"We need new, desirable narratives"
"Sobriety is not a punishment. It's a compass for lives that have more taste, more connection, more meaning." That's how Julien Vidal sums up his commitment. Founder of the Ça commence par moi movement and of the 2030 Glorieuses podcast, his mission is to propose alternative narratives to that of infinite growth. He believes that our times do not need yet another action plan, but rather desirable stories. Stories that make us want to act, that feed our imaginations, that project us into a gentler, fairer, more habitable future. With 2030 Glorieuses, he invites us to dream collectively, seriously and joyfully. And to make that dream a starting point.
" We want to create an active utopia"
But we still need to feel legitimate to dream, and sufficiently supported to make it a reality. This is the purpose of the 2030 Glorieuses workshops, now run by over 400 volunteer guides across France. For two hours, these workshops invite participants to think outside the box, to project a society that would be good for themselves and others. And every time, the same surprise: "On my own, I'd never have dared go so far". For behind the pedagogical approach lies a powerful experience: that of reconnecting with the collective, with momentum, with a rediscovered form of freedom. Not a naïve utopia, but an active utopia that truly transforms.
" Joy is more powerful than anxiety"
Moreover, rather than sobriety, Julien prefers to speak of frugality: a softer, happier, more grounded word. He doesn't believe in sad deconsumerism or guilt-tripping. He believes in the power of joy, the energy of the imagination, the vital need to act together. And in the idea that it is precisely in a constrained world that the most beautiful ideas can emerge. Among her favorite resources: the luminous stories of Éditions de la mer salée, the thoughts of Satish Kumar, and the music of Xavier Rudd, which reconnect us to life. These are all points of reference for reinventing our stories, our ties, our ways of inhabiting the world.
Did you know?
What if we started by recognizing our collective dependence on consumption? This is the challenge of Capitalistes Anonymes, a workshop devised by Julien Lamy. Inspired by discussion groups, it proposes a lucid and humorous approach to our contradictions. Because to change, we first have to look ourselves in the face, no?
