If you’ve ever seen The Good Place on Netflix, it dives into the idea that there is no ethical consumption under capitalism, even if by your intentions or by your perception, you think what you’re doing is completely ethical. It’s a hard thing to navigate because of the systems that exist in our society, so you can only try to do your best and minimize harmful consumption.
Then on re-investigating the whys of why you do what you do, I get struggling for that answer as well. Sometimes I wonder if any answer is better than the other and if my answer is good enough, but as long as you have a valid reason driving you, that in and of itself can be sufficient for the time being. Congrats on getting through this year, your MB, and all the little wins in between!
Certainly hard on trying to minimise harmful consumption because at the end of the day do you really need that thing you're buying is always a valid question.
ii. consumerism is one disease of capitalism. there's this 3-part documentary I watched, it was so eye opening; the men who made us spend. (Couldn't find the third part anywhere)
For some reason reading about your year reflections made me feel nostalgia about mine. I think it’s really efficient to bask in the happiness that we feel from the little things, experiences in our lives than pursue some unknown happiness from something big we think we need to achieve or do ( I hope I made sense 😄)
PS: I feel like we could be really great friends, I like you, I like how you think and put down your thoughts ✨ (Is this a public confession 😂)
I agree. There's so much joy and beauty everywhere that one only has to be a little more mindful to see it. Thank you for reading and I don't mind being friends. ❤️
What a beautiful piece! This year, I also read more essays than books. There were always loads of newsletters to read on Substack, and new blog posts on Cup of Jo and Amaliah. I'd say reading essays sometimes became a distraction.
Right now, I'm also marveling in the bright spots-- big and small-- that brought me immeasurable joy this year, like spending time with my sister, laughing out loudly, and trying out new dishes. And I'm looking forward to seeking more fulfillment and happiness in the coming months, in sha ALlaah.
Yes, there's such a wealth of essays out there to read about so many different things. But for sure, like consuming any type of media, it can become distracting rather than fulfilling. What I try to do is maintain intentionality by never reading things I'm just not interested in, stop reading things if I'm not enjoying them even if it's halfway through, have a notebook on hand just to write quotes and notes I find interesting and keep in mind that my intention for reading essays is always to fill the knowledge gap and learn better ways to express myself.
I hope you have more joyful moments in the next months, Maryam. It can be bleak sometimes but choosing to focus on joy can be really healthy.
If you’ve ever seen The Good Place on Netflix, it dives into the idea that there is no ethical consumption under capitalism, even if by your intentions or by your perception, you think what you’re doing is completely ethical. It’s a hard thing to navigate because of the systems that exist in our society, so you can only try to do your best and minimize harmful consumption.
Then on re-investigating the whys of why you do what you do, I get struggling for that answer as well. Sometimes I wonder if any answer is better than the other and if my answer is good enough, but as long as you have a valid reason driving you, that in and of itself can be sufficient for the time being. Congrats on getting through this year, your MB, and all the little wins in between!
Certainly hard on trying to minimise harmful consumption because at the end of the day do you really need that thing you're buying is always a valid question.
Thanks for reading ❤️.
i. congratulations on passing your MB 1 exams
ii. consumerism is one disease of capitalism. there's this 3-part documentary I watched, it was so eye opening; the men who made us spend. (Couldn't find the third part anywhere)
iii. The hadeeth at the end 🙌🙌
thank you for writing 😊😊
And thank you for reading.
1. Thank you. Alhamdulillah.
2. Absolutely. I'll certainly add the documentary to the list of things to look at regarding the subject.
3. I think about that hadith a lot.
This was such a beautiful read ❤️
For some reason reading about your year reflections made me feel nostalgia about mine. I think it’s really efficient to bask in the happiness that we feel from the little things, experiences in our lives than pursue some unknown happiness from something big we think we need to achieve or do ( I hope I made sense 😄)
PS: I feel like we could be really great friends, I like you, I like how you think and put down your thoughts ✨ (Is this a public confession 😂)
I agree. There's so much joy and beauty everywhere that one only has to be a little more mindful to see it. Thank you for reading and I don't mind being friends. ❤️
What a beautiful piece! This year, I also read more essays than books. There were always loads of newsletters to read on Substack, and new blog posts on Cup of Jo and Amaliah. I'd say reading essays sometimes became a distraction.
Right now, I'm also marveling in the bright spots-- big and small-- that brought me immeasurable joy this year, like spending time with my sister, laughing out loudly, and trying out new dishes. And I'm looking forward to seeking more fulfillment and happiness in the coming months, in sha ALlaah.
Yes, there's such a wealth of essays out there to read about so many different things. But for sure, like consuming any type of media, it can become distracting rather than fulfilling. What I try to do is maintain intentionality by never reading things I'm just not interested in, stop reading things if I'm not enjoying them even if it's halfway through, have a notebook on hand just to write quotes and notes I find interesting and keep in mind that my intention for reading essays is always to fill the knowledge gap and learn better ways to express myself.
I hope you have more joyful moments in the next months, Maryam. It can be bleak sometimes but choosing to focus on joy can be really healthy.
Thank you for reading!❤️
this was such a wholesome read. reflections and goal achievements. love to see it!
thank you for reading!