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FRO Objectivism Study Groups

FRO hosts five separate "FROG" groups for the study of Objectivism: 1FROG, 2FROG, 3FROG, 4FROG, and 5FROG. The primary goal of these groups is to help members to understand the principles of Objectivism more clearly and deeply, so that they can better apply them in their own lives.

The various FROGs differ from one another in various ways, depending on the preferences of the members. Mostly, they meet once per month. Some groups meet at a member's home, while others meet in a local bookstore. About 10 to 14 people attend each meeting.

In the meeting, members discuss some Objectivist writing assigned the month before, usually two or three essays from an anthology by Ayn Rand. In recent years, FROGs have read and discussed The Voice of Reason, Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, Philosophy: Who Needs It, The Virtue of Selfishness, Ayn Rand's Normative Ethics, The Fountainhead, The Romantic Manifesto, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal and more. The discussion for each essay is guided and managed by a rotating volunteer, also chosen at the prior meeting. Meetings tend to last two to three hours, often with a break for snacks and chat in the middle.

• 1FROG meets on the fourth Saturday evening each month from 6:30 pm to about 10:00 pm at a member's home. 1FROG is managed by Betty Evans (betty@frontrangeobjectivism.com). It was founded by Lin Zinser in 1988.

• 2FROG meets on the fourth Sunday each month from 1:00 pm to about 4:30 pm at the Barnes & Noble in Thornton. 2FROG is managed by David Weatherell (david@frontrangeobjectivism.com). It was founded by Lin Zinser in 2004.

• 3FROG meets on the fourth Saturday of each month from 6:30 to about 10:00 pm at an office in the Denver Tech Center. 3FROG is managed by Santiago Valenzuela (santiago@frontrangeobjectivism.com). It was founded in 2009 by FROG members.

• 4FROG meets on the third Tuesday of each month from 7:00 to about 9:00 pm at the Panera Bread in Longmont. 4FROG is managed by Ari Armstrong (ari@frontrangeobjectivism.com). It was founded in 2010 by members of FRO's Longmont Atlas Shrugged Reading Group (Atlas2).

• 5FROG meets on the second Thursday of each month from 7:00 to about 9:00 pm at the Briargate Branch of the Pikes Peak Public Library in Colorado Springs. 5FROG is managed by Hannah Krening (hannah@frontrangeobjectivism.com). It was founded in 2010 by members of FRO's Colorado Springs Atlas Shrugged Reading Group (Atlas3).

Standards of Membership

1FROG members at a 2008 meeting at Howard and Susan's cabin in Nighthawk

2FROG members at FRO's 20th Anniversary Picnic at the Pine Valley Ranch in 2008

FROG members differ in the depth of their understanding of Objectivism, but all are committed to understanding and applying the philosophy in their own lives. FROG meetings aim for constructive and friendly discussion -- not acrimonious debate. So the principles of Objectivism serve as the implicit and explicit background of the discussions at FROG meetings. So we might discuss the proper applications of property rights or the fallacies of anarchism, but we do not debate whether property rights exist or whether government is necessary. Or we might discuss the extent of animal consciousness, but we do not debate whether consciousness is a myth or whether animals have rights. In short, we are happy to discuss -- but not debate -- any topic relevant to Objectivism.

In essence, FROG welcomes friendly people who agree with the main tenets of Objectivism and wish to study it further. FROG is not an appropriate forum for people unfamiliar with or opposed to its principles.

People who prove disruptive to the aims of FROG will be removed from the group by the FROG Leader.

To learn more about how to maximize the value of discussions, please see these three articles from the The Objectivist Club Network:

• A Discussion is Not a Debate
• How to Study Ayn Rand's Writings
• Why Study Objectivism in a Group?

Standards of Conduct

All FROG members are expected to contribute to the smooth running of the group and its meetings. To that end:

• FROG members are expected to attend meetings regularly. Occasional absences are unavoidable, but merely occasional attendance disrupts the flow of meetings.
• FROG members and guests should read (or re-read) the assigned reading in the month before the meeting. It should be fresh in the mind.
• FROG members should help keep the discussion on-track, meaning focused on the topic at hand. People should not disrupt the meeting with side-conversations.
• FROG members should periodically volunteer to act a discussion leaders. They should also volunteer to host meetings at their home, if appropriate.

In addition, FROG members should act in a friendly -- or at least civil -- way toward each other. In case of any serious conflict, the people should attempt to resolve the problem between themselves, preferably by meeting in-person. If further help is required, then they should discuss the conflict with their FROG Leader.

How to Join FROG

To maintain the high value of FROG meetings, the FROG groups are selective about their members. To join, you must first speak to the group leader, then attend as a guest for a few meetings. After that, if approved by existing members, you will be invited to join. However, before you attempt to join FROG, you are strongly encouraged to attend FRO's supper talks or social gatherings to meet current members thereof. Introduce yourself; tell people that you're interested in joining FROG and discuss your interest in studying Objectivism.

If you're interested in joining FROG, be sure to join FRO's Announcement E-mail List to receive announcements of major FRO news and events, including openings in FROGs.

Contact FROG

1FROG is managed by Betty Evans. Please contact her at betty@frontrangeobjectivism.com with any questions or comments about 1FROG.

2FROG is managed by David Weatherell. Please contact him at david@frontrangeobjectivism.com with any questions or comments about 2FROG.

3FROG is managed by Santiago Valenzuela. Please contact him at santiago@frontrangeobjectivism.com with any questions or comments about 3FROG.

4FROG is managed by Ari Armstrong. Please contact him at ari@frontrangeobjectivism.com with any questions or comments about 4FROG.

5FROG is managed by Hannah Krening. Please contact her at hannah@frontrangeobjectivism.com with any questions or comments about 5FROG.

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