Achievement Unlocked! - Level Up IRL

Are you completely resigned to the fact that no matter how much you clean, the clutter will inevitably just come back?

This month, we are shaking up our usual format for a special hybrid event! We are diving into the global minimalist phenomenon created by Marie Kondō. But this time, you have homework options: you can read her original bestselling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, OR you can binge-watch her hit Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo (or do both!).
By combining the book and the show, we get the best of both worlds. The book dives deep into the psychology and philosophy of the "KonMari" method, while the Netflix series shows the raw, emotional reality of people actually applying it to their messy lives. We will discuss her revolutionary category-by-category system, the emotional weight of our possessions, and what it truly means to keep only things that "spark joy."

As highlighted on Goodreads about the book that started it all:

> Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles?
> Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you'll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results... With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house "spark joy" (and which don't), this international best seller featuring Tokyo's newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home - and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.

How this session will work: Whether you read the pages or watched the episodes, come ready to share! We'll compare the philosophy of the book with the real-life struggles seen on screen, and perhaps confess some of our own decluttering disasters.

Join us to find out if folding your t-shirts into perfect little rectangles can actually change your life!

Are you completely resigned to the cynical idea that humans are inherently selfish, and that society is just a thin veneer covering our true, ruthless nature?

We are constantly bombarded with news and narratives that make it easy to lose faith in humanity. But what if we've been looking at our own species all wrong? This month, we are reading Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman, a book that radically challenges our most deeply entrenched beliefs about human nature.
Bregman argues that the cynical view of humanity is not just depressing, it is scientifically and historically inaccurate. He takes us on a journey through the last 200,000 years to show that we are actually evolutionarily wired for cooperation, empathy, and trust. Along the way, he dismantles famous psychological studies (like the Stanford Prison Experiment and the bystander effect) and replaces them with incredible true stories of human solidarity.

As highlighted on Goodreads, this book offers a much-needed shift in perspective:

> From the author of Utopia For Realists, a revolutionary argument that the innate goodness and cooperation of human beings has been the greatest factor in our success... By providing a new historical perspective of the last 200,000 years of human history, Bregman sets out to prove that we are in fact evolutionarily wired for cooperation rather than competition, and that our instinct to trust each other has a firm evolutionary basis going back to the beginning of Homo sapiens.
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> Bregman systematically debunks our understanding of the Milgram electrical-shock experiment, the Zimbardo prison experiment, and the Kitty Genovese "bystander effect."... Reorienting our thinking toward positive and high expectations of our fellow man, Bregman argues, will reap lasting success.

Whether you are a natural optimist or a hardened cynic, this book will fundamentally challenge how you view the people around you. Come join us for an uplifting and thought-provoking discussion on why it’s time to start believing in each other again!

Do you believe there is absolutely no profound meaning or beauty to be found in everyday, mundane things like the QWERTY keyboard, scratch-and-sniff stickers, or the Penguins of Madagascar?

This month, we are taking a uniquely personal and quirky look at the world we’ve built. In his first-ever work of non-fiction, #1 internationally bestselling author John Green gives us The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet.
The Anthropocene is our current geological age—an era defined by humanity's massive impact on the globe. But rather than a dry science textbook, Green approaches this era as a critic, rating the varied and absurd facets of our shared human experience on a five-star scale. Blending history, trivia, and deeply vulnerable memoir, this book invites us to look at our chaotic and beautiful world with a renewed sense of empathy, curiosity, and wonder.

As highlighted on Goodreads, this collection is a masterclass in observation:

> Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Readers' Favorite Nonfiction (2021)
> A deeply moving and mind-expanding collection of personal essays in the first ever work of non-fiction from #1 internationally bestselling author John Green
> The Anthropocene is the current geological age, in which human activity has profoundly shaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony of essays adapted and expanded from his ground-breaking, critically acclaimed podcast, John Green reviews different facets of the human-centered planet - from the QWERTY keyboard and Halley's Comet to Penguins of Madagascar - on a five-star scale.
> Complex and rich with detail, the Anthropocene's reviews have been praised as 'observations that double as exercises in memoiristic empathy', with over 10 million lifetime downloads. John Green's gift for storytelling shines throughout this artfully curated collection about the shared human experience; it includes beloved essays along with six all-new pieces exclusive to the book.
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Whether you're already a fan of John Green's storytelling or you simply want to practice paying closer, more compassionate attention to the world around you, this discussion will be a treat. Come join us as we rate the Anthropocene—and perhaps share a few five-star reviews of our own!

What's one book that genuinely changed the way you think?

This Sinterklaas, we're swapping more than just gifts; we're exchanging ideas. Join us for a unique book exchange where the goal is to share a piece of wisdom, inspiration, or a new perspective that left a mark on you.

Here’s how it works:

📚 The Book: Choose a non-fiction book that has inspired or changed you. Find a new copy, keeping the price between €10 and €20 to make it accessible for everyone.

🎁 The Wrapping: Wrap your book beautifully. The mystery is half the fun!

✍️ The Poem: Embrace the Sinterklaas tradition! Write a short, playful poem about the book's theme and attach it to the gift. Give clues, but don't spoil the title!

🔄 The Exchange: We’ll gather all the secret books and begin the exchange. I'll explain the fun rules when we kick off, so everyone gets a mysterious new book to unwrap.

☕ The Connection: While the guessing and unwrapping happens, grab a drink, connect with fellow thinkers and readers, and share the stories behind the books.

Get ready for an afternoon of surprising ideas, great conversations, and holiday cheer! ✨