veganarky

The title of this musing is a reference (perhaps part homage) to a line in — a direct quote from — the 1990 film Pump Up the Volume. With the main character played by Christian Slater. His alter ego in the film is DJ Hard Harry (a contrast to his introverted self, Mark Hunter, who’s is struggling to exist with finding themself and surviving in the world in the context of 1980s- neoliberalism, conservativism and identifiable elements of early eco-anxiety to name a few). The full quote is I don’t mind being dejected and rejected, but I’m not going to be ashamed about it. Pump Up the Volume…

Amongst many other aspects of life, living in a differently changing world, my experiences with work is promoting some reflecting. I have undertaken a number of different roles across the past three years, effectively/largely transitioning away from the university sector. I have been fortunate that these roles have all focussed on making a difference, with many being community-oriented, and in many ways taking a trauma informed approach to change. I was engaged by an inter-government department project, which was my first role in and around the public sector (I view this quite differently to e…

Over recent months I have reflected on the musings penned and shared here, the significant periods without words, and how life has intersected. These periods have reasons, and before I ponder these it is the content and approach-style of what I have shared—and how these have transformed over time—over the last ten years which have prompted some thoughts. Contrasting with a prescribed aim of my space here — reflecting on intersecting oppressions, life experiences and thoughts on appropriate-effective responses — I have noted in the collection of musings an array of contradictory elements. In pa…

I think many (most, all?) of us are troubled by the question of how effective what we do is. And that this question exists outside of specifics about what it is exactly that we do. I was challenged on this recently, resulting in this reflection. Reflection is something we should all do, regularly and repeatedly, as long as such reflection is not crippling. More than the last 15+ years of my life have had working for a more just world as their precursor. What actions I have taken, being many and varied, have all emanated from this maxim. The first question which arises is how do we define, labe…