Are You Resilient Enough to Face the Future?

This article examines the ACFM crew's exploration of the concept of resilience in their 'Trip' episode. Resilience has become a frequently discussed topic in recent years, both individually and collectively. The team questions how this concept has been shaped by a wide range of factors, from the colonial legacy of the 'stiff upper lip' to contemporary narratives of trauma and victimhood.

Nadia, Keir, and Jem wonder whether the growing focus on resilience is a response to hustle culture. They also discuss whether resilience is a useless dream of 'folk politics', whether humans and animals can flourish in the ruins of capitalism, and what a left politics of resilience could look like in an era of constant economic and climate shocks.

Instead of music, the episode focuses on ideas from thinkers such as Catherine Liu, Sheryl Sandberg, and Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing. Recommended books include Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant's 'Option B', Catherine Liu's 'Traumatized', Jennifer M. Silva's 'Coming Up Short', Isabella Weber's 'Anti-Fascist Economics', the Stockholm Resilience Centre's 'The Safe Operating Space for Humanity', Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing's 'The Mushroom at the End of the World', Hazel Sheffield's 'Frontierlands', and Adam Greenfield's 'Lifehouse'.

The concept of resilience carries different meanings across fields from individual psychology to social movements. The team questions how this concept has been instrumentalized within the capitalist system and whether an alternative left understanding of resilience is possible. Particularly in the face of the climate crisis and economic uncertainties, the need to redefine resilience is emphasized.

In conclusion, this episode suggests that resilience is not just an individual trait but can also be a collective political project. It invites listeners to think about what kind of resilience politics could be developed in the face of current crises.