SENSORY JOURNAL 002: Capitalism
•Posted on April 25 2023
I am back with the second installment of the Sensory Journal where I explore ideas, share musings, and more! This one includes recommendations that spend some time exploring the idea of Capitalism and how it might be re-envisioned by people like you and me.
I started out this year losing my next door shop neighbors of 4 years and it sent me into a bit of a spiral about Capitalism, community, and business. 5 years into my business I am still trying to figure out if it's financially viable to operate an ethical business within the current construct of American Capitalism. It's been hard to watch so many amazing small businesses struggle, scale back, and even close during the last year or two trying to navigate many systems while giving everything they have to support their community and the planet. It left me feeling down, uninspired, and truthfully a little frightened for the future.
In contemplating all of these things, and sitting with some of my fears, I started exploring some books and podcasts around these ideas from people and organizations I respect and admire, and in the end I've rediscovered inspiration and empowerment. Amazing what a little shift from social media to reading can do. More input, less output! :) I hope you'll enjoy exploring some or all of these recommendations and find some hope from them as I have!
LISTEN:
The Cultures within Capitalism podcast has given me the biggest inspiration boost lately! It is hosted by Holly Howard who runs a culture-first business consultancy for creative entrepreneurs (also highly recommend her email newsletter!), and most of the episodes are her interviewing her clients of varying industries. If you are interested at all in new ideas of capitalism, better business systems, entrepreneurship, or simply following your passions, I highly recommend this podcast! Perhaps my favorite episode of them all though, was when Holly interviewed her Therapist, Luis Mojica of Holistic Life Navigation. This Episode was the least focused on Entrepreneurship, but I got the most out of it and I would recommend for anyone trying to navigate life, relationships, and purpose. Explore the podcast HERE.
The Cultures within Capitalism podcast has given me the biggest inspiration boost lately! It is hosted by Holly Howard who runs a culture-first business consultancy for creative entrepreneurs (also highly recommend her email newsletter!), and most of the episodes are her interviewing her clients of varying industries. If you are interested at all in new ideas of capitalism, better business systems, entrepreneurship, or simply following your passions, I highly recommend this podcast! Perhaps my favorite episode of them all though, was when Holly interviewed her Therapist, Luis Mojica of Holistic Life Navigation. This Episode was the least focused on Entrepreneurship, but I got the most out of it and I would recommend for anyone trying to navigate life, relationships, and purpose. Explore the podcast HERE.
READ:
Applied Utopia from Slow Factory is the first thing this year that got me out of my downward spiral and helped me feel hopeful. Since 2012, Slow Factory has worked at the intersections of climate and culture to build partnerships and community to advance climate-positive global movements through the lens of human rights, science, technology, and fashion. This book is their first publication and includes interviews, essays, & musings from designers, authors, scientists, & poets on how we can begin working towards Utopia — the one that's attainable: the one we deserve— right here and now! I love that this book reframes the idea of Utopia from some future idea of perfection to tools and steps we can implement and imagine in our lifetime. I felt so affirmed reading this book and knowing that there are others out there wishing for and working toward the same collective ideas. You can purchase the book HERE.
Applied Utopia from Slow Factory is the first thing this year that got me out of my downward spiral and helped me feel hopeful. Since 2012, Slow Factory has worked at the intersections of climate and culture to build partnerships and community to advance climate-positive global movements through the lens of human rights, science, technology, and fashion. This book is their first publication and includes interviews, essays, & musings from designers, authors, scientists, & poets on how we can begin working towards Utopia — the one that's attainable: the one we deserve— right here and now! I love that this book reframes the idea of Utopia from some future idea of perfection to tools and steps we can implement and imagine in our lifetime. I felt so affirmed reading this book and knowing that there are others out there wishing for and working toward the same collective ideas. You can purchase the book HERE.
READ:
This reading recommendation is a quick article read but is a specific topic I've found myself contemplating and discussing often lately as our country, state, and city navigate a massive housing crisis. I myself am still not in a position to imagine the possibility of owning my own home in California, and I know this is the reality for so many in my generation. I also have many family members who've bought non-primary residence homes, many of which are small one and two bedroom homes (perfect size for someone as a first time buyer), and taken then off the market to rent them out as an investment property. And though I am an avid Airbnb customer almost every time I travel and have fantasized about designing my own, I find myself wondering if this is ethical given the housing struggles and shortages we face? I think it's a complicated and nuanced topic but seemingly an important one to consider. Note: This article is from an Australian point of view, but I believe addresses many of our same challenges in America. You can read the article HERE.
This reading recommendation is a quick article read but is a specific topic I've found myself contemplating and discussing often lately as our country, state, and city navigate a massive housing crisis. I myself am still not in a position to imagine the possibility of owning my own home in California, and I know this is the reality for so many in my generation. I also have many family members who've bought non-primary residence homes, many of which are small one and two bedroom homes (perfect size for someone as a first time buyer), and taken then off the market to rent them out as an investment property. And though I am an avid Airbnb customer almost every time I travel and have fantasized about designing my own, I find myself wondering if this is ethical given the housing struggles and shortages we face? I think it's a complicated and nuanced topic but seemingly an important one to consider. Note: This article is from an Australian point of view, but I believe addresses many of our same challenges in America. You can read the article HERE.
READ:
Speaking of investments, financial health has been a popular topic of discussion this year amongst myself and my entrepreneur peers. Money is maybe the least fun topic ever?! But it has become more digestible to me thanks to the instagram page and Email Newsletter from Paco De Leon of The Hell Yeah Group. With my contemplations about Capitalism, I've been feeling the urge to seek financial advice from someone within my own generation and navigating the unique challenges of today, as they are so different from the generations preceding us. I recommend following @thehellyeahgroup but I just recently also bought Paco's book Finance for the People. While I haven't read it yet, I love reading their newsletter and have also been enjoying their podcast Weird Finance.
LISTEN:
Simply a beautiful, ethereal song I've been loving thanks to the recommendation from Novena Carmél on KCRW! Listen on Apple Music HERE.
Simply a beautiful, ethereal song I've been loving thanks to the recommendation from Novena Carmél on KCRW! Listen on Apple Music HERE.
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