Stories

Schooldays

Posted on by Anony Mouse

Brief excerpts from a much longer conversation – Hackney elders’ memories of school.

The voices belong to: Brian, Leonie, Megan, Rick, Wadley.

We don’t use expensive professional equipment or a sound studio. This is open-mic recording in a public space, so sound quality is sometimes rough. Our resources are minimal, but we do it all ourselves.

Recorded 18 March 2019 in the Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, London E8 3DF, UK.

Grassroots Radio

For our 2019 series, we have turned our podcast format inside-out. Instead of a small, invited group, we open the Monday afternoon event to anybody who happens to be in the Curve Garden glasshouse for any reason — and if the weather is good, we can take the microphones our into the garden. We sacrifice sound quality (you don’t have to tell us), but we gain spontaneous, unpredictable conversation — fresh voices and thoughts every week. From that, we can make a podcast episode when we have time to do it.

“I have never looked back”

Posted on by Anony Mouse


Excerpts from a much longer conversation about retirement – with people who have done it and others who haven’t.

The voices belong to: Andreas, Brian, Cathy, Clarenton, Marylin, Nicholas, Rick.

We don’t use expensive professional equipment or a sound studio. This is open-mic recording in a public space, so sound quality is sometimes rough. Our resources are minimal, but we do it all ourselves.

Recorded 11 March 2019 in the Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, London E8 3DF, UK.

Grassroots Radio

For our 2019 series, we have turned our podcast format inside-out. Instead of a small, invited group, we open the Monday afternoon event to anybody who happens to be in the Curve Garden glasshouse for any reason — and if the weather is good, we can take the microphones our into the garden. We sacrifice sound quality (you don’t have to tell us), but we gain spontaneous, unpredictable conversation — fresh voices and thoughts every week. From that, we can make a podcast episode when we have time to do it.

TEDx Hackney Libraries

Posted on by Editor

Inspiring talks about things that matter

TEDx video talks in the library – Thursdays in March

TEDx Hackney Libraries is a wonderful opportunity for local residents to get together to listen to experts talk about subjects that matter to us all. These events aren’t just about listening; the open discussion at each session encourages conversation about how these topics affect our everyday lives, inspire us to see things from a different perspective and could even spark change!

The 7 March TEDx videos

TEDx Hackney Libraries has returned with a series of Thursday evening events that we think everybody should go to. The next event (7 March) is especially interesting, as three of the four video talks are directly relevant to what we do at the Friday afternoon drop-in and the Monday afternoon podcast.

Of course, you could watch them now — but that would miss the point completely. The conversation after the talks is the most important part, and you can’t do that on your own.

Where and when

  • Stoke Newington Library, 182 Stoke Newington Church St, N16 0JL (map: goo.gl/maps/7YAjt6JGPTm)
  • Thursday 7 March, 6 to 8 pm

We’re building a building a dystopia just to make people click on ads

We’re building an artificial intelligence-powered dystopia, one click at a time, says techno-sociologist Zeynep Tufekci. In an eye-opening talk, she details how the same algorithms companies like Facebook, Google and Amazon use to get you to click on ads are also used to organize your access to political and social information. And the machines aren’t even the real threat. What we need to understand is how the powerful might use AI to control us — and what we can do in response.

How we need to remake the Internet

In the early days of digital culture, Jaron Lanier helped craft a vision for the internet as public commons where humanity could share its knowledge — but even then, this vision was haunted by the dark side of how it could turn out: with personal devices that control our lives, monitor our data and feed us stimuli. (Sound familiar?) In this visionary talk, Lanier reflects on a “globally tragic, astoundingly ridiculous mistake” companies like Google and Facebook made at the foundation of digital culture — and how we can undo it. “We cannot have a society in which, if two people wish to communicate, the only way that can happen is if it’s financed by a third person who wishes to manipulate them,” he says.

How to tame your wandering mind

Amishi Jha studies how we pay attention: the process by which our brain decides what’s important out of the constant stream of information it receives. Both external distractions (like stress) and internal ones (like mind-wandering) diminish our attention’s power, Jha says — but some simple techniques can boost it. “Pay attention to your attention,” Jha says.

Why you should talk to strangers

“When you talk to strangers, you’re making beautiful interruptions into the expected narrative of your daily life — and theirs,” says Kio Stark. In this delightful talk, Stark explores the overlooked benefits of pushing past our default discomfort when it comes to strangers and embracing those fleeting but profoundly beautiful moments of genuine connection.

“What did your politeness do?”

Posted on by Anony Mouse

Why we all have to talk more and hide less – friendships, commitment, belonging, resisting racism, respect – real stories and real values – an intergenerational meeting of minds.

The voices belong to: Brian, Chantel, Leonie, Rick, Vanessa, Wadley, Walter.

References

We don’t use expensive professional equipment or a sound studio. This is open-mic recording in a public space, so sound quality is sometimes rough. Our resources are minimal, but we do it all ourselves.

Recorded 25 February 2019 in the Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, London E8 3DF, UK.

Grassroots Radio

For our 2019 series, we have turned our podcast format inside-out. Instead of a small, invited group, we open the Monday afternoon event to anybody who happens to be in the Curve Garden glasshouse for any reason — and if the weather is good, we can take the microphones our into the garden. We sacrifice sound quality (you don’t have to tell us), but we gain spontaneous, unpredictable conversation — fresh voices and thoughts every week. From that, we can make a podcast episode when we have time to do it.

“Do you guys like the word oldie?”

Posted on by Anony Mouse

Guest Chantel bravely engages with a bunch of pre-digital citizens – rebooting Hello Hackney Grassroots Radio at the Dalston Curve Garden.

We don’t use expensive professional equipment or a sound studio. This is open-mic recording in a public space, so sound quality is sometimes rough. Our resources are minimal, but we do it all ourselves.

The voices belong to: Andreas, Brian, Chantel, Rick, Walter.

Media reference – Soon Gone (not Soon Over) – bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0002sqv

Recorded 18 February 2019 in the Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, London E8 3DF, UK.

Grassroots Radio

For our 2019 series, we have turned our podcast format inside-out. Instead of a small, invited group, we open the Monday afternoon event to anybody who happens to be in the Curve Garden glasshouse for any reason — and if the weather is good, we can take the microphones our into the garden. We sacrifice sound quality (you don’t have to tell us), but we gain spontaneous, unpredictable conversation — fresh voices and thoughts every week. From that, we can make a podcast episode when we have time to do it.

A silver lining, ageing in the 21st century

Posted on by Editor

Are attitudes to ageing keeping up with growing life expectancy?

TEDx video talk in the library – Thursday 8 November, 6 to 8 pm

We take a proper look at what it means to grow older today and how we can make ageing more fulfilling.

In her talk Ashton Applewhite states ‘Let’s end ageism’, Paul Tasner explains ‘How I became an entrepreneur at 66’, Laura Cartensen argues that ‘Older people are happier’, and Susan Pinker suggests that ‘The secret to living longer may be our social life’.

Local initiative Hello Hackney has been introducing seniors to technology as well as providing a social hub. Rick Crust joins us to explain how it works. Sarah Douglas and Hector Dyer from Liminal Space will introduce their research-based project about ageing ‘Unclaimed’ in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust.

Where and when

More information, booking your free ticket

  • Eventbrite site
  • Or you can do it the easy way — just tell Rick you want to be there.

The 8 November TEDx videos

Let’s end ageism

It’s not the passage of time that makes it so hard to get older. It’s ageism, a prejudice that pits us against our future selves — and each other. Ashton Applewhite urges us to dismantle the dread and mobilize against the last socially acceptable prejudice. “Aging is not a problem to be fixed or a disease to be cured,” she says. “It is a natural, powerful, lifelong process that unites us all.”

How I became an entrepreneur at 66

It’s never too late to reinvent yourself. Take it from Paul Tasner — after working continuously for other people for 40 years, he founded his own start-up at age 66, pairing his idea for a business with his experience and passion. And he’s not alone. As he shares in this short, funny and inspirational talk, seniors are increasingly indulging their entrepreneurial instincts — and seeing great success.

Older people are happier

In the 20th century we added an unprecedented number of years to our lifespans, but is the quality of life as good? Surprisingly, yes! Psychologist Laura Carstensen shows research that demonstrates that as people get older they become happier, more content, and have a more positive outlook on the world.

The secret to living longer may be our social life

The Italian island of Sardinia has more than six times as many centenarians as the mainland and ten times as many as North America. Why? According to psychologist Susan Pinker, it’s not a sunny disposition or a low-fat, gluten-free diet that keeps the islanders healthy — it’s their emphasis on close personal relationships and face-to-face interactions. Learn more about super longevity as Pinker explains what it takes to live to 100 and beyond.