[CM-A Thinks Allowed] Ontologies and narratives: "Hospicing Modernity: Facing Humanity's Wrongs and the Implications for Social Activism" by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira
Discussion between Ronishka Nalpathil, Ifrah Asif, and Alexandra Wang, moderated by Stephanie Kyuyoung Lee.
In Hospicing Modernity (2021), Vanessa Machado de Oliveira argues that modernity - driven by colonialism, resource extraction, and neoliberal consumption - is reaching its end. Rather than striving to fix or reform it, she urges us to "hospice" it: compassionately accompany its death while facing its harms with humility and integrity. She deconstructs common archetypes - like the complacent "do-gooder" and the deceptive "incognito capitalist" - urging deeper, ethical engagement. Through thought experiments and practical exercises, readers are invited to unlearn harmful mindsets, respond to crisis, and dismantle modern-colonial desires - including entitlement, exceptionalism, and relentless consumption. The book offers transformative pedagogies for grappling with complexity, sustaining radical tenderness, and stewarding more than just survival.