Barry > Recent Status Updates

Still loving this, and needing to take my time. The concepts of 'oneness' and 'interconnectedness' as perhaps being a disservice to the richness and complexity of variation is profound. As are the concepts around forgiveness. We often look to similarity to 'heal' difference (one human race, one planet) but I think the way to explore tensions is to recognise, not quell difference?

This is possibly the most beautiful book I have ever read. It touches me. Every word makes me think about who I am, my relationships to, and in part of the world. It is making me think about the present, and how it is part of a psst and future. My mind feels aware, noticing.

'Ideas are not tidy guests'
'Mental mono-cropping is imprisonment'

This resonates with me so much and speaks to how I can struggle with clearly defined roles / disciplines / specialisations.

Perhaps none of us fit into boxes, no matter how much we have chosen to build them

The main characters 'growth' is painful to read. She's incredibly racist and dismissive and lacks critical thinking. Even though her culture is 'brainwashed' she's supposed to be highly intelligent yet her awakenings seem like that of a child. I don't like her.

Thomil's reading seems difficult too, seeing the power dynamics and subservience thick in every word or action

Not sure how I feel about this. The book's setting and characters are racist. I am choosing to believe that the author is writing in good faith exposing racist and colonialist attitudes. I expect there to be a realisation from the main character that she is wrong. My problem is, is that the treatment is heavy handed. It's quite an ugly read and quite dehumanising.

Vile. Fish beats cancer. Got to slip prayers in. What ghouls

Work longer and smile scumbags!

Have fun! But if you are doing this thing we asked you to do, get your work covered. EVEN when doing what the boss said, the boss demands no slack. Corporate wank material for shit managers

Perhaps the most ghastly book ever written. HAVE FUN! No, you can't do what you want on your lunch break! A huge fuck you to this book

There is some useful stuff in here, but once again with business books written by Americans their world view is incredibly limiting and vomit inducing. It seems almost EVERY example in the book has a variation on people working late / more hours / weekends. When I think about paradigms for better conversations there is never an example where the concept of NOT being in thrall to work surfaces.

I've only just started this, and distinctly recall it being recommended to me over a decade ago - I just can't recall by whom or the context. That mystery, over something I think happened, but may have not is fitting, because I am absolutely enchanted with this book already! The prose is a delight.

Loving this book. So interesting exploring the intersections and challenges of DIY in the context of anarchism and punk. At points I have reminisced about places and my role in anarchist punk DIY culture and those 'what came first' discussions. Inspiring and thought provoking in equal measure

Really enjoying this. Especially the critique of punk as part of neo-liberal ideology and its contradictions. Also really appreciate how anarchist punk engages outside the 'West' for instance in aparthied South Africa, during and post right wing dictatorships in South America, or with authoritarian communist states. Really thought provoking.

Just reading the Foreward and Introduction I feel such a strong resonance to this book. It may not reflect my current identity, but it absolutely taps into my values and thought processes for how it engages with the world, exposing punks limitations and contradictions with anarchism, whilst absolutely reaffirming the culture's value and vehicle for spreading anarchism.

I love the little nod to Old Mother Shipton here ('Mother Ursula saw in visions...') I am sure there are tons of little things I have missed in this but glad I spotted this one

Also thinking about how whilst this has some heavy themes of racism, class and gender there are also moments of beauty in here.

There are parts of the book that made me harken back to my youth and it's dangers and freedoms. I see some don't like Rowena and Halim, but they are both so young. Rowena's choices are meant to challenge us.

There is so much to notice in this book. It's like an intersection of Britain's past and present with a warning for a near future. A post-Brexit 'pastoral' reimagining that is dark, insular, unpleasant. A mix of folklore and border obsession. Of a landlord class and hyper casualisation in a climate change world

Really enjoying this and it's very readable. Ambitious for a first novel too, but finding the dialogue and characterisation a bit frustrating. Not sure how I feel about how the ethics and politics are expressed too

There's a lot of good learning in here but holy fuck it centres the US as the world's good guys fighting evil. Apparently the US defeated the Nazi's in WWII. What is wrong with Americans and their superiority complex?

One thing I REALLY appreciate is how Hobb makes it so easy to pick up where the last book left off. So many sequels in series assume the reader finished the first book yesterday. It feels quite a skill to acclimatise a reader quickly that I don't see so often

There is something incredibly ugly about the tone and language of American business literature, even if the ideas are interesting.

The authors continually show their attitudes to be gross.

At some point I am certain a load of my ratings and reviews disappeared off here. I am sure I have read most of the Rebus series but the app is only showing three read. Started reading this and about a third of the way in of this collection I go 'oh yeah, have read this'!

I love the metaphors in this book. Thinking about the Three Sisters of corn, bean and squash, and replacing intellectual monocultures of science with polycultures of complementary knowledge. It's a beautiful book

Very important comment about having decision makers in co-design teams and how more generally the people who make decisions are removed from design processes, requiring the thinking shared on a document for approval!

Taking time for listening, learning and curiosity is important. It's not a nice to have. I wonder how little this actually happens. Thinking wider about relationships and how they need to be nurtured.

Understanding systems is relational, not theoretical or academic. Yes!!!!

'Failed ideas make great compost '

'Sitting in the dark waiting for something to happen' - great quote about being in the grey and being with emergence

Part 1 is brilliant. Love the observation about selective listening - the org I work at does this all the time (and also doesn't know what people say). Love the myth busting section too, and those of power. The section on indigenous codesign is superb, and I would extend much of this thinking wider. Recognise i need to know more about trauma informed practice, but good to see strengths highlighted here

Love the exploration of power and privilege, beyond some of the more obvious areas. Also enjoying reflecting on my experience of the term 'lived experience' (already people use this to other people rather than include). The power of love is important. People look at me weird when i say love guides me at work but it's important. What do we care about and why?

There is so much i can write about this, about the anxieties of 'home'. But ultimately Nevill fucks you up with shocks time and time again.