United Way of King County invites you to our next Conversations for Change series event featuring historian and best-selling author Timothy Snyder at Benaroya Hall on Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m.

United Way is teaming up with Seattle Arts & Lectures to co-present Timothy Snyder, a renowned World War historian specializing in Communism and the Holocaust. Snyder is a former professor of history and global affairs at Yale University and a current professor at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.

Conversations for Change is an ongoing series that features discussions from experts and scholars on issues impacting our community.

According to Snyder’s publisher, Penguin Random House, Snyder holds the Temerty Chair in Modern European History at the Munk School, University of Toronto, and is a permanent fellow at the Vienna Institute for Human Sciences.

His books, which have been published in over forty languages, include On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, The Road to Unfreedom, and On Freedom.

Penguin Random House says Snyder’s work has inspired poster campaigns and exhibitions, sculptures, a punk rock song, a rap song, a play, and an opera, and he has appeared in more than fifty films and documentaries.

Contacted virtually last week, Snyder said that for the Conversations for Change event, he plans to speak mainly about On Freedom, which, according to his website, explores “what freedom is, how it has been misunderstood, and what it’s our only chance for survival.”

He also spoke last week about On Tyranny, and several of its 20 lessons, like Do Not Obey in Advance. On Tyranny says that authoritarian governments often receive power without asking for it. It says that freely given power teaches authoritarian governments what can be achieved with a public that doesn’t consider the ramifications of yielding power.

“We are the kind of creature that when we come into an environment, we adapt to it,” Snyder said. “And that’s generally a good thing. If you walk into a library and everyone is quiet, you should probably also be quiet. If you walk into a bar where people are having loud conversations, then you should have a loud conversation. We adapt, and that’s part of being human.

“But we also have need to have this higher-level mechanism that tells us when we shouldn’t adapt,” Snyder added. “If we don’t have that, we’re in trouble. So, “Don’t Obey in Advance” is about recognizing, because you know something about history or you have a little feeling in your stomach that something’s wrong, or you know that somebody has been hurt, that this is a situation where you shouldn’t just go along. You have to have your own sense of what’s normal.”

Snyder added that “Don’t Obey in Advance” is the first lesson because it must come before all the others, which include “Defend an Institution,” “Stand Out,” and “Believe in Truth.”

“You have to stop and dig your heels in and look around and say, ‘okay, this is not normal to me. I’m not going to go along,’” Snyder said. “From that point forward, you can do a whole bunch of other things. But if you fail there, you’re not going to be doing a whole bunch of other good things.”

United Way is committed to making all our events as accessible as possible. When you register, you’ll have an opportunity to indicate any accommodation you need. Please note that at least two weeks’ notice is necessary to arrange for accessibility needs. If you have any questions, please reach out to eventregistration@uwkc.org. Also, use code: UWKC20 for 20% off tickets (all in-person or online tickets, at any level besides Pay what you Want).