#self books

[futuristic-koala]

[aimasup]

Favouritism

Bill get a hold of yourself man

[angelicgarnet]

the way people online talk about autism is getting really weird, like do they know that neurotypicals still have interests? that someone being passionate about a hobby doesn't mean they're autistic? you guys know that right

[laptoparmageddon]

[stuckinapril]

I could get over anything as long as I have something new to be obsessed with

[minimalist-quotes]

Don't make the mistake of being so understanding and forgiving that you overlook the fact that you're being disrespected.

[nenoname]

the duality between six shooter and lil stanley still makes me lose it

even stan's drawings of himself being badass are adorable which contrasts with ford's dramatic as hell ones

[words-at-night]

[samwisethewitch]

Homemaking, gardening, and self-sufficiency resources that won't radicalize you into a hate group

It seems like self-sufficiency and homemaking skills are blowing up right now. With the COVID-19 pandemic and the current economic crisis, a lot of folks, especially young people, are looking to develop skills that will help them be a little bit less dependent on our consumerist economy. And I think that's generally a good thing. I think more of us should know how to cook a meal from scratch, grow our own vegetables, and mend our own clothes. Those are good skills to have.

Unfortunately, these "self-sufficiency" skills are often used as a recruiting tactic by white supremacists, TERFs, and other hate groups. They become a way to reconnect to or relive the "good old days," a romanticized (false) past before modern society and civil rights. And for a lot of people, these skills are inseparably connected to their politics and may even be used as a tool to indoctrinate new people.

In the spirit of building safe communities, here's a complete list of the safe resources I've found for learning homemaking, gardening, and related skills. Safe for me means queer- and trans-friendly, inclusive of different races and cultures, does not contain Christian preaching, and does not contain white supremacist or TERF dog whistles.

Homemaking/Housekeeping/Caring for your home:

Making It by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen [book] (The big crunchy household DIY book; includes every level of self-sufficiency from making your own toothpaste and laundry soap to setting up raised beds to butchering a chicken. Authors are explicitly left-leaning.)

Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair by Mercury Stardust [book] (A guide to simple home repair tasks, written with rentals in mind; very compassionate and accessible language.)

How To Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis [book] (The book about cleaning and housework for people who get overwhelmed by cleaning and housework, based on the premise that messiness is not a moral failing; disability and neurodivergence friendly; genuinely changed how I approach cleaning tasks.)

Gardening

Rebel Gardening by Alessandro Vitale [book] (Really great introduction to urban gardening; explicitly discusses renter-friendly garden designs in small spaces; lots of DIY solutions using recycled materials; note that the author lives in England, so check if plants are invasive in your area before putting them in the ground.)

Country/Rural Living:

Woodsqueer by Gretchen Legler [book] (Memoir of a lesbian who lives and works on a rural farm in Maine with her wife; does a good job of showing what it's like to be queer in a rural space; CW for mentions of domestic violence, infidelity/cheating, and internalized homophobia)

"Debunking the Off-Grid Fantasy" by Maggie Mae Fish [video essay] (Deconstructs the off-grid lifestyle and the myth of self-reliance)

Sewing/Mending:

Annika Victoria [YouTube channel] (No longer active, but their videos are still a great resource for anyone learning to sew; check out the beginner project playlist to start. This is where I learned a lot of what I know about sewing.)

Make, Sew, and Mend by Bernadette Banner [book] (A very thorough written introduction to hand-sewing, written by a clothing historian; lots of fun garment history facts; explicitly inclusive of BIPOC, queer, and trans sewists.)

Sustainability/Land Stewardship

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer [book] (Most of you have probably already read this one or had it recommended to you, but it really is that good; excellent example of how traditional animist beliefs -- in this case, indigenous American beliefs -- can exist in healthy symbiosis with science; more philosophy than how-to, but a great foundational resource.)

Wild Witchcraft by Rebecca Beyer [book] (This one is for my fellow witches; one of my favorite witchcraft books, and an excellent example of a place-based practice deeply rooted in the land.)

Avoiding the "Crunchy to Alt Right Pipeline"

Note: the "crunchy to alt-right pipeline" is a term used to describe how white supremacists and other far right groups use "crunchy" spaces (i.e., spaces dedicated to farming, homemaking, alternative medicine, simple living/slow living, etc.) to recruit and indoctrinate people into their movements. Knowing how this recruitment works can help you recognize it when you do encounter it and avoid being influenced by it.

"The Crunchy-to-Alt-Right Pipeline" by Kathleen Belew [magazine article] (Good, short introduction to this issue and its history.)

Sisters in Hate by Seyward Darby (I feel like I need to give a content warning: this book contains explicit descriptions of racism, white supremacy, and Neo Nazis, and it's a very difficult read, but it really is a great, in-depth breakdown of the role women play in the alt-right; also explicitly addresses the crunchy to alt-right pipeline.)

These are just the resources I've personally found helpful, so if anyone else has any they want to add, please, please do!

[brainrotcharacters]

That's that shit eating grin that practically screams "Harder! HARDER!" except the homoerotic subtext is a tripwire they're crash landing through

[clarisimart]

be careful what you wish for, Fordsy

commission info here

[futuristic-koala]

[enesl]

Be with someone who makes you happy.

[nobita-here]

[pptestprep]

Maun Muskaan ki Maar: मौन मुस्कान की मार | Ashutosh Rana | Thought Provoking Musings on Society Human Behavior Change Patriotism and More | Explore Insights on Life Nationalism Social Media and Activism | Book in Hindi

Book Link : https://www.amazon.in/dp/9352669827

मैंने और अधिक उत्साह से बोलना शुरू किया, ‘‘भाईसाहब, मैं या मेरे जैसे इस क्षेत्र के पच्चीस-तीस हजार लोग लामचंद से प्रेम करते हैं, उनकी लालबत्ती से नहीं।’’ मेरी बात सुनकर उनके चेहरे पर एक विवशता भरी मुसकराहट आई, वे बहुत धीमे स्वर में बोले, ‘‘प्लेलना (प्रेरणा) की समाप्ति ही प्लतालना (प्रतारणा) है।’’ मैं आश्चर्यचकित था, लामचंद पुनः ‘र’ को ‘ल’ बोलने लगे थे। इस अप्रत्याशित परिवर्तन को देखकर मैं दंग रह गया। वे अब बूढ़े भी दिखने लगे थे। बोले, ‘‘इनसान की इच्छा पूलती (पूर्ति) होना ही स्वल्ग (स्वर्ग) है, औल उसकी इच्छा का पूला (पूरा) न होना नलक (नरक)। स्वल्ग-नल्क मलने (मरने) के बाद नहीं, जीते जी ही मिलता है।’’ मैंने पूछा, ‘‘फिर देशभक्ति क्या है?’’ अरे भैया! जरा सोशल मीडिया पर आएँ, लाइक-डिस्लाइक (like-dislike) ठोकें, समर्थन, विरोध करें, थोड़ा गालीगुप्तार करें, आंदोलन का हिस्सा बनें, अपने राष्ट्रप्रेम का सबूत दें। तब देशभक्त कहलाएँगे। बदलाव कोई ठेले पर बिकनेवाली मूँगफली नहीं है कि अठन्नी दी और उठा लिया; बदलाव के लिए ऐसी-तैसी करनी पड़ती है और की पड़ती है। वरना कोई मतलब नहीं है आपके इस स्मार्ट फोन का। और भाईसाहब, हम आपको बाहर निकलकर मोरचा निकालने के लिए नहीं कह रहे हैं; वहाँ खतरा है, आप पिट भी सकते हैं। यह काम आप घर बैठे ही कर सकते हैं, अभी हम लोगों ने इतनी बड़ी रैली निकाली कि तंत्र की नींव हिल गई, लाखों-लाख लोग थे, हाईकमान को बयान देना पड़ा। मैंने कहा कि यह सब कहाँ हुआ, बोले कि सोशल मीडिया पर इतनी बड़ी ‘थू-थू रैली’ थी कि उनको बदलना पड़ा। प्रसिद्ध सिनेअभिनेता आशुतोष राणा के प्रथम व्यंग्य-संग्रह ‘मौन मुस्कान की मार’ के अंश।

[heycallmeplease]

Sylvia Plath

@skyrigel