who lead using a pre-selected book (s) and internet material. o SDGs range from art, literature, science, history, political science, music, psychology, architecture, current affairs, and many other fields. Additional programs include: Brown Bag lunches: Members speak on a broad range of subjects. Recent topics include the Best of Hubble, traveling in Iran, clerking in the Supreme Court, the birds of Cuba, and life in the Peace Corps. Day Trips: Members visit places of local interest, such as the Wende Museum of the Cold War, Homeboy Industries, the Mormon Genealogy Center and more. TGI Fridays: Programs include current events discussions, play reading, mindfulness meditation, poetry, bridge and opera groups, and topics ranging from debates on medical ethics to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. There is still space in Plato’s Spring SDGs Now happening on Zoom! www.thePlatosociety.org 424.835.9181

Bring the LA Phil into your home on the air and online @ https://www.laphil.com or KUSC 95.1 FM Radio

I like to work with people who are a lot more talented and smarter than me, who make fewer mistakes than I do, and who can call me out when I do something lazy, McNally once said. A lot of people stop learning in life, and that’s their tragedy. - Tony-Winning Playwright Terrence McNally (Nov.3, 1938-March 24, 2020)

The PLATO Society Brings Its Study Discussion Groups Online Starting on March 16, 2020 the PLATO Society of Los Angeles, headquartered in Westwood Village, moved availability of many of its study discussion groups onto a teleconferencing computer platform. Although the PLATO Society prefers the fellowship created by face-to-face meetings, the move to teleconferencing protects the health and welfare of its members in compliance with accepted health guidelines. Preliminary tri...als on videoconferencing software were successful allowing members to conduct their weekly discussions in the comfort of their own homes. PLATO Study Discussion Groups and other activities, such as TGIF sessions, will be conducted in virtual meeting rooms until in-person meetings can be resumed safely. The Colloquium on The Opioid Epidemic, scheduled for Thursday 19th March 2020, is cancelled. Although PLATO's office has temporarily suspended its activities onsite, your questions can be addressed by email to [email protected] or by telephone at: (424)835-9181.

Studies suggest that listening to music can give your immune system a boost and may help fight off disease. ... why not start with Opera? https://www.metopera.org/

The PLATO Society of Los Angeles cares about your health and safety! To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, study groups, activities and events will not take place at our offices as of March 12th @ 6pm. We are working to transition to remote video participation in PLATO classes and events..

Washing with soap and water is one of the key public health practices that can significantly slow the rate of a pandemic and limit the number of infections, preventing a disastrous overburdening of hospitals and clinics. But the technique works only if everyone washes their hands frequently and thoroughly: Work up a good lather, scrub your palms and the back of your hands, interlace your fingers, rub your fingertips against your palms, and twist a soapy fist around your thumbs. Or as the Canadian health officer Bonnie Henry said recently, Wash your hands like you’ve been chopping jalapeños and you need to change your contacts. Even people who are relatively young and healthy should regularly wash their hands, especially during a pandemic, because they can spread the disease to those who are more vulnerable.

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