I just had my first and need to give this a rewatch. I think this film, Oryx and Crake, and The Wire spurred me at that point in my life to become extremely involved in movement organizing. First around civic engagement then anti-racism then even further left efforts.

In the decade+ that I've been doing this, I don't think I've ever felt despondent or hopeless in spite of the horror/terror happening in the world. I think a lot about the 'what would you be doing if this were the time of a slave economy/indigenous genocide/segregation/etc' and it's something that I can answer proudly, honestly.

There's also a deep, abiding sense of satisfaction you can have if you don't hold yourself to the perfectionist idea that you must win at all times. It's healthier, much more so, to re-orient yourself in the long historical view, that liberation is a millenia+ long project, and all the work we do now is work that future generations won't have to. The opposing forces are so much better funded and entrenched so every small win is a monument to be cherished and all the battles too even if the war is lost.

Plus, doing this work, I'm picking up a lot of very useful skills and knowledge and critical frameworks. And all of this will be taught to my children who will do better than me and be kinder than me and make the world an even better place than I can.

No pressure, kids :)