Moonly Review 🌕 It's Time

Finding courage, making games, reconnecting with cinema.

Happy New Moon, the last one of 2021.

It has been a powerful year and I'm in the process of making sense of it. I'll share with you what comes out of it, when I'm ready. There's a lot to process...

For now, here's what alive in me right now.

Standing Up

I've recently read an essay by Charles Eisenstein which turned out to be the most important text I have read this year. It's called A Path Will Rise to Meet Us and it verbalises what I have been feeling for months, but have been unable to express it publicly. I feel like this text is the final stroke in the creative engine that is now engaged.

Because the pandemic is not going away.

Not until people decide so.

And it's fucking time.

When growing up, I have been told countless stories from living in an authoritarian regime which my parents and grandparents experienced directly and stood up against. While I don't relate much to the culture of Poland, I'm incredibly grateful that the education system puts tremendous attention on history. Where we're coming from is important, and while there's nothing like learning through direct experience and each generation is completely different, there certainly are patterns that we can identify across different periods.

And I can't help but notice the classic moves from the totalitarian playbook: Deliberate spreading of Fear. Separating people and banning gatherings. Demonizing the "other".

Different context, same shit.

And it will not stop, until people stand up against it and stop complying. Unfortunately, the lesson from history is that once you cross the metaphorical Rubicon, the only thing you can do is to keep pushing and squeeze tighter. And when you add insane profitability on top of unprecedented control, it's delusional to imagine that it will just go away.

I highly recommend reading the aforementioned essay, because it explains the mechanics much more eloquently than me.

In any case, this is what's alive in me right now, and I'm not okay to be in my own little bubble in the forest and keep silent for longer. Silent compliance is what keeps the absurdity going, and worse – escalating. And sharing this in my personal Moonly Review, which is read by a handful of friends and people interested in my story feels like a good place to start.

The good news is that all it takes is courage. It's hard to find it at times, especially in the face of Fear, but it is indeed available to all of us at all times.

That's my wish to myself and to you:

Find courage. You are not alone.

And to close this stream of thought, I'll drop a quote from Ghandi, because it's pure wisdom:

The first principle of non-violent action is that of non-cooperation with everything humiliating.

The Community Council

One of the antidotes for the world in crisis is a thriving local community.

Community brings a sense of belonging and a possibility of co-creation. It's a practice of navigating relational challenges for the benefit of all. It's not easy, but worth every single minute.

I've recently created a game designed to catalyze projects and facilitate community weaving. The game was prototyped for the Pico Autumn Gathering and it's success motivated me to put it together into a proper manual that I can share with you.

You can get it here.

Neo Noir Gems

I felt like reconnecting with cinema lately, and being a film graduate I have a well developed skills for finding gems. Here's two of them, from a neo-noir variety.

The Last Seduction (1994)

The Last Seduction is a neo-noir with a femme fatal protagonist, described as a total bitch by a few characters, which after being played like a fiddle, seems quite reasonable. And yet, I can't help but to be in love with her character, as she keeps constantly twisting the plot through her complete disregard for rules, social norms and people. It is all quite dark, but also very pleasurable. And while I don't resonate with neither her dream or the means to manifest it, her relentless commitment felt kinda inspiring.

The scene that got me to watch the film was this delightful conversation in a bar (youtube link).

Brick (2005)

The dialogue, the characters, the intrigue, the cinematography... I loved all of it. And translating the tropes of noir into American high-school environment works exceptionally well. Make no mistake – this is nothing like a typical American high-school comedy. Brick is a piece of art.

One of my favourite moments is the conversation when the hero rejects help from la famme:

BRENDAN
Look, I can't trust you. You ought to be smart enough to know that. I didn't shake up the party to get your attention, and I'm not heeling you to hook you. Your connections could help me, but the bad baggage they bring could make it zero sum gain or even hurt me. Better off coming at it clean.

LAURA
I wouldn't have to lead you in by the...

BRENDAN
I can't trust you. Brad was a sap, you weren't. You're with him, so you're playing him. So you're a player. With you behind me, I'd have to tie one eye up, watching both of your hands. I can't spare it.

You're absolutely right, Brendan. She is a player indeed.

***

That's it for now.

I'll spend the last days of the year processing 2021, figuring out my next steps for my professional and personal life, and chilling in my wonderful cabin in the woods. Big shifts are happening, and I'm excited to see how it all unfolds.

Stay Beautiful ✨,
Michał