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Thought #4 - Books and documentaries :)



Hello guys! This post is to share a few references of documentaries and books which have helped us to better comprehend many topics, besides saving us in the long trips – just like the last one that took 60 hours in a train from Zambia to Tanzania

Follow below a few documentaries we like the most – you can watch all of them in Youtube – and the books that Fe and I read so far. I hope you can manage time to watch/read also!


Documentaries

– Brazil: An Inconvenient Truth

Is short (46min), but helps to remember the history classes at school and better understand the traces we carry for have been the most slaveholding country in the world. This is mandatory for who defends the separatism in São Paulo (a kiss and more love for you, my friend).


– Africa: A Rejected History

It’s also short (49min) and briefly tells how the African acculturation process happened in reason of the colonization. The rituals, the religions, the celebrations and so many other cultural characteristics that seem to have been swallowed by the impositions placed by the settlers and ended up disfiguring the continent. It isn’t for nothing that Bahia (a north eastern Brazilian state) is more African than a few countries we passed through over here.


– Religulous

I believe in God and have my personal rituals of praying and meditating, but it’s always good to look at our beliefs from another perspective. In this documentary, the author and comedian Bill Maher makes logic questionings in a good mood and shows that there is a lot of people who believe in something without even understanding why.


– The Light Bulb Conspiracy

This is one to watch and then seat by the corner of the room to cry of regret for having bought so many unnecessary things. It may seem absurd to think that the products that we buy are programmed to last for a certain period of time, so that soon we have to replace it. But this is for real and many companies keep this secret to increase sales. And they go totally against a conscious consumption, just by reminding that the raw material is finite in the planet earth…

– I Am

I’ve spoken about it in one of the posts, but definitely this is the documentary that most reunites concepts and perceptions that Fe and I believe. The director Tom Shadyac is also known by directing and producing Hollywood movies like Ace Ventura and Patch Adams. He tells how he started to look at life in a different way and brings us impacting facts and thrilling testimonies. And the best: it’s all very funny. One of my favourites, for sure! Great to watch in family after a Sunday lunch and create courage to fire yourself on Monday.

– The Cove

This is another favourite! Very well produced and you get so alert that you don’t even blink! Everybody loves dolphins and thinks it’s great to pay to swim a bit with them, isn’t it? I’ve never had is chance, but after watching this movie I don’t even want to The Cove shows when our passion for Flipper came up and the industry formed around it. A cruel industry, merciless and circulates millions of dollars. It’s very nice to see what is behind the enchanting world of the water parks.

– Blood Diamond

Who thinks that “Diamonds are girls’ best friends” should review your friendships. This documentary tells what really happens in the diamond extraction and commerce before it gets to the big jewellery vitrines. One more proof that we barely know the origin of what we are buying. Great reason for the boys who need to save money.



– Flow: For Love of Water

Have you ever stopped to think where your shower water comes from and what is the influence it has over your health? Flow calls out our attention for one of the most discussed subjects of the moment (mainly for the São Paulo dwellers): what are we doing with our water? Besides it tells how the companies overtake ownership of natural resources and end up destroying the environment. It’s one of those that makes you feel ashamed of have been born human being.

– Food Inc.

This is to watch, sell all you have and move to the hinterland, where you can grow your own food. How food is processed and the way it’s produced are only two of the points brought in this movie. Let’s go live from lightening.

– Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple

Have you ever seen those guys that entitle themselves the new messenger of God? This documentary tells about the cult created by the American Jim Jones and how he managed to command a collective suicide of more than 900 people. It’s the typical example that I talk about here, how important is to question and revisit your beliefs, before someone – or everyone – makes you believe in something you have no idea about.

– Home

It’s amazing and it serves as a kind of somniferous for us, as the images are so beautiful and the soundtrack so involving. If you manage to get to the end (even if it takes a few days), you will have a delicious feeling – and thoughtful – of getting to know our “home” in a different perspective. More conscious and responsible for our planet.




The books Fe read (with his description)


– Next Generation Business Strategies for the Base of the Pyramid – Stuart L. Hart

Very interesting detailed approach to explain what the big corporations of the current economic system (capitalism) inconsequently make for self interest. And for our hope, tells about many cases where a conscious change influenced the path of these businesses for the good one.


– To Have or Not To Have That is the Question! – Nilton Bonder

Treats about why the development of the modern society took us to a consumerism and materialist point that we don’t even stop to think why and how to change. A philosophic way to understand the hallucinations of the common sense that we accept.


– Einstein, the enigma of the universe (free translation) – Huberto Rohde

The author has worked in a university with the genius and relates his way of thinking about the world and, of course, about the theory of relativity. I liked a lot to set clear that Einstein truly believe in the human intuition and in the beauty of silence, to know yourself and find answers. Something that I’d never expect from a mathematician-physicist, as I associated the subject only with precision and scientific experiments.



My books

I shall start saying that I’m one of those anxious people who read more than one book at the same time, so I haven’t finished reading all the ones I indicate here. But I guarantee they are worthwhile.


– Thoughts about tolerance (free translation) – Rao V. B. J. Chelikani

It’s brief and delicious to read. Just like the author, I believe that the constant practice of tolerance is one of the solutions to transform the world. Mandatory reading in times of strained mood and prejudicial statements.


– Reports and Studies from the UN and Care.org

I’ve downloaded many directly from their websites and are excellent to better understand a few social matters, mainly here in Africa. It’s worth a tour through the sites.


– Autobiography of a Yogi – Paramahansa Yogananda

It’s a classic for the ones who search for connecting with yourself and go deeper in spirituality. Light and magical reading.


– Dead Aid – Dambisa Moyo

Incredible to read a critic analysis done by an African economist – the author is from Zambia – about the inefficient industry that the aid packages sent to Africa became. Living this reality daily, I can endorse many of the author’s opinion, even considering she goes a bit too much in a few topics. Recommend a lot for who thinks that just donating money solves it all.


– Half the Sky – Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

This book is special for many reasons and no miss. It brings real cases of women from different cultures who surpassed the oppression and found new opportunities. And mainly because it was a gift from a dear friend we met in Zambia, who trusted me the responsibility to pass it on to another inspiring women – I already have candidates


So far that’s all! If you have tips and suggestions, please comment here so everyone can enjoy them also!


Gabi.

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