these books and documentaries have helped me better understand how our world really works. i still have much to learn and unlearn, but these are definitely a good start to unveiling the truth behind our stuff...
understanding oligarchy
docs
- requiem for the american dream (directed by peter d. hutchison, kelly nyks, and jared p. scott) - explains how wealth and power are concentrated in the hands of a few.
- the corporation (directed by mark achbar and jennifer abbott) - shows how modern corporations are built to exploit society for profit.
youtube videos
- oligarchy is worse than you think (by johnny harris) - breaks down the hidden ways the ultra-rich control global power and politics (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S25FfbFw4M).
books
- the blind spot (by jeffrey winters) - proves that extreme wealth concentration is a built-in feature of our democracy.
- burned by billionaires (by chuck collins) - looks at how the top .01% control everything from housing to the news.
- the master's tools (by michael a. mccarthy) - shows how big finance wrecked democracy and how to fix it.
the human + ecological price of fast fashion
docs
- the true cost (directed by andrew morgan) - exposes the human and environmental toll of cheap clothing.
- riverblue (directed by david mcilvride and mark coelho) - shows how the fashion industry's chemical waste is destroying the world's rivers.
books
- consumed (by aja barber) - connects the fast fashion industry to colonialism and climate change.
- fashionopolis (by dana thomas) - investigates the damage of fast fashion and the movements fighting to reform it.
corporate food systems, food waste + intersectional veganism
docs
- fed up (directed by stephanie soechtig) - reveals how the food industry and government hide the truth about sugar to protect profits.
- gather (directed by sanjay rawal) - follows indigenous communities reclaiming their ancestral food systems from corporate agriculture.
- cowspiracy (directed by kip andersen and keegan kuhn) - uncovers the destructive environmental impact of large-scale factory farming.
- just eat it (directed by grant baldwin) - follows filmmakers who eat only rescued, discarded groceries for six months to expose the massive scale of global food waste.
books
- aphro-ism (by aph ko and syl ko) - explores how animal exploitation is deeply tied to systemic racism and white supremacy.
- sister species (by lisa kemmerer) - explores the links between animal rights and feminist activism through diverse voices.
waste, plastic + environmental justice
docs
- the story of plastic (directed by deia schlosberg) - uncovers the fossil fuel industry's role in the plastic crisis and the myth of recycling.
- microplastic madness (directed by atsuko quirk and debby lee cohen) - highlights the pervasive issue of microplastics and how local action fights corporate waste.
books
- pollution is colonialism (by max liboiron) - argues that modern waste management and plastic pollution are direct extensions of taking indigenous land.
- waste (by catherine coleman flowers) - exposes how inadequate wastewater infrastructure targets poor, rural communities and criminalizes poverty.
tech monopolies + ai
docs
- coded bias (directed by shalini kantayya) - exposes the built-in discrimination against women and people of color in facial recognition technology.
- the social dilemma (directed by jeff orlowski) - reveals how social media algorithms are designed to manipulate human behavior for profit.
- coded bias (directed by shalini kantayya) - exposes the built-in discrimination against women and people of color in facial recognition technology.
books
- blood in the machine (by brian merchant) - shows how big tech and ai exploit workers using the exact same playbook as 19th-century factory owners.
- algorithms of oppression (by safiya umoja noble) - explains how corporate search engines reinforce racist and sexist biases.
- more than a glitch (by meredith broussard) - argues that racism, sexism, and ableism aren't just software bugs, but are coded directly into our technology.
- the social dilemma (directed by jeff orlowski) - reveals how social media algorithms are designed to manipulate human behavior for profit.
please leave a comment if there are any others you recommend!