Chautauqua 2016 Season Theme: "What Does It Mean To Be Human?"

What does it mean to be human? In 2016, we comprehensively explore facets of the human experience, of the human project. When we say we’re dedicated to “the best in human values,” what do we mean? As human beings, we are capable of great good, and capable of being catalysts for destruction. We are stewards, explorers, healers, thinkers, feelers. We have a body, a brain, a fully-functioning computer of the highest caliber. But we are more than our machine. To be human is to love, to laugh, to hurt. It is to be self-aware if not self-actualized, and that grasping for something more, something higher, is perhaps the greatest expression of the human condition. Human beings are flawed, but we hold fierce potential. In this summer as we explore our history, our future, our hearts, bodies, minds and souls, we look at the state of being human today — offering an unflinching look at humanity at its worst, and celebrating what it means to be a people striving for its best.

Week Seven Theme: "Pushing Our Bodies’ Limits"

In this week, we look at the limits of our humanness — our brain and our body — and how we are able to alter, push, or even defeat those limits. We have constantly pushed against our natural state, even our natural lifespan. We modify and enhance, overcome and transcend. Our natural states — our gender, our disabilities, our aging — are up for debate. How do we, and how can we, push our boundaries and transcend our humanity?

August 9, 2016 Buffalo Day @ Chautauqua Theme
"Imagine Pushing Our Bodies' & Community's Limits:
 Imagine Healthy, Wealthy and Sustainable Communities"

Art of Investing at Chautauqua Institution's Smith Memorial Library - 2016 Season