A moving manifesto in poems and essays, inviting readers to embrace acts of everyday care as a way of resisting our age of social change, hyper-capitalism, rampant individualism, and loneliness

yes, everyone is struggling right now
so please be gracious

be kind & patient, but subvert
every institution that relies on our suffering

Something isn’t right. Every generation thinks that, but we have more cause than most. The way our society has been constructed is just not good for our bodies, nor our minds, nor our hearts. What possible chance do our souls have?

Yet, amidst all of this, there is an unwavering desire to embrace life in all its facets. In his debut collection, popular Instagram & Substack writer David Gate inspires us to rally for what makes life worth living: creating art as a form of care, living beyond consumer impulse, devotion to our friendships (even the hard ones), and more. This book invites readers to ponder the complexities of self, community, love, and resilience. 

Rejecting the notion that despair and positivity are our only available responses, Gate urges readers to foster deep friendships that challenge social orders and embrace questions of meaning and purpose. For, in his words, "saying something true in a world awash with lies is the first act of rebellion."

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Convergent (JUly 15, 2025)
• ISBN-13: 978-0593602171