Joe's Garage

Sunday January 26, 2025, Radical Sunday School: AI and Discrimination. From 18:00 till 20:00.In recent years, the use of Artificial Intelligence has been growing more and more in our society. This is due to the push for greater efficiency in performing different tasks and, at the same time, the desire to make more objective decisions free from human influence—or so it is claimed. From the judicial and penitentiary systems to tax control, from companies aiming to speed up hiring processes to banks approving loans, AI is being increasingly implemented.

However, the use of AI can often be unfair to certain social groups and may reinforce existing biases, ultimately worsening the living conditions of many people in our society. Just think of the Dutch childcare benefits scandal and its disastrous consequences here in the Netherlands, or the Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions (COMPAS) scandal and its damaging effects in the USA.

During this session of Radical Sunday School, we invite you to join us in discussing this growing issue in our society and the concept of Data Ethics, so we can collectively think about the problem and possible solutions.

Radical Sunday School
radicalsundayschool [at] riseup [dot] net
https://radar.squat.net/en/amsterdam/radical-sunday-school
https://radicalsundayschool.noblogs.org/

Sunday January 19, 2025, Radical Sunday School: Should I take a Holiday? Ethical travel and Global capitalism. From 18:00 till 20:00.Travelling is great! You get to see different places, have a different mindset, relax, explore, have great adventures, try new things, make new friends, learn and develop yourself, and reflect on your place in the world.

Except, it also comes with a lot of problems. Here in Amsterdam, we clearly see that the prices are rapidly rising and the city center is almost unlivable because of tourism, with the expansion of hotels, Airbnb, and the tourism industry. This might be even worse in places like Barcelona, Ibiza, or Malaga, and even more so in tourist hotspots in the global south, like in Thailand, Cambodia, or Costa Rica. On top of this, there’s also the immense environmental impact of travelling, like with the air pollution caused by flights.

But on the other hand, maybe only if we travel, we can learn to understand those problems, and understand people from different cultures and their struggles? And maybe we can even contribute to the local economy and local lives by being there?

In this session of Radical Sunday School we would critically look at traveling and tourism, looking at its benefits and its problems. We would then also look at ‘alternative traveling’ – traveling by bike, hitchhiking, or walking, and think if it’s a better way to do it, for us and for the places we visit. In the end, we hope to have a clearer idea of why and how we want to travel.

Radical Sunday School
radicalsundayschool [at] riseup [dot] net
https://radar.squat.net/en/amsterdam/radical-sunday-school
https://radicalsundayschool.noblogs.org/

Sunday January 12, 2025, Radical Sunday School: Public Intellectuals – Why would anyone listen to Jordan Peterson or Slavoj Žižek? From 18:00 till 20:00.By being involved in various leftist and/or educational spaces, I have noticed quite a few recurring behaviours regarding knowledge production and sharing, that I found somewhat toxic, even if the people exhibiting them, had the best intentions. And, in my immediate environment, I heard similar complaints from others over the years. By now, I had enough experiences to understand, interpret, and even handle these issues in my day-to-day life, at least to the extent that I can organise a discussion around the topic.
So, this evening, I invite everyone to share their experiences with toxic behaviours regarding knowledge and learning in communities, and think about potential solutions for these problems together.

Radical Sunday School
radicalsundayschool [at] riseup [dot] net
https://radar.squat.net/en/amsterdam/radical-sunday-school
https://radicalsundayschool.noblogs.org/

Sunday January 5, 2025, Radical Sunday School: Reflections & Resolutions. From 18:00 till 20:00.For our first session in 2025, we would like to invite you all to look back on the sessions we did in 2024, and look forward the things you would like to see or do with Radical Sunday School in 2025!
Radical Sunday School
radicalsundayschool [at] riseup [dot] net
https://radar.squat.net/en/amsterdam/radical-sunday-school
https://radicalsundayschool.noblogs.org/

Sunday December 15, 2024, Radical Sunday School: Anarchist Sex Ed. Doors open at 17.30, we start sharp at 18.00! Radical (&) Queer Mingle (the after Sex Ed. Session) from 20:00. From the moment we entered schools and churches, we have been limited. We have been deprived of the endless possibilities of sex, gender, and relationships; forced to consider cis/hetero/mono/amatonormativity as the standard – and everything else as perversion.
In tonight’s Sex Ed session we ask ourselves: How has the dominant educational system prevented us from learning about our bodies, our relationships, and the full spectrum of gender, sex, and sexuality? What have we missed by only seeing the same old boring cis/hetero/mono/amatonormative perspectives on sexual experience? What would an anarchist approach to sex education look like? And much more…
Let’s learn about sex together!

From 20:00, Radical (&) Queer Mingle (the after Sex Ed. Session)

You survived the education — now it’s time for the after party. From theory to practice, join us for a night of radical love, queer liberation, and unabashed joy. No cops, no cops in your heads, no shame, no binary, no masters (unless consensual, of course), no cameras allowed!
What to bring: your full, authentic self, something to share, revolutionary spirit (but hold the tankies), dancing shoes — or just go barefoot for the revolution.
Music: come by with an instrument in hand for the Radical (&) Queer Open mic/jam session!
Remember, pleasure is resistance, community is power, every kiss is a riot.
We promote safe sex, come, grab and share Radical Sunday School flavored goodies!
Full accessibility info available. Care team on-site — reach out if you need.
Let’s make magic together. See you in the glow of liberation!

Radical Sunday School
radicalsundayschool [at] riseup [dot] net
https://radar.squat.net/en/amsterdam/radical-sunday-school
https://radicalsundayschool.noblogs.org/

Sunday December 8, 2024, Radical Sunday School: Nationalism and Invented Traditions. From 18:00 till 20:00.Coming just in time for the end of Sinterklaas, Radical Sunday School invites you to join us as we learn a bit about invented traditions, and the way they shape how we look at ourselves and our communities. We’ll be sitting down to chat with a scholar of nationalism about not only the silly aspects of ridiculous holidays and made-up cuisine, but also the darker connections between these nationalist projects and the recent rise of the far right in Western politics. Join us this Sunday as we learn about the stories we tell ourselves, the myth of “tradition”, and the joys of cultural diversity!

Radical Sunday School
radicalsundayschool [at] riseup [dot] net
https://radar.squat.net/en/amsterdam/radical-sunday-school
https://radicalsundayschool.noblogs.org/

Sunday November 24, 2024, Radical Sunday School: Autonomy, Authority, Anarchism, and Abuse: What does (un)freedom feel like? From 18:00 till 20:00.What does it feel like to be controlled? Why would a person seemingly “let” someone else, or an entire group of people, make decisions for them?

In this week’s session of Radical Sunday School, we’re going to talk about a difficult topic: controlling relationships. So-called “partner abuse”, “high-control groups” (aka cults), and even totalitarian states are all examples of a dangerous kind of social control that is unfortunately common in our world. We’ll discuss some of the common signs of this kind of abuse, the psychology that seems to be behind it, and the ways that anarchist principles might help us fight against it. As we learn together about what’s been called “the killing of the self”, we’ll try to support each other with insights from diverse anarchists and antifascists, philosophers and therapists. Most importantly, we want to hear from anyone who has ever lived through an experience like this: how have you learned to get away from this kind of social control, and how can we help each other to live free?

Radical Sunday School
radicalsundayschool [at] riseup [dot] net
https://radar.squat.net/en/amsterdam/radical-sunday-school
https://radicalsundayschool.noblogs.org/

Sunday November 17, 2024, Radical Sunday School, Anarchism 101: Everything you’ve always wanted to know about anti-authoritarian socialism (but were too afraid to ask) . From 18:00 till 20:00.Anarchism comes in as many varieties as there are and have been anarchists. Yet, we do have some concepts in common, even if not all of us do use the same words. – P.S.

Have you been hearing about anarchism in the news, but you don’t know where to start? Curious about the “circle-A” or the cool red-and-black aesthetic? Maybe you’ve seen some famous names, but don’t feel like worshipping some old dead white guy? Well, lucky for you, Radical Sunday School is here to help. In this week’s session, we’ll talk with an experienced comrade about some of the basic ideas of anarchism and try to tease out what some of this “libertarian socialism” is all about. We’ll learn about things like:

– Authority and hierarchy
– Capitalism and the state
– Freedom and autonomy
– Mutual aid and free association
– Federation and decentralization

Whether you’re a seasoned revolutionary, a complete newbie, or just a little anarcho-curious, we’re happy to have you as we learn together about our favorite political practice!

Radical Sunday School
radicalsundayschool [at] riseup [dot] net
https://radar.squat.net/en/amsterdam/radical-sunday-school
https://radicalsundayschool.noblogs.org/