4 Books Shifting Cultural Paradigms

The past year has brought a spate of books that have left us feeling charged, edified, powerful. As we put this shortlist together, it was hard to choose which to include. We selected these four for their conviction to take on the most critical issues defining our lives today: money and equality, knowing ourselves, dismantling racism and biases, and pushing forward towards a more equitable world. Each of these reads is gold for how they’ll challenge you to think differently and act wholly.

The Good Your Money Can Do by Eva Yazhari

This powerful new book is driven by the mission of our founder, Eva Yazhari, to show us all how we can be more conscious with our decisions, intentional with our lives, and living in accordance with what matters most—and it starts with taking a thoughtful look at aligning our dollars with our values. Too often we separate our purpose from our money but this doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, when we allow ourselves to see the potential our money has to do good, it can radically change our lives and the world. In The Good Your Money Can Do, Becoming a Conscious Investor, Yazhari walks us through her journey of how she shifted her attitudes around her finances and began investing with awareness. Her guidance is eye-opening and her narrative is inspiring. Yazhari’s insight is shifting the old paradigms of money and allowing us to see a brighter path where we can all be conscious investors—and spenders—and thus be individuals who make a positive difference.

Do Better by Rachel Ricketts 

Do Better: Spiritual Activism for Fighting and Healing from White Supremacy is a deeply edifying, commanding, and critical guide for addressing racial inequality and perpetual racism in our world and recognizing the role we all play. Ricketts, a racial justice educator, healer, and spiritual activist, walks us through the spectrum of power and privilege, making sure we, particularly white and white-passing folx, are doing the inner and external work to mitigate the harm we cause and acknowledge the ways we all need to “do better.” It’s a tough book, and one that requires daily examinations of ourselves. It’s also one of the most important to pick up if we are serious about wanting to create liberation and equity for all. 

The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck

Here’s a question to consider: Do you shift and modify who you really are in effort to play a role in society? Martha Beck says that we often do, and it hinders our ability to live fully and completely. In her new book, the The Way of Integrity: Finding the True Path to Yourself, the world-renowned sociologist,  coach, and author shines a bright light on how we can obtain true personal integrity in our lives—which ultimately means, how we can wholly be ourselves. It’s radical and freeing. It’s challenging and life-changing. And as Beck argues, it is the work we need to do to live truly happy and caring lives.

Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong

Writer, poet, and professor Cathy Park Hong writes that our world continually perpetuates harmful stereotypes about Asian Americans. We have seen this for decades upon decades. We’ve also egregiously seen it on the streets of the US in the forms of the recent rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. In Minor Feelings, Hong confronts the lies American society has told her about her identity, and the truths behind how our existence is fueled by racism. Hong shares her personal experience of wrestling with this, shedding light on how motherhood caused her to look deeper at her heritage. This book is honest, raw, harrowing in parts, and necessary.  

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At The Conscious Investor, it is our goal to shed light on topics that we find interesting, inspirational, and educational. Therefore, this article is strictly for inspirational and informational purposes only. It is in no way intended to substitute for professional investment advice, professional financial advice, or general counsel. To the extent that an article features the insight, opinions, or advice of an expert or company, the expressed views are those of the cited person or company and do not necessarily represent The Conscious Investor and its employees or affiliates.