Last month, we shared the origins of the new card deck Beautiful Trouble. This week, we’re following up with a second installment, on the philosophy and purpose of the game.
The Philosophy of Beautiful Trouble
The new card deck Beautiful Trouble aims to inspire people to get creative with their activism approaches and implement art into advocacy.
The book, the toolbox, and the game of the same name were created thanks to the collaborative efforts of a global grassroots network of artists and activists that have dedicated themselves to making non-violent social changes take flight.
On top of making a useful tool, the activists behind the game’s creation wanted to make a fun way to learn, an approach that works for everyone. Whether users are getting exposed to activism efforts for the first time in their lives or they’re just hoping to get unstuck as they plan, Beautiful Trouble is there to support.
The cards tell stories and present lessons in a way that sticks with people who play the game. Beautiful Trouble’s creators hope it can spark energy for those working hard for change.
During difficult times, when individuals and groups are struggling to make their voices heard, it can be challenging to keep creative ideas flowing and spirits thriving in a positive manner.
The activists that created Beautiful Trouble did so in the hopes that they were presenting tools for fellow advocates that allowed them to try new things. The card deck is intended to help people discover what does and doesn’t work.
The game gives social justice activists a way to practice their tactics, develop their strengths, and have fun bonding with their group along the way. When fighting against oppression can weigh so heavily on hearts and minds, Beautiful Trouble offers a respite, introducing creativity, play, spontaneity, and innovation.
Why Make Beautiful Trouble?
There is always a place for activism. Whenever or wherever you are in the world, passionate people have been inspired to get together and strive for change.
Anyone can make beautiful trouble – that’s the premise of Beautiful Trouble. The game game that suits people of all walks of life who are pursuing a myriad of different goals.
A century of nonviolent tactics went into the source material for the strategic deck. It’s not only a fun adventure to bring to a game night session, but gets creative thought processes flowing, fostering an environment that allows players to think creatively, plan real-world actions, and bring art to their protest efforts.
Playing Beautiful Trouble also gives you the opportunity to support organizations that are worth getting behind.
Beautiful Trouble has also developed Beautiful Rising, a guide that helps activist groups adopt collaborative efforts among their members. It teaches distributed leadership, how to undo power and privilege to share it with the masses, remain non-violent even in the face of violent opposition, enrich communities, and encourage solidarity.
This organization is truly dedicated to providing activists with the tools they need to succeed in their endeavors and make the world around them a better, more equitable place.
The artist-activists behind the movement have taken part in advocacy efforts across the globe for more than a decade, and because of this, their carefully cultivated book, toolbox, and card game contains tried and true tactics that have driven successful campaigns.
At the TESA Collective, we’re excited to see the Beautiful Trouble strategic deck join our catalog of progressive games. We’re proud to make tools that activists of all types can enjoy and utilize to develop new skills. Pick up your copy today.