Dis Course is a curated dinner series that transforms a meal between strangers into an experiment in how we gather, listen, and be in conversation with one another.
Hosted in "The GUT" – an underground archive of the future – and led by a whimsical facilitator, the experience immerses guests in an alternate universe filled with rituals and rules, where technologies actually support meaningful connection, not just divide and distract.
In April-June 2025, the GUT was open by invitation only for students in the MIT community. 8 dinners were hosted, each with 5-8 guests. The archive collected 51 new objects as a result of the dinners.
- Does the Dis Course setup successfully disrupt existing social norms? Does it feel distinctive from other experiences within the MIT community?
- Does the emergent social dynamic feel personal, empathetic, listening-oriented, and safe?
- Are participants engaging in a safe level of discomfort and challenge?
Gather and Listen
...not just, like, small talk or squeezing in a few minutes of conversation with your friends in between very busy days. But I think, like, to gather and sit purely for the sake of, like, talking about things and coming here with a willingness to listen to people and to learn about people that, like, you really have no obligation to get to know.
Immerse In New Experiences
I was quite scared to do a lot of new things at MIT because I'm a sophomore now and I feel like life is somewhat settled. But I think I really enjoyed this experience, and I'm glad that I didn't know what to expect, but came here and that was really. Yeah. So I will try to take more challenges or immerse myself in new experiences more often.
Intentional Discomfort
...I was struggling to, like, say things, but, you know, when you feel uncomfortable, the first thing you typically would do is just look at your phone. And not having that was nice. So it's like, I was forced to be uncomfortable, and I think I don't give myself a lot of chances to be uncomfortable intentionally.
