1879 || the art of refusal not withdrawal

Rather than fleeing society completely, the idea of "doing nothing" means disengaging from the toxic demands of continuous capitalist productivity, social media optimization, and personal branding. It's about "standing apart" not "standing without". Finding resistance in refusal.

Odell notes that our enemy isn't the physical world itself, but rather the commercial digital channels and algorithms through which we are forced to experience it every day. By reclaiming our attention from screens, we can redirect it toward our immediate physical environments, local ecosystems, and community history.

BUY JENNY ODELL'S BOOK HERE: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/600671/how-to-do-nothing-by-jenny-odell/

Read it here: https://www.valpo.edu/christ-college/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/05/How-to-Do-Nothing.pdf

Support the BDS movement.

organize clothing swaps with your friends.

Get free resources from Annas Archive.

Join your local DSA

Become a READING PARTNER

Read Julie's Medium Blog.

Support JULIE (and the show!)

Support + get some bonus stuff over on PATREON.