How To Be Hopeful Episode 12  “Home Made Mutant Hope Machines”

Welcome to my podcast about hope. This week, in celebration of Pride Month,  I speak the amazing Ben Walters AKA Dr. Duckie. Inspired by the wonderful performance art collective Duckie, whose regular home is the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, Ben has recently completed a PHD focusing on their work and projects. During his research he developed the incredible concept of “Home Made Mutant Hope Machines”  : “a form or a process which  routinely generates the idea that a better world is possible”

We had a great chat about many things including about how change and uncertainty as well as bringing chaos and discomfort can also “bring the possibly of hope for positive change”

Please listen to find out exactly how Ben defines his hope machines, about the fabulous and important work of Duckie, about the radical nature of fun, and the importance of valuing pleasure, and the link between carnivalesque and political change

 

In this episode Ben asks us to consider our own Home Made Mutant Hope Machines, by thinking about what regularly gives you hope, “it could be an object, an  event, a relationship,  a habit,  an organisation ….  if it doesn’t exist yet … what might it be?”  

 

You can submit your ideas, plus find out more about Ben’s work and Duckie here: http://www.duckie.co.uk/dr-duckie

 

You can watch the live talk Ben gave at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT0gKR--d4I

 

More soon!

Love Bernadette

My book "How To Be Hopeful" published by Elliot and Thompson is due out September 2020. This podcast series is a chance for me to chat again to some of the people who I interviewed for the book, as well as some people who I didn't have the chance to. I hope you enjoy it. 

You can find me here www.bernadetterussell.com

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