Upstream Coffee Club

Come together with other radical thinkers in this monthly virtual Coffee Club. This is a space to ask questions, stretch your understanding, share experiences and most importantly build community.

Coffee Club is free but donations are welcome!

Unlearn, build community and drink coffee

"Great to reflect on the subject matter with peers. I really feel its important for us all to build communities like this, especially when the ideas we're discussing run against the grain of the mainstream."

"It was great to join such an open and accepting environment, to discuss weighty topics but with lightness, and to start to build community with the others on the call."

"I also really appreciate your ability to act as librarian and point to resources, and the summary of the podcast was really simple and effective. I also loved the relaxed ADHD approach and the intention to build community."

Recent feedback from coffee club

The Upstream podcast radicalised me and changed my life. As a homage to this amazing show and as a means of sharing the beautiful wisdom from the huge back catalogue of episodes I've created an Upstream podcast library which has transcripts, summaries and resources. It's a labour of love I'm building up slowly. If there are episodes you'd like transcripted or summarised let me know!

upcoming Coffee clubs

12th November 2024

Why women have better sex under socialism with Kristen Ghodsee

When the Soviet Union collapsed and the Berlin Wall was toppled, researchers had a unique opportunity to understand how women's lives were different under different economic regimes and ask the question; did women have better sex under socialism? Spoiler alert - research suggests they did.

This episode explores how capitalism shapes not just sex, but relationships, care and much of the life of people who identify as women.

previous Coffee clubs

7th october 2024

Breaking things at work with Gavin Mueller

"Despite all the technological advancements we're more isolated, exploited, and alienated than ever before and it really does feel like there's a growing, popular backlash against many of the technologies of our modern world as well as a resigned realisation of their false promises"

Whilst the term luddite is often thrown around as an insult, what did they actually stand for and have they still got relevance today?

Listen to the podcast then join Emma from Flourish Economics to have an relaxed discussion about the episode, build community and drink coffee.

Want to delve deeper?

Read this blog by Jathan Sadowski explaining why you should be a Luddite and this article on neo-luddism warning of AI apocalypse.

September 2024

Better Lives for all with Jason Hickel

"We can end poverty, meet all human needs, and reverse climate change and do all of this with only 30% of the current energy and material output"

Sound too good to be true? Listen to the Upstream podcast to learn why we don't need accept the trade off between addressing poverty or the ecological crisis; switching to a needs based approach and how to pay for it.

High Level Mindmap summary of the episode