Living Room Revolution

A Handbook for Conversation, Community and the Common Good

Cecile Andrews

• Publisher: New Society Publishers
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781550925326
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Communication Studies
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

The author of The Circle of Simplicity "joyfully invites us to discover a robust and real personal expansion with each other as we remake our society" (Mark Lakeman, cofounder, The City Repair Project). Every man for himself! For too long we have lived in a competitive, consumer-oriented culture, destroying the well-being of people and the planet. We believe that money brings happiness, yet all too often, the opposite is true. The pursuit of wealth at any cost corrupts our values and diminishes our lives. The resulting inequality breaks down social cohesion and generates envy, bitterness, and resentment. Greed breeds more greed. Living Room Revolution refutes the notion that selfishness is at the root of human nature. Research shows that people—given the right circumstances—can be caring, nurturing and collaborative. Presented with the opportunity, they gravitate toward actions and policies embodying empathy, fairness, and trust instead of competition, fear, and greed. The regeneration of social ties and the sense of caring and purpose that comes from creating community drive this essential transformation. At the heart of this movement is the ancient art of conversation. Living Room Revolution provides a practical toolkit of concrete strategies to facilitate personal and social change by bringing people together in community and conversation. The heart of happiness is joining with others in good talk and laughter. Each person can make a difference, and it can all start in your own living room! "Small groups. Study circles. Stop 'n chats. House parties. Movie nights. Online sharing. Bring people together, and you never know what kind of fuse you'll ignite for change." —Wanda Urbanska, author of The Heart of Simple Living

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Dedication
• Acknowledgments
• Preface
• Chapter 1: Joy in the Other Fellow
• Chapter 2: Real Happiness
• Chapter 3: Convivial Community and Social Change
• Chapter 4: The Sharing Revolution
• Chapter 5: Time to Talk (Conversation, Part One)
• Chapter 6: Time to Talk (Conversation, Part Two)
• Chapter 7: Civil Discourse
• Chapter 8: People’s Education — Learning for Life
• Chapter 9: Study Circles — The People’s Think Tanks
• Chapter 10: The Happiness Circle: From the Pursuit of Happiness to Gross Domestic Happiness
• Chapter 11: Dancing in the Streets
• Chapter 12: The Remaking of a Counterculture: The Barefoot Teacher
• Index
• About the Author