# Event Details

- **Event Name**: Big Tent Talks: Living Deliberately with Existential Despair
- **Event Start and End Date**: Wed, 12 Aug, 2026 at 06:00 pm – Wed, 12 Aug, 2026 at 07:30 pm
- **Event Description**: Can sadness, boredom, and existential despair actually deepen our connections to others? Justin McDaniel thinks so.About this EventJoin Spirit & Place as we invite scholar Justin McDaniel, Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Endowed Professor of the Humanities at the University of Pennsylvania, to give a public presentation on the nature of connection in an age of distraction, uncertainty, and searching.McDaniel is known for teaching two of Penn's most talked-about courses: one explores monastic approaches to living deliberately, while the other invites students to slow down and pay closer attention through the practices of reading and looking. Across his teaching, writing, and research in religious studies and contemplative traditions, he challenges students and audiences alike to wrestle with questions of meaning, purpose, sadness, and what it means to live well. (Which includes time for boredom!)In Living Deliberately with Existential Despair, McDaniel argues that boredom, uncertainty, and even despair are not merely problems to be solved, but experiences that can deepen our attention to the world and our connection to others. Blending lived experience, storytelling, and big-picture ideas, this Big Tent Talk will explore how practices of reflection, presence, and shared vulnerability can help us cultivate connection, care, and belonging in our everyday lives.New Addition: The evening will also feature participatory elements led by the Indianapolis Women's Chorus, creating opportunities for shared reflection, listening, and connection.Presented by Spirit & Place with support from the IU Presidential Arts & Humanities Program. Spirit & Place Big Tent Talks are bold, community-wide conversations that bring nationally recognized thinkers, authors, and spiritual leaders to Indianapolis explore faith, spirituality, and public life.
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/indianapolis/big-tent-talks-living-deliberately-with-existential-despair/100001990893479992
- **Event Categories**: art, literary-art, workshops, storytelling
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 0
- **Event Highlights**: 
  - Age Limit: all_ages
  - door_time: 2026-08-12T21:30:00Z
  - Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
  - Location: Unitarian Universalist Church
  - Languages: English

## Ticket Details

- **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: USD

## Event venue details

- **city**: Indianapolis
- **state**: IN
- **country**: United States
- **location**: Unitarian Universalist Church
- **lat**: 39.8332185
- **long**: -86.1700208
- **full address**: Unitarian Universalist Church, 615 West 43rd Street, Indianapolis, United States

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: Big Tent Talks: Living Deliberately with Existential Despair
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## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is Big Tent Talks: Living Deliberately with Existential Despair being held?
  - **A:** Big Tent Talks: Living Deliberately with Existential Despair takes place on Wed, 12 Aug, 2026 at 06:00 pm to Wed, 12 Aug, 2026 at 07:30 pm at Unitarian Universalist Church, 615 West 43rd Street, Indianapolis, United States.
- **Q**: Who is organizing Big Tent Talks: Living Deliberately with Existential Despair?
  - **A:** Big Tent Talks: Living Deliberately with Existential Despair is organized by Spirit & Place.
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** Big Tent Talks: Living Deliberately with Existential Despair is ideal for curious learners, students, and skill-builders looking to gain hands-on knowledge and practical expertise in a focused, interactive setting. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Indianapolis, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Big Tent Talks: Living Deliberately with Existential Despair sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast.

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