Books, Films, Podcasts, People, Songs and some Viral Videos. This year I've decided to single out a few of my favourites to share them with others. I hope you like them...
MOVIES
Nights at home with lockdowns and an endless service of movies on demand led to some great movie moments. I didn't keep a list so have undoubtedly missed some real treats but three stand outs and a surprising 'must watch' would be:
2. A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood starring Tom Hanks. Charming and inspiring for everyone, but particularly as someone wanting to embody Christ's love in the world.
3. The Green Knight. I've got to come clean with this one and say that I love movies where very little happens. However it was only in listening to Jonathan Pageau's description of the symbolism in the Green Knight that really made this movie stand out for me.
Must watch movie:
Inside by Bo Burnham
This was one of the most fascinating and bizarre things I've seen for a long time. A musical comedy set entirely inside a single room supposedly documenting the experience of the artist Bo Burnham during lockdowns in 2020. This popped up as a recommended watch on our Netflix one evening in June. We'd not come across Bo Burnham's comedy before so gave it a shot.
We spent an hour and half in a state of feeling trapped by our curiosity and intrigue. It was borderline dull and boring, and borderline brilliant. We were stuck at this border delighting in the brilliance and genius and social observation of the incredibly eccentric Burnham.
The stand out treat for me was the hilarious 'White Woman's Instagram' song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHotXbGZiFY
BOOKS
This year I've read (or listened to) some really interesting and inspiring books. Below is a description of my top three; a Christian book, a non-Christian book and a biography. Each one has been an absolute treat and I'm sure would be enjoyed by anyone who read them.
Christian
Letter From Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr
Luther King Jr's description of the difference between just and unjust laws was really helpful. His challenge that we all bear a social responsibility to actively resist unjust laws (which are no laws at all) feels like an issue all of us need to wrestle with in an age of government restrictions and growing animosity toward unvaccinated/unclean/unpopular people and opinions within our society.
He identifies the problem of 'white moderates' in the struggle for equality and indeed we could add to that any comfortable class unmoved by injustice (to which I know I'm far from exempt). The answer to white moderates? His section on extremism ('was not Jesus an extremist for love') is moving and motivating.
Do you yourself a favour - read something that will challenge you and inspire you in 2022; start with this if you've not read it.
Non-Christian
Identity by Francis Fukuyama
With a lightness of historical touch he opens up the impact of industrialisation and urbanisation on human identity and shows how the philosophy of Christian thought, uncoupled from Christianity has gone on to have far reaching implications.
Fukuyama links the German vision of gesellschaft deployed by the Nazis to the struggles of the Tunisian street seller Tarek el-Tayeb Mohamed Bouazizi who died by self-immolation and whose death is credited with starting the Arab Spring in the early 2010s.
It's a straightforward and practical book that poses (and offers answers) to some important questions we're all grappling with.
Biography
In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park
Moving, harrowing and deeply challenging. Yeonmi describes life growing up in North Korea, her escape to China, the several years she spent being trafficked for sex as well as her escape and journey to South Korea and on to the US.
The podcast conversation of her and Jordan Peterson provides a good summary of the book: Podcast
I am in awe of Yeonmi. She is remarkably insightful, thoughtful and honest and her life is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. As hard as it is to read, I cannot recommend it highly enough. It shatters many of the sentimental illusions people in the west live with about human nature and (along with the interview with Peterson) exposes much of the threats facing liberal democracy today.
Thank you Yeonmi for sharing with us such a precious and sacred memoir as this; you are remarkable.
PODCASTS
I love the way that podcasts introduce me to people I've not heard of or read anything about before. It's one of the little treats of modern media. I'm a regular listener to several podcasts and from them come three episodes and one person I want to highlight here:
Appearing on Preston Sprinkle's Theology in the Raw podcast Dr Lisa Diamond is an atheist lesbian and sexuality researcher. If you're interested in conversations around sexuality you'll no doubt really appreciate this podcast and this episode in particular.
This episode led to me reading the book 'The Boy Crisis' which had a huge impact on me. For me, this is an unspoken and yet hugely important issue not being considered in the gender wars. I'm biased (given that I'm trying to raise three boys) but then I've always believed that 'if we can sort out the men' in society then we 'sort out' the women too, especially given that it is the abuse of women by men and the abandoning of the home by men that are leading causes in many of our social problems.
Warren Farrell is a leading voice in this discussion and speaks with compassion for both men and women. The episode is good, but the book is better. Buy the book: Boy Crisis
A fun new find on the podcast front this year was the brilliant 'The Rest is History' with Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook. It's a great show, and light hearted and fun enough that I'm allowed to have it on in the car during family road trips - a rare exception! This episode is good, but the standout shocking fact for me that makes it into my top three is the simple fact shared in the episode that in the Vietnam War the Americans dropped more bombs on South Vietnam than were dropped by all countries throughout the entirety of World War II - shocking!
PEOPLE
I've loved meeting some amazing people this year (in real life) but have also loved 'discovering' some new thinkers online too. Two people you should check out are:
1. Jonathan Pageau and his work on The Symbolic World youtube channel. Here
SONGS
Every year there's always a couple of songs or albums that grab hold of us as a family and get stuck on repeat for weeks. We are still in love with the Hamilton soundtrack, and my eldest's ability to keep up with the rap in Right Hand Man is really impressive - and a testament to how much we've had it on around the house!
Three songs however that we listened to more than any others were:
2. GuvnaB: Aight Boom (Here) My favourite from the album is Safe Place, it's a beautifully honest journey through Isaac's wrestles with church along with its hypocrisies, corruptions and also beauty and power. Enjoy it here: Safe Space
VIRAL VIDEOS
Finally... two viral videos that really made me smile. One is a (very cheeky - you have been warned) poke at the notion of 'total equality' Here: Men For Total Equality
The other a heart warming reminder of Christ's faithful shepherding. This is how he loves us and how we often behave... The Good Shepherd and the Sheep
Happy New Year!!