Have you become incredible angry this past week? Feel like fascism and autocracy are on the rise and our leaders are simply going along for the ride? Increasingly fearful about the security of your neighbours, yourself, and your planet?

When not protesting and organising, here’s a list of things that keep my spirits up and my anger well directed.

If you know someone else who might appreciate this list, please do share. And add your own faves. Obviously.

Watch and read:

• Almost any Ken Loach movie.
• Subscribe to the awesome Red Pepper (UK focus) and New Internationalist (global) magazines. Lovely writing about people doing bold things to make the world a better place.
• Watch Feminst Frequency, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and Al Jazeera on Facebook to learn about troubling things in an easy to digest way.
• Get your head round modern capitalism by reading Naomi Klein books (e.g. This Changes Everything) and watch Naomi Klein movies (e.g. the Take).
• Muse on technology and the media by watching Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe and Newswipe (all on youtube, all excellent) and the drama series Black Mirror.
• Laugh and be horrified by the everyday workings of government in ‘The Thick of It’, ‘Veep’, and the movie ‘In The Loop’, created by Armando Iannuchi.
• I think it might also be time to rewatch Team America World Police…

Go out into the real world:

• Go on a walking tour or visit your local radical history museum like the People’s History Museum in Manchester (pictured) or the People’s Story in Edinburgh.
• Visit a mosque: they’re all having open days this weekend (www.visitmymosque.org).
• Go to a film screening at an independent cinema, or in a festival like the UK Green Film Festival or Take One Action.
• Make the trip to a radical book fair or shop, listen to some talks and buy things if you can (e.g. www.word-power.co.uk).
• Lefty comics exist for your amusement. Enjoy them: Stuart Lee, Josie Long, Chris Coltrane, Mark Thomas.

Listen to righteous music:

• Take your anger out by listening to Rage Against the Machine’s eponymous album whilst running around the park and stamping your feet.
• Listen to ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan and ‘The Times They Are a-Changin’ whilst sitting in a comfy chair.
• Get some Billy Bragg (start with ‘Back to Basics’)

They’re all on Spotify, so if you don’t have an account, get one, it’s free!

Did you know there are anti-capitalist / anti-fascist video games? Here are a few, all take about 30 minutes to play through:

• McDonald’s Video Game (www.mcvideogame.com)
• Oiligrachy (www.molleindustria.org/en/oiligarchy)
• The Westport Independent (www.doublezeroonezero.com/westport.html)

And while you’re at it, wash it all down with a cup of Fairtrade Tea. It’s not charity – it’s produced by workers cooperatives. That’s kindof cool huh?

• Originally posted on Facebook on 1 Feb 2017.