Katy Murray aka katycatalyst

RESIST: Joy Filled Stories for Dystopian Days

Society EN ↓ 7 episodes

Resist: Joy-Filled Stories for Dystopian Days is an antidote to scarcity, gloom, and despair through “microdoses of joy” - discover how anti-dystopian/ utopian stories can resource us for nervous-system reset and imagining liveable futures for all peoples and planet. Featuring deep dives into Jacob Tierney's Crave and HBO break out hit show Heated Rivalry and Anais Mitchell's award winning musical Hadestown.

Author

Katy Murray aka katycatalyst

Episodes

Episode 7: Resistance as DANCE - Joy, Nervous System Healing, and the Politics of the Dance Floor 24.06.2026 27:44

Welcome to Joy Filled Stories for Dystopian Days Episode 7 - I’m tracing how music and movement's shaped my life from childhood car singalongs and ballet auditions, to charismatic worship, festivals, sober raves and community dance spaces. Why dancing is so good for us, how the dance floor metabolises body self-consciousness, comparison and ‘the gaze’, EDM’s roots in liberation and struggle,...

Resistance as JOY: Staying Steady through Turbulent Times 09.06.2026 26:13

Welcome to Joy Filled Stories for Dystopian Days and today we’re diving into Resistance as JOY. What does JOY have to do with the rise of the far right, climate instability and ageing...? What if joy is not denial, a luxury, or the absence of grief, but a practical antidote to despair, that helps us stay human, steady, and resourced for collective resistance against oppressive systems. This upl...

Episode 5: Why RESIST? Met Gala, Nexus of Power, and Daily Acts of Resistance 09.05.2026 19:40

I’m spiralling after scrolling Met Gala pics, and confessing the mirror moments it brings up for me. We explore what we mean by resistance, how we can start small, build a rhythm, and feel connected in community. This episode is raw and a bit rougher round the edges - let’s go! 🌟If you’re enjoying the pod, subscribe, add a rating/ review, and share with a friend! 💪🏼Join me (Katy) and Sukanya f...

Episode 3: Hadestown Part 1 - Numbness, Activation and Resistance 27.04.2026 26:25

How do we stay positive in challenging times, what role does creativity, grief and solidarity play? Welcome to 'Joy-Filled Stories for Dystopian Days', exploring Anaïs Mitchell and Rachel Chavkin’s award-winning, magical, mythical musical ‘Hadestown’ and the mirror it holds up for us in this social and political moment. What does this show have to say to us about hope and optimism, doubt and gri...

Episode 4 Hadestown Part 2: Seasons, Self-Talk and Solidarity 27.04.2026 31:02

How can living seasonally help us experience more joy? Do the Fates live inside our heads? How do we stay tender, connected and human in these days? And why do we have to keep ‘singing it again’? We’re livin' it up on top with part 2 of our deep dive into the joy-filled story of Anaïs Mitchell and Rachel Chavkin’s award-winning, magical, mythical musical ‘Hadestown’. Let’s dive back in! 00:00...

Episode 1: Why Joy-Filled Stories for Dystopian Days 15.04.2026 8:54

We’re counteracting the heaviness of these days with a micro-dose of joy! We’re diving into anti dystopian and utopian stories, what these are unlocking and enabling, and why they're a balm in these times we’re living through. Why we don't need more dystopian narratives that normalize violence and the inevitability of authoritarianism, here we're exploring stories that reimagine liva...

Episode 2 - Heated Rivalry 15.04.2026 22:39

Why “Heated Rivalry” Is a Joy-Filled, Anti-Dystopian Love Story (and Why Straight White Men Should Watch It) hi I'm Katy Murray and welcome to my mini-series 'joy-filled stories for dystopian days', in this episode exploring why viewers are so obsessed with queer hockey show Heated Rivalry (Crave/HBO), created by Jacob Tierney, starring Hudson Williams, Connor Storrie, Francois Arnaud,...