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<h2>Monk & Robot</h2>
<p>
    I have recently finished reading the Monk & Robot books by Becky Chambers.
    They were absolutly fantastic and I would advise anyone to read them.
</p>
<p>
    The first book is <a href="https://www.otherscribbles.com/a-psalm-for-the-wild-built/"> A Psalm for the Wild Built</a>
    and the second is <a href="https://www.otherscribbles.com/a-prayer-for-the-crown-shy/"> A Prayer for the Crown Shy</a>.
</p>
<p>
    These are some of the happiest, most peaceful science fiction books that I have read in a long time.
    Not that there is not challenge and conflict within them, but none that is unneccesary.
    The books explore the idea of what we may need when all of our needs are taken care of.
    All that could be provided for by society at least.
    Everyone has food, shelter, community.
    They are able to engage with what catches their interest, travel, explore, communicate to the level that they would like.
    The world is idyllic in so many ways, but the larger questions of purpose and meaning are still present, which is the main focus.
</p>
<p>
    I find myself drawn to Solarpunk as the world (our world) seems to be filled with more and more negativity and sadness.
    The escapism is not for adventure, glory, wars or battles.
    But for a world where people care.
    About eachother, about the world around them, about the objects that they use every day.
</p>
<p>
    Just like being more financially secure in my life has allowed me to zoom out a bit, think in a larger scope and on longer terms,
    having physical needs met allows the characters of the book to think more deeply about life.
    When the worry is always survival there is no point in wasting time or energy worrying about deeper needs.
</p>
<p>
    The world that Becky Chambers envisions here is bright, beautiful and caring.
    As so many science fiction books explore possible future technologies, she explores a society and the internal landscape of its inhabitants.
    It is a hopeful goal, something that I think we could aspire to create in our own world.
    The technology does not seem massively advanced compared to what we have here, just that the mindset is fundamentally different.
</p>
<p>
    This mindset is what is attracting me to Solarpunk as a genre.
    I have read the anthology "The Sunvault" in the past, and probably should again.
    Not sure if it was the right time for me to resonate with those ideas.
    I think it points the way for how we should try to progress as a society.
    Use based production, living in harmony with the world and eachother.
    The richness that we can produce used to heal the world and take care of eachother.
    Valuing relationships, experiences, quality.
</p>
<p>
    It is a world that I would like to see come to pass, and they are some of my favourite books because they are so different.
    I suspect that I will be reading them many times over, whenever I need a peaceful break from the world, or to envision a more hopeful future.
</p>
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