Tamsin Omond in a book called ‘Do Earth: Healing Strategies for Humankind’ mentions a kind of healing yardstick – a way to live a life of meaning and purpose in our own estimation that is uniquely subjective and most likely not conflated with the accumulation that is a by-product of capitalism. Tamsin encourages the reader to write a letter from their 80-year-old self- describing what their ideal life looks like. This working backwards from the end point provides the beginnings of a blueprint that we can adhere to, to live a fulfilled life- on our own terms. The list I compiled myself surprised me- focussing very little on accomplishment and more so on health, vitality, reading and meaningful human connection. It brings me to reflect on questions around honesty, integrity and a conscious divestment from the ideals we have become bombarded with and therefore inebriated by, cyclically flashed at us from the vestiges of Western imperialism, meritocratic neoliberal dogma and most harmfully- and rooted in 17th C Age of Enlightenment: the rise of the individual. …