Help me end cynicism in 2022
January 1, 2022 9:59 AM Subscribe
I am searching for books, movies, TV shows (or anything else) that will help me feel more hopeful.
Remembering the collective sigh of relief a year ago as 2020 was coming to an end and 2021 would surely bring better things. Oh it didn't.
What I wish for myself in 2022 is to learn how to be content with how life is right now and stop living in some hypothetical post-pandemic future. So obviously I need a game plan.
I am looking for books, movies, shows, podcasts, music, comics, magazines (or whatever else) that might help me achieve that. The main idea purposefully seeking out ways to put myself in a positive/wholesome/accepting mindset (mainly towards people and the seemingly small parts of life) yet without losing a certain sense of reality.
Here are some examples that have done the trick before:
books: Humankind: A Hopeful History, Anxious People
movies: Captain Fantastic, 20th Century Women
TV shows: Normal People, Sex Education, Parks and Recreation
I would very much like to hear about what things make others feel like that, regardless if they are similar to my examples or not.
If not that, maybe someone has some general advice how to be hopeful in dark times? I think we all deserve some of that.
Happy 2022!
Remembering the collective sigh of relief a year ago as 2020 was coming to an end and 2021 would surely bring better things. Oh it didn't.
What I wish for myself in 2022 is to learn how to be content with how life is right now and stop living in some hypothetical post-pandemic future. So obviously I need a game plan.
I am looking for books, movies, shows, podcasts, music, comics, magazines (or whatever else) that might help me achieve that. The main idea purposefully seeking out ways to put myself in a positive/wholesome/accepting mindset (mainly towards people and the seemingly small parts of life) yet without losing a certain sense of reality.
Here are some examples that have done the trick before:
books: Humankind: A Hopeful History, Anxious People
movies: Captain Fantastic, 20th Century Women
TV shows: Normal People, Sex Education, Parks and Recreation
I would very much like to hear about what things make others feel like that, regardless if they are similar to my examples or not.
If not that, maybe someone has some general advice how to be hopeful in dark times? I think we all deserve some of that.
Happy 2022!
Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future is an anthology and project of various well known sci Fi authors trying to return to inspirational stories instead of dystopic ones. I haven't checked out the website much, but the book was good.
posted by AlSweigart at 10:16 AM on January 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by AlSweigart at 10:16 AM on January 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
TV: The Good Place and Ted Lasso
posted by arcolz at 10:27 AM on January 1, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by arcolz at 10:27 AM on January 1, 2022 [6 favorites]
Thirding Ted Lasso if you haven’t seen it already, it’s the most uplifting show I’ve watched in years.
Also, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Technically a kids show but I watched it for the first time during the pandemic and thoroughly enjoyed it and it made me feel hopeful and warm inside.
posted by mekily at 10:30 AM on January 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Also, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Technically a kids show but I watched it for the first time during the pandemic and thoroughly enjoyed it and it made me feel hopeful and warm inside.
posted by mekily at 10:30 AM on January 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Not sure if this fits you, but at a period when I was feeling down, the book There Is No God and He Is Always with You: A Search for God in Odd Places helped.
posted by signal at 10:35 AM on January 1, 2022
posted by signal at 10:35 AM on January 1, 2022
If you read SF, Becky Chambers' *Wayfarers* books. There are bad things that happen and societies with some strongly negative traits (some we could just sloppily call "bad societies"), but the books are fundamentally about people responding to those things in basically decent and loving ways.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 10:37 AM on January 1, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 10:37 AM on January 1, 2022 [4 favorites]
You might enjoy Iyashikei, or "healing," anime and manga (TV Tropes link).
The pinnacle of this genre is the ARIA series, both the anime and manga. There are three seasons and four OVAs (specials) of the anime: ARIA the Animation, ARIA the Natural, Arietta OVA, ARIA the Origination, Avvenire OVA, Crepuscolo OVA, Benedizione OVA (the last two aren't officially available yet). The Livechart.me link shows where you can stream the first season, with links to the other seasons.
The main character, Akari, moves to a terraformed Mars (called Aqua) to live in a city that is a recreation of Venice, and to train as an undine, or gondola tour guide. Akari finds the good in the small things in life, and her outlook is always positive and upbeat, even when things aren't going her way.
ARIA is very much about enjoying the little things: a treasure hunt with your friends, finding a shady spot on a hot day, or following a cat to see where it goes. Whenever I'm stressed out or just feeling ground down by...all this...I watch an episode of ARIA or pick up one of the volumes of the manga and turn to a random chapter, and that helps to make me feel better about the world, at least for a little bit.
I'll also recommend Yotsuba&! (ComiXology link, also available at other ebook retailers), which I consider the greatest manga of all time. Five year old Yotsuba moves to the city with Daddy. She has adventures, makes friends with the neighbors, and generally makes every day the most enjoyable day. Yotsuba just puts a smile on your face and fills you with joy. The tagline for Yotsuba&! is "Enjoy Everything," and that's just how reading it makes you feel.
posted by ralan at 11:15 AM on January 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
The pinnacle of this genre is the ARIA series, both the anime and manga. There are three seasons and four OVAs (specials) of the anime: ARIA the Animation, ARIA the Natural, Arietta OVA, ARIA the Origination, Avvenire OVA, Crepuscolo OVA, Benedizione OVA (the last two aren't officially available yet). The Livechart.me link shows where you can stream the first season, with links to the other seasons.
The main character, Akari, moves to a terraformed Mars (called Aqua) to live in a city that is a recreation of Venice, and to train as an undine, or gondola tour guide. Akari finds the good in the small things in life, and her outlook is always positive and upbeat, even when things aren't going her way.
ARIA is very much about enjoying the little things: a treasure hunt with your friends, finding a shady spot on a hot day, or following a cat to see where it goes. Whenever I'm stressed out or just feeling ground down by...all this...I watch an episode of ARIA or pick up one of the volumes of the manga and turn to a random chapter, and that helps to make me feel better about the world, at least for a little bit.
I'll also recommend Yotsuba&! (ComiXology link, also available at other ebook retailers), which I consider the greatest manga of all time. Five year old Yotsuba moves to the city with Daddy. She has adventures, makes friends with the neighbors, and generally makes every day the most enjoyable day. Yotsuba just puts a smile on your face and fills you with joy. The tagline for Yotsuba&! is "Enjoy Everything," and that's just how reading it makes you feel.
posted by ralan at 11:15 AM on January 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
I found The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton to be a very uplifting read.
posted by rd45 at 11:18 AM on January 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by rd45 at 11:18 AM on January 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
I find the show Call the Midwife pretty uplifting/hopeful in that way. It absolutely has some tragedy and unhappy endings, but it’s all about people taking care of each other, a community working together, etc. etc.
posted by MadamM at 12:14 PM on January 1, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by MadamM at 12:14 PM on January 1, 2022 [7 favorites]
Not sure if this is too far removed from what you were asking for, but BTS (the kpop group) has been this for me for the past few years. The group's lyrics and messaging are about loving yourself and others, the behind-the-scenes footage and reality shows show them taking care of each other and being emotionally available, and their laughter is just plain infectious. It's just a group of silly chaotic boys having fun and doing their best, trying to make you have fun and feel like you can do your best too. It makes me want to be a better person, and makes me feel like other people are good too. The community of "army" makes me feel connected to people around the world. Plus, seeing so much about the day to day life in another country makes me feel hopeful that some places are actually working towards progress and doing the right things even when it feels like my country is going backwards. Best of all, they release a daily stream of new content so you get a shot of happy serotonin each day.
Feel free to memail me for info about how and where to enter. I usually recommend that people check out their variety show "Run BTS" if you want a half hour of laughter (you can google for the various lists of top episodes or just start watching anywhere). You may also like the youtube video "Taehyung Cried After An Argument With Jin" because it shows their emotional maturity and the way they resolve disagreements. Note that none of those recommendations involve their actual music. They release enough non-music content with their various shows and livestreams and behind footage that you can follow them even if their music isn't your cup of tea.
posted by Nickel at 12:59 PM on January 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
Feel free to memail me for info about how and where to enter. I usually recommend that people check out their variety show "Run BTS" if you want a half hour of laughter (you can google for the various lists of top episodes or just start watching anywhere). You may also like the youtube video "Taehyung Cried After An Argument With Jin" because it shows their emotional maturity and the way they resolve disagreements. Note that none of those recommendations involve their actual music. They release enough non-music content with their various shows and livestreams and behind footage that you can follow them even if their music isn't your cup of tea.
posted by Nickel at 12:59 PM on January 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
This might be very specific to me, I don't know, but having been in quite a hole over the state of the planet and our country, I have felt so different after reading Weather, by Jenny Offill. It is as if I was losing my breath more and more and now I can take a full breath. The world is still a mess but somehow I am standing up now. If anyone thinks this is a bad recommendation for a hopeful book please speak up, I only know that it has helped me tremendously.
posted by InkaLomax at 2:07 PM on January 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by InkaLomax at 2:07 PM on January 1, 2022 [5 favorites]
Transforming Ourselves, Transforming the World is specifically about resisting cynicism.
Disclosure: I designed the cover of this edition.
posted by zadcat at 3:50 PM on January 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Disclosure: I designed the cover of this edition.
posted by zadcat at 3:50 PM on January 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Rebecca Solnit’s Hope in the Dark sounds like it fits the bill.
The Future Crunch newsletter is a good collection of links to international news stories that are reasons to be optimistic about the future. They also have a podcast, but I haven’t listened to that.
posted by fabius at 5:30 AM on January 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
The Future Crunch newsletter is a good collection of links to international news stories that are reasons to be optimistic about the future. They also have a podcast, but I haven’t listened to that.
posted by fabius at 5:30 AM on January 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
Also by Rebecca Solnit: Paradise in Hell.
posted by RedEmma at 11:27 AM on January 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by RedEmma at 11:27 AM on January 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have read The Goblin Emperor at least three times because it gives me a sense of hope.
Also joining in on recommending Ted Lasso, and I'll mention My Neighbor Totoro as well.
I also seek out and focus on good news wherever I can. Future Crunch and Reasons to be Cheerful let me know about some of the many things that actually got better in the past year.
Also, if you have - or know of - a progressive legislator, it can be surprisingly cheering to follow their press release feed or see what they're up to on GovTrack. For example, the California Senator who replaced Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, has recently sponsored bills supporting immigrant rights and health care for all. It can be really helpful to get a different view into Congress and see how hard progressive legislators are working on all kinds of issues that don't make the news.
And finally, it can be inspiring to just find out about what kinds of amazing non-profits there are in your area. A quick web search on "[your city] non-profits" or "charities" may show organizations dedicated to helping the homeless, getting books into the hands of underserved kids, restoring parks, fighting for equity, sheltering teens, on and on and on and on. It's great if you can support one or two, but if you don't have the energy or resources for that right now, it's just good to know that right now, in your community, there are lots and lots of people doing something to try to make the world better.
Thanks for asking this question, sharksmile - I hope some of our suggestions help to bring you some hope.
posted by kristi at 1:01 PM on January 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Also joining in on recommending Ted Lasso, and I'll mention My Neighbor Totoro as well.
I also seek out and focus on good news wherever I can. Future Crunch and Reasons to be Cheerful let me know about some of the many things that actually got better in the past year.
Also, if you have - or know of - a progressive legislator, it can be surprisingly cheering to follow their press release feed or see what they're up to on GovTrack. For example, the California Senator who replaced Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla, has recently sponsored bills supporting immigrant rights and health care for all. It can be really helpful to get a different view into Congress and see how hard progressive legislators are working on all kinds of issues that don't make the news.
And finally, it can be inspiring to just find out about what kinds of amazing non-profits there are in your area. A quick web search on "[your city] non-profits" or "charities" may show organizations dedicated to helping the homeless, getting books into the hands of underserved kids, restoring parks, fighting for equity, sheltering teens, on and on and on and on. It's great if you can support one or two, but if you don't have the energy or resources for that right now, it's just good to know that right now, in your community, there are lots and lots of people doing something to try to make the world better.
Thanks for asking this question, sharksmile - I hope some of our suggestions help to bring you some hope.
posted by kristi at 1:01 PM on January 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Ted Lasso for sure. I also really loved Catherynne M. Valente's The Past is Red, which takes place in a climate-change-flooded world, but is absolutely bursting with joy.
I'd also recommend that you seriously dial down your usage of social media, in which I absolutely include Metafilter.
posted by Ragged Richard at 5:08 PM on January 2, 2022
I'd also recommend that you seriously dial down your usage of social media, in which I absolutely include Metafilter.
posted by Ragged Richard at 5:08 PM on January 2, 2022
Hello, this sounds familiar: I have also been trying to be content, to live in reality as it currently exists, and to be less cynical. I am not a religious person, or at least I haven't been, so I'm hesitant and unsure of how to say what I came here to suggest, but what I've been finding useful is a lot of what I've been finding in Buddhist teachings and thought. In some ways it feels like life's missing manual, especially for my struggles nowadays, and it gets me thinking outside of the current situation and about the bigger picture and where/how/who I want to be.
Some podcast recommendations:
* Secular Buddhism offers short episodes each on a different, clear theme
* Optimum Living Daily picks philosophical blog posts with a positive life bent and narrates them
* On Being offers thoughtful interviews with different religious, philosophical, and artsy types about the meaning of life
* The Happiness Lab is by a professor at Yale who started offering a class on how to be happy to students, it is hugely popular and led to this podcast
I am working my way through and have gotten a lot out of this free course online by a Princeton professor that examines Buddhism from a modern psychology perspective. The teacher is very calm and thoughtful and provides evidence on how or why some of these ideas may (or may not) have merit. I also read and would recommend No Nonsense Buddhism for Beginners by the host of the Secular Buddhism podcast - it's a quick and easy read. That link goes to that podcast's list of recommended books, including this one.
Finally I second & third or nth what others have already recommended: the Good Place, Ted Lasso, Schitt's Creek, and the Future Crunch newsletter (really great content I haven't seen elsewhere and I work in media). Someone recommended Becky Chambers sci fi novels - have you encountered the murderbot diaries? They're very unlike everything else I've suggested but I found them wonderfully distracting and funny. I also loved Anxious People! Maybe you'd like these other great novels I read in 2021: Homegoing, Circe, The Plot, Pachinko, and The Four Winds.
posted by jacquilinala at 6:56 AM on January 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
Some podcast recommendations:
* Secular Buddhism offers short episodes each on a different, clear theme
* Optimum Living Daily picks philosophical blog posts with a positive life bent and narrates them
* On Being offers thoughtful interviews with different religious, philosophical, and artsy types about the meaning of life
* The Happiness Lab is by a professor at Yale who started offering a class on how to be happy to students, it is hugely popular and led to this podcast
I am working my way through and have gotten a lot out of this free course online by a Princeton professor that examines Buddhism from a modern psychology perspective. The teacher is very calm and thoughtful and provides evidence on how or why some of these ideas may (or may not) have merit. I also read and would recommend No Nonsense Buddhism for Beginners by the host of the Secular Buddhism podcast - it's a quick and easy read. That link goes to that podcast's list of recommended books, including this one.
Finally I second & third or nth what others have already recommended: the Good Place, Ted Lasso, Schitt's Creek, and the Future Crunch newsletter (really great content I haven't seen elsewhere and I work in media). Someone recommended Becky Chambers sci fi novels - have you encountered the murderbot diaries? They're very unlike everything else I've suggested but I found them wonderfully distracting and funny. I also loved Anxious People! Maybe you'd like these other great novels I read in 2021: Homegoing, Circe, The Plot, Pachinko, and The Four Winds.
posted by jacquilinala at 6:56 AM on January 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
Excellent recommendations here. I'd nth The Good Place, Ted Lasso, Becky Chambers, The Goblin Emperor, Avatar: The Last Airbender, My Neighbor Totoro (and most Miyazaki, honestly), Schitt's Creek.
A couple additions that have buoyed me:
Steven Universe
The Owl House
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Lots of science fiction and fantasy books recommended in the comments of this article
If not that, maybe someone has some general advice how to be hopeful in dark times?
Still searching for this myself.
posted by xenization at 9:26 AM on January 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
A couple additions that have buoyed me:
Steven Universe
The Owl House
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Lots of science fiction and fantasy books recommended in the comments of this article
If not that, maybe someone has some general advice how to be hopeful in dark times?
Still searching for this myself.
posted by xenization at 9:26 AM on January 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
The children’s section of bookstores! There’s so much good stuff going on, and it’s healing for me to think about how these will be some of the earliest memories for kids who will grow up in an era of more open discussion of prejudice and injustice than I did. What a brave new world, that will have such people in it!
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 2:25 PM on January 3, 2022
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 2:25 PM on January 3, 2022
Joe Pera Talks with You on Adult Swim is fantastic for feeling better about things.
posted by getawaysticks at 2:32 PM on January 3, 2022
posted by getawaysticks at 2:32 PM on January 3, 2022
A list of random, hopeful stories from TV, movies, and music, and apologies for any re-mentions from above:
- Mr. Rogers
- The end of the Twelfth Doctor's run on Doctor Who ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9P4SxtphJ4 )
- Star Blazers
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Star Trek the Next Generation
- Star Trek: Below Decks
- Lord of the Rings
- The original Star Wars trilogy
- Parks and Recreation
- Stephen Universe
- Sense8
- Angel & Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Band of Brothers
- Tick, Tick... Boom
- The Muppets
- The Muppets Christmas Carol
- The Muppets Take Manhattan
- The Muppet Movie
- Apollo 13
- Hamilton
- Rocky 1, 2, 3, Balboa and Creed
- Mr. Holland's Opus
- Babylon 5
- Life Itself
- Outlander
- Paddington
- Annie
- Contact
- Selma
- John Adams
- The Martian
- The Great British Bake Off
- Queer Eye
- Wonder
- The Shawnshank Redemption
- Iron Maiden's "Wasted Years"
- Jason Mraz's "I Won't Give Up"
- Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It"
- Queen's "We Are the Champions"
- A million versions of "Amazing Grace"
- "All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten"
- "Man's Search for Meaning"
- "Hope in the Dark"
- "The Tao of Pooh"
- "When Things Fall Apart"
- "The Last Lecture"
- "The Hill We Climb"
posted by kmartino at 7:02 PM on January 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
- Mr. Rogers
- The end of the Twelfth Doctor's run on Doctor Who ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9P4SxtphJ4 )
- Star Blazers
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Star Trek the Next Generation
- Star Trek: Below Decks
- Lord of the Rings
- The original Star Wars trilogy
- Parks and Recreation
- Stephen Universe
- Sense8
- Angel & Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Band of Brothers
- Tick, Tick... Boom
- The Muppets
- The Muppets Christmas Carol
- The Muppets Take Manhattan
- The Muppet Movie
- Apollo 13
- Hamilton
- Rocky 1, 2, 3, Balboa and Creed
- Mr. Holland's Opus
- Babylon 5
- Life Itself
- Outlander
- Paddington
- Annie
- Contact
- Selma
- John Adams
- The Martian
- The Great British Bake Off
- Queer Eye
- Wonder
- The Shawnshank Redemption
- Iron Maiden's "Wasted Years"
- Jason Mraz's "I Won't Give Up"
- Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It"
- Queen's "We Are the Champions"
- A million versions of "Amazing Grace"
- "All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten"
- "Man's Search for Meaning"
- "Hope in the Dark"
- "The Tao of Pooh"
- "When Things Fall Apart"
- "The Last Lecture"
- "The Hill We Climb"
posted by kmartino at 7:02 PM on January 3, 2022 [2 favorites]
Just want to add @sharksmile that I can so relate to how you are feeling and am likewise looking for more leverage to fuel my hope, keep cynicism and worry at bay, and stay present in the moment.
Like a few others here I am dabbling in Buddhism and Mindfulness and along these lines I've been reading "Peace Is Every Step", by Thich Nhat Hanh. The book is an easy, breezy read, and I am enjoying it immensely so far (I'm half way thru). I took a course in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction around ten years ago and it has been a gift that I come back to regularly (the short meditations provided by the UCLA Mindful app most resemble those we practices in the course).
Let me leave you with "Here Comes The Sun on a Kalimba"
posted by kmartino at 8:15 PM on January 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
Like a few others here I am dabbling in Buddhism and Mindfulness and along these lines I've been reading "Peace Is Every Step", by Thich Nhat Hanh. The book is an easy, breezy read, and I am enjoying it immensely so far (I'm half way thru). I took a course in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction around ten years ago and it has been a gift that I come back to regularly (the short meditations provided by the UCLA Mindful app most resemble those we practices in the course).
Let me leave you with "Here Comes The Sun on a Kalimba"
posted by kmartino at 8:15 PM on January 3, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks everyone! I am so happy about all the thoughtful advice and just to see how many different things bring hope and joy to people. I will probably get an entire year of hope out of this post.
posted by sharksmile at 12:07 PM on January 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by sharksmile at 12:07 PM on January 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
Good Place would be a no-brainer here
posted by troywestfield at 7:25 AM on January 5, 2022
posted by troywestfield at 7:25 AM on January 5, 2022
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