Ushering in the Apocalypse
#TeamAttenborough4Lyfe
People may think I’m crazy for being pro-Apocalypse but I’m big in the animal kingdom. Watch The Year The Earth Changed on Apple TV and then tell me we don’t need fewer people in the world ASAP. As the inhabitant of a state that is rapidly running out of water and cannot begin to house the people who already live here, I say just get rid of us and let the mountain lions take over. And if you are this author at The Atlantic, I’d like to have a word about how you can write an entire article about a baby boom and not mention climate change even once. Polar bears the world over are looking right at you.
Whether you, a smart person, are also pro-Apocalypse or not, you should vote tomorrow (or today if you have a ballot sitting on your dining room table that you haven’t looked at yet) and choose whoever you want because, let’s face it, very few candidates are actually going to do anything about climate change. Maybe choose the one you think is most likely to listen. Or the one who, you know, likes women and thinks they are human people.
And for god’s sake whatever you do, don’t vote for Caruso. Or doctor friggin’ Oz. I can’t believe I actually have to say that.
After all of that voting, you will deserve some entertainment. See below.
Watch
RRR (Netflix)- All of the best action movies are being made in India and S. S. Rajamouli is the greatest action movie director in the world. RRR is the most thrilling thing on television. Watch it and then follow it up with the wildly entertaining Baahubali.
Bitterbrush (Hulu)- After the thrill of RRR you’ll need to relax so let this lovely, meandering documentary about two cowgirls making a living on rural ranches lull you with visions of how cool you could be if only you knew how to make cattle go places.
Argentina, 1985 (Amazon Prime)- If you, like me, did not know about the landmark legal case that was the biggest trial against fascist human rights violations in Latin American history, then this is the movie for you. If you do know, this is still the movie for you. It’s really really good.
Listen
Outlaw Ocean (podcast)- The ocean is a scary place, and more because of the human sharks than the fish ones. This podcast takes you to a whole new world of pirates, sea slavery (yes, that fish you’re eating is a product of slave labor), illegal overfishing, and basically all of the terrible things happening on the water that no one ever talks about. It is one of the most fascinating and relevant podcasts that I have listened to in a long while.
Taken Under Fascism, Spain’s “Stolen Babies” Are Learning The Truth- The Daily (podcast)- The Daily’s Sunday read was a devastating story about the stolen babies of Franco’s Spain. How that man died in office I will never understand.
Verve Remixed: The Complete Collection (Spotify)- All the Verve remixes in one convenient playlist. It’s one of my favs, good for all occasions. Special shoutout to the mix of Dinah Washington’s Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby.
Read
The Body Keeps The Score- Apparently this is the definitive book on trauma but I just learned about it from my friend and life goal JK and oh boy did this lead to some interesting conversations with my therapist. Highly recommend.
China- Rutherfurd is the king of sweeping historic novels about places (see: Paris, New York, London, Russka, etc.) and this book is absolutely incredible. I cannot put it down, I can’t stop thinking about it, it’s beautiful and thrilling and makes me wish I had a time machine so I could see mid-19th Century China for myself.
Say It Louder- Tiffany Cross was unjustly fired from MSNBC for, apparently, defending herself against Tucker Carlson. Possibly the most MSNBC move of all time. So if you don’t own her book, buy it, and if you do, buy another copy and gift it to someone. And maybe send MSNBC an angry tweet.