The Joyous Struggle

The Joyous Struggle Substack explores deep, transformative ideas on personal and societal renewal, focusing on shifts in consciousness, ethics, and perceptions to address crises and envision a sustainable, peaceful future. It delves into the complexities of human and societal conditions, offering visionary insights and promoting a spiritually and ethically enriched society.

Societal Transformation Spiritual and Ethical Renewal Future Visioning Crisis and Change Management Personal Growth Peace and Conflict Resolution Philosophy and Ethics Politics and Governance Environmental Sustainability Technology and Society Education and Learning Cultural and Societal Shifts

The hottest Substack posts of The Joyous Struggle

And their main takeaways

Audio Dispatch for paid subscribers (2)

59 implied HN points • 28 Sep 23
🎙 Podcasts Reading
  1. The post discusses an audio dispatch for paid subscribers that includes personal musings and a reading of a draft on the idea of Planetization.
  2. To access the full post and archives, a 7-day free trial to The Joyous Struggle subscription is offered.
  3. Existing paid subscribers can sign in to listen to the audio dispatch discussed in the post.

Reflections on Scotland's Political Culture (1/4)

118 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics Political culture National Identity Global Politics
  1. Metapolitical thinking involves questioning and renewing our political premises and motivations as contexts change.
  2. In times of instability and transition, unity in politics can falter, leading to disagreements without common ground and a loss of shared reality.
  3. The concept of nationhood is both significant and arbitrary, urging us to understand our political and metapolitical perspectives to navigate global challenges.

Would you like some surveillance capitalism with your sandwich?

197 implied HN points • 14 Oct 22
🕹 Technology Data Privacy Consumer Rights Digital Currency Data security
  1. Technology and capitalism are intertwined, impacting our daily experiences and evolving our lived realities.
  2. Surveillance capitalism, based on data extraction and manipulation, can lead to a loss of personal control and invasion of privacy.
  3. The normalization of compulsory data sharing in society poses a threat to individual autonomy and shifts the balance from citizens to consumers.

Reflections on Scotland's Political Culture(2/4)

98 implied HN points • 10 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics Nationalism Brexit
  1. Scotland's political landscape is experiencing a period of transition and uncertainty after Nicola Sturgeon's resignation.
  2. Nationalism reflects the belief that nations exist and should govern themselves, playing a significant role in shaping political identities.
  3. The author discusses the complexities of British and Scottish cultural identities, questioning the future of the UK and advocating for a healthier connection between culture and politics.

Discriminating Bliss

98 implied HN points • 05 Apr 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Spirituality Religion Philosophy
  1. The author reflects on a personal experience of adopting a spiritual name, Vivekananda, despite living a different lifestyle, to connect with God and bridge cultural experiences.
  2. The significance of the author's spiritual name, Vivekananda, is tied to aspirations of speaking with precision and intellect in service of higher purposes, reflecting the potential for growth and fulfillment.
  3. The author shares details of a book chapter they co-edited and reflects on their past visit to India, highlighting the journey towards self-discovery and exploration of new ideas.
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Imagining a World Beyond Consumerism

158 implied HN points • 11 Oct 22
🎭️ Culture Philosophy Spirituality Environment Society Economy
  1. Going beyond consumerism is challenging because it is deeply ingrained in our societal norms and behaviors.
  2. Consumerism is not just about consumption or capitalism; it is a cultural and economic way of life that influences our sense of normality.
  3. To move beyond consumerism, we need to understand and address the emotional, social, economic, technological, legal, political, and spiritual logics that drive it, while also reimagining our societal norms and narratives.

Taming the Blue Bird

118 implied HN points • 30 Sep 22
🎭️ Culture Social media Writing Creativity Personal Growth Addiction
  1. The author is using Substack as a way to wean off a Twitter addiction and find a new creative outlet for writing.
  2. Twitter can be intellectually and socially stimulating but also lead to status anxiety, time wasted, and fear of missing out.
  3. The relationship with Twitter is complex – it offers validation but can be imprisoning, prompting the author to seek new spaces like Substack for a change.

Audio Dispatch for Paid Subscribers (6)

19 implied HN points • 27 Oct 23
🎙 Podcasts Audio Reading Subscribers
  1. The author shared an audio recording of their open letter to the human rights movement for a keynote talk at FORGE in NYU Law School, focusing on preparation and clarity in their arguments.
  2. The talk's title is 'The Inner Life of the Future: Governing with Collapse and Transformation in Mind', as the author prepares for a speech in New York.
  3. The author invites feedback on their audio reading and letter, emphasizing the importance of distillation and clarity in narrative.

Audio Dispatch for Paid Subscribers(5)

19 implied HN points • 22 Oct 23
🎙 Podcasts Subscribers Interview Event Film
  1. The post discusses being out of London, feeling confused, being filmed, and preparing for New York City.
  2. The post includes links to various relevant resources and upcoming events mentioned in the audio dispatch.
  3. There is an opportunity for readers to access the full post archives with a 7-day free trial of The Joyous Struggle.

Bad Debate, Good Debate and Antidebate

59 implied HN points • 13 Dec 22
📖 Philosophy Debate Dialogue Epistemology Democracy
  1. Debates can sometimes escalate into tribal showdowns rather than genuine dialectical processes aimed at uncovering truth.
  2. The current state of discourse is challenged by polarisation, short attention spans, and social media, making traditional debates seem inadequate.
  3. An Antidebate approach blends elements of good debating with dialogical principles, encouraging a reimagining of the purpose of discourse towards generative, collective sense-making.

Audio Reflection for Paid Subscribers(1)

19 implied HN points • 12 Sep 23
🎙 Podcasts Reflection
  1. The author is expressing gratitude towards the first twenty paid subscribers for their support.
  2. The author plans to share periodic voice notes reflecting on their current thoughts and struggles as a way to engage with subscribers.
  3. To access the full posts and archives, readers can start a 7-day free trial or sign in if they are already paid subscribers.

Starting in Mysticism; Ending in Politics

59 implied HN points • 10 Oct 22
📖 Philosophy Mysticism Politics Modernity Transcendence
  1. Charles Peguy believed that everything starts in mysticism and ends in politics, emphasizing the importance of understanding the origins and implications of statements and ideologies.
  2. Peguy's concept of 'amodernism' challenges the traditional views associated with modernity, suggesting a different perspective that incorporates mysticism and transcendence.
  3. The idea of starting from a mystical perspective rather than a modern one can lead to a more meaningful and profound approach when shaping a shared world and understanding reality.

The Antidebate: Experiments in the Art of Sensemaking for a World Gone Slightly Mad.

1 HN point • 20 Feb 24
🚌 Education Teaching Learning Research Innovation Collaboration
  1. The antidebate focuses on speaking differently rather than arguing well to enhance meaningful communication by changing the setting, process, and permission.
  2. It is a conversational innovation recognizing varying power dynamics in conversations, embodying a collaborative and competitive inquiry.
  3. The antidebate emerged as a response to the lack of efficacy of traditional debate and aims to prefigure new ways of thinking, talking, and living together.

Coming soon

19 implied HN points • 15 Sep 22
🎭️ Culture Newsletter
  1. Jonathan Rowson is launching a newsletter about his life, work, and the world.
  2. The newsletter is called 'This is Jonathan Rowson' and will cover personal and global topics.
  3. Readers can subscribe to the newsletter to receive updates from Jonathan.