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Delight and Joy Are Survival Mechanisms and Acts of Resistance | Ross Gay

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Sep 18, 2023

Guest

Ross Gay

Ross Gay, acclaimed poet and essayist known for his bestselling work "The Book of Delights," dives into the transformative power of delight and joy as acts of resistance. He shares insights on how recognizing delight can counteract negativity bias and the ethical implications of joy. Through personal anecdotes, he discusses the connection between grief and joy, emphasizing that these emotions can be survival mechanisms. With a focus on meaningful human connections, Gay advocates for cultivating moments of joy in everyday life.

54:56

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ANECDOTE

Unexpected Inspiration

After Ross Gay published "Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude", people interpreted it as a book about joy.
This unexpected feedback sparked his interest in exploring delight, leading to "The Book of Delights".

insights

INSIGHT

The Importance of Delight

Gay recognized a need to focus on positive experiences, not just negative ones.
He believed that intentionally focusing on delight would lead to personal growth.

insights

INSIGHT

Delight as Counter-Programming

Noticing delight counteracts negativity bias.
Witnessing and sharing delight creates a ripple effect, inspiring others to do the same.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Exploring the Essence of Delight and Its Impact

04:28 • 2min

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Celebrating Delight: A Poet's Journey

06:36 • 14min

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Finding Beauty in the Everyday

20:32 • 6min

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Exploring Delight and Joy as Resistance and Survival Mechanisms

26:49 • 4min

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Curating Connections: The Power of Joy and Delight

31:06 • 10min

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The Resilience of Joy: Connections Through Refusal

41:06 • 4min

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Embracing Connection in Modern Society

44:42 • 15min

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Wrapping Up with Gratitude

59:30 • 5min

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#11349

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude

Ross Gay

This book is a sustained meditation on the themes of death, life, and the natural world. It finds solace in the processes of gardens and orchards, where death, sorrow, and loss are converted into nourishing elements. The poems are intimate, conversational, and rooted in personal experiences, highlighting the importance of gratitude and the interconnectedness of human experiences. The collection addresses various emotions, from sorrow and loss to joy and gratitude, and celebrates the beauty and abundance of life.

Ross Gay's "Against Which" is a collection of poems that explores themes of nature, spirituality, and social justice. The poems are characterized by their lyrical beauty, their insightful observations on the human condition, and their celebration of the interconnectedness of all things. Gay's work is known for its warmth, humor, and its ability to find beauty in the midst of struggle. "Against Which" is a powerful and moving collection that will resonate with readers who appreciate poetry that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging. It's a testament to the power of poetry to illuminate the complexities of the human experience.

#721

• Mentioned in 29 episodes

The Book of Delights

Ross Gay

In *The Book of Delights*, Ross Gay offers a genre-defying volume of short, lyrical essays written over one tumultuous year. These 'essayettes,' in the manner of Montaigne, capture Gay’s daily observations and experiences, ranging from the beauty of the natural world to the complexities of race and masculinity. The book emphasizes the importance of delight as a bulwark against casual cruelties and as a way to connect with others, highlighting the shared humanity and mortality that bind us. Gay’s essays are both intimate and political, never shying away from the terrors of living in America while celebrating the small joys that make life worth observing closely.

#4818

• Mentioned in 6 episodes

Inciting Joy

Ross Gay

Ross Gay's "Inciting Joy" delves into the transformative power of joy, challenging its dismissal as frivolous. Gay explores how joy can be a radical act of resistance and belonging, particularly amidst grief and sorrow. The essays examine rituals and habits that foster joy, emphasizing its role in building solidarity and care. The book encourages readers to embrace joy as a practice, not just an emotion, and to find connection through shared experiences of sorrow. Gay's personal reflections and insightful observations make "Inciting Joy" a compelling read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of joy's significance.

#721

• Mentioned in 29 episodes

Ross Gay's "Be Holding" is a collection of poems that explores themes of nature, spirituality, and social justice. The poems are characterized by their lyrical beauty, their insightful observations on the human condition, and their celebration of the interconnectedness of all things. Gay's work is known for its warmth, humor, and its ability to find beauty in the midst of struggle. "Be Holding" is a powerful and moving collection that will resonate with readers who appreciate poetry that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging. It's a testament to the power of poetry to illuminate the complexities of the human experience.

#7295

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

The Woman in Me

Britney Spears

In 'The Woman in Me', Britney Spears shares her personal story of fame, family, and resilience. The memoir chronicles her rise to stardom, her experiences with the pressures of fame, and her battle to break free from a conservatorship that controlled her life. Spears offers candid insights into her relationships, motherhood, and the challenges she faced in the entertainment industry.

#22777

Bringing the shovel down

Ross Gay

Ross Gay's "Bringing the Shovel Down" is a collection of poems that explores themes of nature, spirituality, and social justice. The poems are characterized by their lyrical beauty, their insightful observations on the human condition, and their celebration of the interconnectedness of all things. Gay's work is known for its warmth, humor, and its ability to find beauty in the midst of struggle. "Bringing the Shovel Down" is a powerful and moving collection that will resonate with readers who appreciate poetry that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging. It's a testament to the power of poetry to illuminate the complexities of the human experience.

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How rethinking these often twee concepts can change your life and maybe the world.

Ross Gay is the author of four books of poetry: Against Which; Bringing the Shovel Down; Be Holding, winner of the PEN American Literary Jean Stein Award; and Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award and the 2016 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. In addition to his poetry, Ross has released three collections of essays—The Book of Delights was released in 2019 and was a New York Times bestseller; Inciting Joy was released in 2022, and his newest collection, The Book of (More) Delights was released in September of 2023.

In this episode we talk about:

What got Ross interested in the subject of delight
How noting delight can be a tool for counter programming against our negativity bias
Why Ross argues that there is an ethical component to delight
The benefits of writing by hand
How both using a smartphone and rushing can be delight blockers
The difference between delight and joy
What he means when he refers to the “offenses of joy”
And the connection between grief and joy

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/ross-gay

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