Author Archives: zach

Sad Love – Carrie Jenkins

Great book that challenges the standard relationship model.

eudaimonic love
- The book’s primary agend is to urge that we replace the romantic conception of love with a eudaimonic conception. The romantic conception aims at an idea (not realistic, but idealized) “happy ever after” — that is to say, a state that is pleasant for the individuals involved and is permanent.

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In the Realm of the Hungry Ghosts – Gabor Mate

Spring/Summer 2025

As a rule, what ever we don’t deal with in our lives, we pass on to our children. Our unfinished emotional business becomes theirs.
in the case of drug addiction, the sins of entire societies are visited unevenly on minority populations
With the rise of industrial societies came dislocation: the destruction of traditional relationships, extended family, clan, tribe and village.

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We Want Freedom – Abu-Jamal Mumia

March 31st 2025

History / State
- Because we look at history from our own historical perspective, Lincoln, who spoke often and openly about his distaste for abolitionists, is today perceived as one!
- The state, said Marx and Engels, is but the executive committee of the ruling class.

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Anger – Thich Nhat Hanh

10/11/24

If you know how to take care of it, to cook it, then the negative energy of your anger will become the positive energy of understanding and compassion
When we are armed with compassion and understanding, we fight not againt other people, but against the tendency to invade, to dominate, and to exploit.

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Pleasure Activism – adrienne maree brown

9/10/2023

I believe that with time it must become an incredible pleasure to be able to be honest, expect to be whole, and to know that we are in a community that will hold us accountable and change with us
Yes is the way.

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Polysecure – Jessica Fern

2/22/23

Secure Attachment
- This in turn teaches the child that allowing themselves to feel their needs and communicating those needs to others is an effective strategy.
- Through these nourishing experiences, a child develops a sense of safety and trust. They take in the messages that the world is a friendly place and that they can ask for what they want because the people in their lives care and are willing to help.

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Forget Prayers Bring Cake – Melissa Nathan Gerson

By Melissa Nathan Gerson

Finished around June 1st, 2022

Negative talk can also be a signal that you are more traumatized than you realize. Let it be a signal for the call for care. Whatever that care looks like for you.

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Finding Meaning – David Kessler

David Kessler

Finished ~ March 31st, 2022

Avoiding grief
- Something goes out of alignment when we try to avoid sadness and grief.
- Life gives us pain. Our job is to experience it when it gets handed to us. Avoidance of loss has a cost.

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Towards Collective Liberation – Chris Crass

By Chris Crass

Excellent book on organizing and anarchism. Very practical and relatable examples.

Organizing / leadership
- Supporting people to come together and overcome isolation and feelings of inadequacy is one of the key tasks of organizers, and we can do this by developing a systematic understanding of the problems we face, nurturing relationships of solidarity and respect, building up collective power through action, and working for social change in ways that also help us grow and live our values in the here and now.

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The Barrow Will Send What It May – Margaret Killjoy

4/22/18

Sequel to “The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion”

Anarchists stick together. Well, except when we get mad at one another over small details.
It’s okay to let yourself love someone, but that letting yourself love someone is like letting someone have the keys to your control room, so you can share the responsibility of running yourself with someone else.

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