In this age of technological inhumanity (Black survival)
Scientific atrocity (survivors)
Atomic mis-philosophy (Black survival)
Nuclear mis-energy (survivors)
… We’re the survivors
Bob Marley, Survival, 1979
Soul Rebels,
In 1978 the great rock and roll band The Who released their classic song, Who Are You. Dropping in the middle of the punk-rock-shock to the music system, ‘Who Are You?’ was a question challenging a generation of alienated British youth, angry at rising unemployment, alienated by the British class system, to define themselves. Nearly fifty years later, in a different age, we can ask the same question of ourselves.
Who are you?
Or, as Roger Daltrey The Who’s lead singer put it with more urgency and anger: “Who the Fuck are you?”
Who the fuck are you? Who are we?
Every Saturday morning when I complete my parkrun I sit on the grass watching other parkrunners finish. A raggedy procession of young, old, men, women, children, black, white, dogs. All sentient, all satisfied. People snatching at a little bit of joy, happy to be in a community, a church without walls.
Us = you multiplied.
Is that us?
Recently, I watched live coverage of a rabble in downtown Durban attacking migrant shops, stoked, stoned, storming, burning other people’s dreams, looting aching souls, releasing their inner brutes. Killing people because of the colour of their dreams.
Was that you? Is that us?
Who are we?
Are we the aloof billionaires who perform civility whilst living in luxury estates amidst a sea of poverty? Or buy up villages in green and pleasant lands. Or live in luxury yachts on warming oceans.
Who are you? Who are we? It’s make your mind up time. In the battle for the soul of humanity you need to know who you are and which side you are on.
Your future: Equal rights or might is right?
A day after the Union Against Hunger hosted a Town Hall meeting with political parties about the right to sufficient food in Soweto, I arrived at Wilton Park, home to Wiston House, an English country mansion in West Sussex.
Gathered at a conference to discuss ‘Human rights futures: security as a way of advancing human dignity, rights and justice’ were people who fight for human rights from more than 20 countries across the world. Mayors, former mayors, thinkers, storied activists, persecuted activists and activists from a new generation.
After two days of listening and admiring, I had one overriding impression: people who believe in human rights have much more power and positionality than we think. We are under attack because we are strong.
We know the enemies’ intentions and tricks. We have the power to resist them. Human rights can still survive.
And thrive.
If we organise effectively.
Reasons to be cheerful, part 25
We can fight and make fun at the same time.
A new statue of Donald Trump, The Orange Plague, has been erected in the foyer of the European Parliament. In Tallahassee, Florida’s capital, the state’s Governor Ron DeSantis made an appearance as a model in melting ice.
But the real respect goes to Navi Pillay, awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, the fifth South African Nobel Peace Prize winner and the first South African woman.
“We’re the flowers in your dustbin” - Johnny Rotten
Young people are revolting.
Millions are on the march. On streets across France, Spain and Italy protesting against the devastation of the commons, be it the public education or housing system.
The Arab Spring is giving way to the European autumn. Echoes of 1968?
Despite what you see, Pink Panther may not be leading the revolt in France, but in India, millions of ‘cockroaches’ are rallying behind the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to demand the resignation of the Chief Electoral Officer.
The kids are on the streets of Mauritius.
Young people mobilised in their millions to defeat the far-right and secure the reelection of Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva in Brazil.
Naomi Klein, in her new book (see below), points out that “we cannot understand today’s version of fascism exclusively through the rear view mirror, because it has changed as we have changed.”
But neither does the resistance to fascism look the same.
The far-right’s on the slide. Let’s keep pushing.
Activists bookshelf
So how do we make sense of all of this?
One problem with everyday life is that we are punch-drunk on the ceaseless drip of shocking news. Rarely do we have time to join the dots between events, evils and evil individuals. Two new books do that for us. They are must-reads for those grappling to survive in our times and flourish.
End Times Fascism and the Fight for the Living World by Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor.
The picture that emerges should scare us into action.
Although they write from different perspectives there is a consistent message coming from writers like Rebecca Solnit (The Beginning Comes After the End), Pankaj Mishra (The World After Gaza), Quinn Slobodian (Crack-Up Capitalism), even Adam Tooze. To survive we have to organise like our lives depend on it.
Because they do.
As Naomi and Astra put it in their book: “We are in the grips of a war over who survives the future.”
Read:
The end times fascists are plotting their escape from our world. Our mission is clear;
Meet the man whose groundbreaking book is being devoured by the left
Listen:
A new weekly podcast, Radical Thinking, kicks off with an interview with Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor
To survive we have to rebuild communities.
And we have to dance!
Dance, Connection and Survival
How do you dance to the end times?
A few weeks ago I sat in the classroom of a public school in Lenasia, South of Johannesburg, watching a group of women from the Sarvavidya Dance Ensemble (SDE) rehearsing for a dance performance.
Using the ancient Indian dance form of Bharatanatyamthe dancers were bringing into being a dance that speaks to issues of the climate crisis, our connection with bhūmi (a word meaning Earth in Sanskrit), our survival.
Only one is a professional dancer. The other dancers include a banker, a pharmacist, an actuary and an activist.
It was a wonder. Even in raw, unfinished form, I felt a connection. The laughter; the learning; the movement; choreography emerging from the chrysalis of imagination.
Imagine Bharatanatyam being performed to the backdrop of Childish Gambino’s This is America.
You can’t?
Then if you are in greater Jo’burg, book your tickets here and meet me at the Lesedi Theatre on November 13th and 14th 2026 where I’ll be hosting a post-production discussion with the creators.
Walking the dead
David Bowie’s haunting 2013 song Where are We Now? is a reflection on life, survival and what it takes to survive. “As long as there’s rain …,” Bowie writes. But rain is something we cannot take for granted any longer. For millions either it’s not there or it comes in bombs.
Migrate or starve.
In an interview with the New York Times Peter Thiel, one of the richest and most powerful (unelected) sociopaths in the world, couldn’t give a clear answer about whether he wants the human species to survive. Because of his wealth Thiel thinks he, and other Tech-bro bastards, have an escape route from planetary chaos. They might.
You and I don’t.
Our survival depends on each other. On our values. On our solidarity.
On knowing who we are, individually and collectively.
On knowing what we want to survive, and why.
In this recent essay, A radical love letter to the Constitution, I confront what I think is necessary South Africa’s social justice centred Constitution to survive.
In this personal Exit Interview with Dignity SA, a campaign to support dignity and autonomy in death, I answered questions about what I hope will survive beyond me: my family, my loves, the beauty of a wild, wild planet.
Survival is worth the fight.
Love and Peace,
Mark
Heywood
This newsletter aims to be a resource as much as a read. Follow the links. Listen to the musical accompaniment. Written and researched by a human being. No AI agent involved.
The Justice and Activism Hub is a change tank for a time of change. We are committed to strengthening social justice struggles through connection, collaboration, coordination, convening and catalysing.
News from JAH is available here on Substack. The playlist of songs that I feature is available here. If you enjoyed this newsletter please forward it to other soul rebels. You can also contact me at markjamesheywood@gmail.com