McSweeney’s List (12 August 2026)
While discussing attachment styles is all the rage, there's always the flip side. In this case, it's the concept of detachment, but as this one doesn't have any memes about different styles, detachment can get muddy fast.
See, in spiritual circles, detachment isn't about feeling nothing. It isn't the same as the psychopathy of serial killers, nor is about the crass compartmentalization performed by fuck bois. It's a nuanced, even gentle, approach to life, one where you move with the knowledge that all of this is temporary, and none of this is ours.
At its meditative core, detachment is about our own temporal nature: In the words of Sadhguru, you are not your body, you are not even your mind. (It's got a good rhythm to it; you can use it as a meditation, inhaling on the body part, exhaling on the mind bit). We, as painfully aware creatures, must come to terms with the fact that our minds are made of memories, chemicals, and synapses, and these bodies are strictly loaners.
That's the big stuff. Accomplishing that first is bound to lead to detachment, but can slip all too easily into nihilism. That's not at all the goal. Rather it is to remind us that our experiences -- both good and bad -- are temporary blips. Our unceasing attachment to wealth, clout, and material comforts, can only serve to distract us from the bigger picture: that we take none of it with us, because none of it is ours.
The first two Four Noble Truths of Buddhism state that suffering is inherent to life, and suffering is caused by attachment. We suffer because we think everything is ours (or should be), and that everything will last as it is (or should). But that's not the nature of this ride that we're on. Certainly you know people with money, status, all the trappings, but no peace in their hearts. They are ever working longer hours, chasing more, desiring more, still wondering why they don't feel what they expected when they hit their latest profit target. They get the partner they believe their friends will covet, the car that will turn heads, and wonder why they still feel empty.
Of course, you don't even have to go as far as that to understand attachment. We're all subject to wanting that thing, whatever the current sparkly desire is. The outfit that will ostensibly change who you are when you walk in the room, the gadget that will change your life, the partner who will fill in your blanks. We crave, and hustle, acquire, and then quickly forget. Because none of that externalized stuff can scratch the itch, quench the thirst, or truly alter our paths.
That's where stepping into detachment can really shift perspectives. Sure, the material world has a million blisses to offer, and they're fine to enjoy. The damage comes when we elevate their status, or try to hold them too hard. You can't have your cake and eat it too: you can either have your cake and enjoy staring at it, or you can eat it. Either way, if you cry because you can't have cake today, you're too attached to your pastry.
If we understand that we have limited control over outcomes -- that tragedy strikes even the most virtuous lives, and that fortunes both good and bad befall everyone -- we see why detachment matters. We must not only detach ourselves from our expectations of outcome, but also learn (usually the hard way) that we shouldn't take anything personally.
All our efforts do not guarantee positive outcomes, and good things do happen to bad people. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try, or that we shouldn't endeavor to be good. The way we grow through earnest effort allows us the strength of character and perspective to make it through the storms of our failures and losses. It allows us to recognize the good fortune of our successes, aware that it might've been otherwise, and that even our successes are temporary gifts to be treasured while they last.
Because yes, the good things do pass. We've all seen relationships end, and lamented that they didn't last longer. We tsk and shake our heads, saying how we thought they'd last the long haul. But how long is that haul? Forever doesn't exist (despite its persistent place in our language), so jobs, relationships, and weather patterns really only ever last as long as they should, or can. If we attach ourselves to their perceived permanence (till death do is part, or the delicious feeling that summer will never end), we set ourselves up for disappointment.
A favorite parable of mine is the story of a guru teaching a young student. One day, the guru grabs the child’s hair. The child, caught off guard and acting instinctively, tries to pull away, thrashing this way and that. “Ow! Stop pulling my hair!” he cries finally. The guru remains calm, hair in hand. “No,” he says. “I am holding your hair; you are pulling.” And that's the story of how we create our own suffering more often than not.
Detachment helps us to quell our own reactions, providing the distance in which we might realize, “my hair is being held, and it is up to me whether or not I pull”. That small moment will allow you to change both how you respond, and how you feel about the moment itself. It lets us step outside of a moment and see it from a different vantage point. If someone loses their cool on you out of the blue, it's easy to have your feelings hurt and/or retaliate against their audacity by telling them they're a weiner. It's harder – and more evolved, and a detachment practice – to instead realize that them showing their ass is a statement about them, not you, regardless of the accusations they hurl. The Buddha reminded us that a gift not accepted remains with the giver, and so goes with anger and insults.
By the same token, when we detach from our own feelings, we recognize their transient nature. We still feel the feeling, but we see it as weather moving through the sky. When we're happy, we know this too shall pass, but also when we're impatient, frustrated, or ready to lose our tempers. With that in place, we can choose how to react, experiencing a sense not unlike hindsight in the moment. How will I wish I handled this once the moment has passed?
Detachment is knowing that it's not your monkey, and not your circus (I prefer not my Cirque, not my Soleil). And it works for the great things too. It reminds us to care for the aforementioned monkey while we have it, knowing that one day we’ll look back and say hey, remember that time I had a monkey for a minute? It reminds us that this whole wacky world and everything in it is on loan to us for only a moment – the good, the bad, the scary, and the hairy. And that's just the kind of perspective that allows us to change how we act while we're here.
GROW WITH US: Call for Writers
If you are obsessed with Montreal's music, dance, or visual art scenes, we want to give you the platform, and the tools, to write about it. 🎨✨
Forget The Box(.ca) is Montreal's most devoted online arts magazine, covering and amplifying ground level, underground, and marginalized art. We are the main project of Forget The Box Media, a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization. 🏛️
We are looking for people who are passionate about Montreal's arts community! Whether you're a seasoned journalist, an aspiring critic, or an artist who wants to pivot to writing, we provide the support to help you shape your ideas, alongside a dedicated platform to get your work published and read by the local community. 🫂
As we expand our coverage, we're looking to recruit writers interested in three vital sectors: music 🎸 everything from DIY loft shows and underground releases to local indie labels pushing boundaries; dance 💃 everything from street and contemporary, to experimental movement that defines Montreal's physical spaces; and visual art 🖼️ highlighting the indie galleries, street art, and artist-run centres that make up our city's creative ecosystem.
Forget The Box(.ca) offers writers:
💰 Honorariums
🧠 Writing Workshops
👥 One-on-one mentorship
🎟️ Access to local art events
📣 A Platform
🤝 Community
🚀 Open doors to larger publications
You don't need a big portfolio to start. If you have thoughts on local music, dance, or visual art, and want to spotlight some of the great work of local artists, reach out to us! 👋
📷 First photo: Provided by @growvemtl at @turbo_haus
📷 Second photo: Provided by @wafdcreations, taken by @susanmossphotography, featuring performers Rémy Saminadin, Nindy Banks, and Marie-Reine Kabasha
📷 Third photo: Provided by @wip.works, featuring work by @alexis1million
How to Apply: 📬
To get started, send an email to our Creative Director, Andrew Jamieson, at andrew@forgetthebox.ca. Tell us a bit about yourself, why you want to cover the scene, and any relevant experience you might have (experience is not required). 📩
ON NOW! WORLD’S SMALLEST COMEDY FESTIVAL #4
In a city known around the world for comedy, one of Montreal’s most enduring grassroots comedy success stories started with something pretty simple: a microphone, a corner of an Irish pub, and a few comedians who just kept showing up. You know it now as World's Smallest Comedy Night.
Every August, for eight nights, a corner of Hurley’s Irish Pub becomes home to one of Montreal’s most eclectic comedy festivals. Stand-up. Trivia. Music. Crowd work. Crafting. Wrestling. Surprise guests. New comics. Comedy veterans. Somehow, it all makes sense.
The annual World’s Smallest Comedy Festival returns for its fourth edition – now through August 17 – with 16 shows over seven days. This year offers up a who’s who of Montreal comedy, with both established and new producers putting on funny shows for every taste.
The good times all go down at Hurley’s. Check the listings and get all your tickets here!
TRIVIA TONIGHT!
This is bound to be one of the biggest nights of the World's Smallest Comedy Festival, as the Jay and Joey Trivia Show takes over the festival for an unforgettable night of laughs, competition, prizes, and questionable knowledge.
For years, Wednesday night trivia has been a cornerstone of the World's Smallest community, bringing together comedians, regulars, and trivia obsessives for a weekly battle of wits.
This special festival edition features legendary hosts Joey Elias and Jay Farrar, the voices behind Montreal's most iconic Trivia Show.
Now, Joey—a veteran stand-up comedian and broadcaster with more than 30 years in the business—and Jay, the show's longtime producer and resident trivia mastermind, bring that same energy to the World's Smallest stage.
Whether you're a trivia champion, a comedy fan, or just someone who knows a surprising amount about obscure Canadian history, join us for one of the festival's most cherished traditions.
WHAT: Jay and Joey Trivia Show
WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1
WHEN: Thursday, June 25 @ 8 PM
METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)
TICKETS: Eventbrite
A TOAST TO THE FEST!
Toast'Er is an all-women comedy showcase unlike any other, where comedians don't roast each other—they toast each other.
And this time round, it's in the World's Smallest Comedy fest!!!
Hosted by Dawn McSweeney, this celebration of comedy, friendship, and good vibes features comedians pairing off for hilarious compliment battles, attempting to out-praise and out-hype one another in front of a live audience. Between the toast-offs, audiences will enjoy stand-up sets from an incredible lineup of performers.
This edition features ShoSho Abotouk, Dayna Lieberman, Ceecee Huys, Sarah Meleika, Flo Penicaud, and Dawn Ford!
Part comedy show, part positivity experiment, and entirely unlike anything else at the festival, Toast'Er 4 promises a night of kindness, camaraderie, and absolutely relentless laughter.
Come celebrate the fourth edition of this World's Smallest favorite and experience a comedy show where everyone leaves feeling a little bit better about themselves.
WHAT: Toast’Er! #4
WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1
WHEN: Thursday, August 13 @ 8 PM
METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)
TICKETS: Eventbrite
🎼 IN THE END, IT DOESNT REALLY MATTER
In The End, It’s All The Same Thing is a journey by Hermanos Riffo Gómez that explores the tree of life, genetic ancestry, and the shared memories of two brothers.
The work begins in an immersive environment inspired by the artists’ native Chile, moving through the Andes, tree branches, and abandoned spaces. Slowly, microorganisms take over the landscape. Captured live through a microscope installed in the dome, cells fill the space and transform into a visual material that intertwines with familial memories.
A sensitive meditation on belonging and the entanglement of time.
WHAT: In The End, It’s All The Same Thing
WHERE: SAT - Society for Arts & Technology, 1201 St. Laurent Blvd., Montréal, QC H2X 2S6
WHEN: Wednesday, August 12 @ 6 PM
METRO: Saint-Laurent (Green)
TICKETS: Tixr
CAN I GET A DAY OF THE WEEK FROM THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE?
There are three guarantees in life...
1. Death
2. Taxes
3. An improv show every Thursday at Theatre VME
Whether rain, snow, holiday or orgy, you can bet your rear that The Every Thursday Improv show will be live and in living colour!
The only thing that ain't for sure? What we plan on doing!
Each week, the formats, concepts and plans change.
Oh hell yeah.
PLEASE NOTE:
Unfortunately, Theatre VME is located on the 2nd floor of our building and is only reachable via one staircase. If you need any assistance or support getting to the show or if you have any questions at all please email us at variationsmileendimprov@gmail.com
WHAT: The Every Thursday Improv Show!
WHERE: Variations Mile End /Theatre VME 5337 St. Laurent Blvd., Montreal, H2T 1S5
WHEN: Every Thursday, Doors @ 815 PM, Show @ 830 PM
METRO: Laurier (Orange)
TICKETS: Eventbrite
DANCE THROUGH THE CHAOS
Every now and then, everything has to burn.
The old falls away.
The skin changes.
A new cycle begins.
Kumbionik returns for a night of transformation — where barrio bass, mutant cumbia, raw electronics, and ancestral rhythms collide on the dancefloor.
Not an escape from chaos.
A celebration inside it.
Through sound, movement, and connection, we create the future together.
Turn the volume up.
Open the body.
Dance the birth of the next sun.
Featuring Orihuela MSS, Ruido Selecto, Taco Sudado, Sonido Furia, Culturalex, Softwarewolfe, Shame, and Violeta.
Come dance the rebirth.
WHAT: Kumbionik Reborn Edition
WHERE: Esc, 2023 Boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2X 2T3
WHEN: Saturday, August 15 @ 8 PM
METRO: Place-des-Arts (Green)
TICKETS: Kumbionik
GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE
A walking tour that smashes through the “tourist gaze” to reveal the area’s hidden histories, glossed-over facade.
The Colonial Secrets of Old Montreal Walking Tour smashes through the “tourist gaze” to reveal the area’s hidden histories, glossed-over facts and dark truths.
Starting at Pointe-à-Callière Museum, the site of the Ville-Marie Fort of 1642, the tour takes guests to the most notorious colonial places in Old Montreal.
These include Place-Royale, the Old Seminary, and the Place D’Armes. We also visit the site of the old Hotel-Dieu Hospital and conclude the tour at the place where colonial authorities executed a black slave woman in 1734.
The tour is approximately 90 minutes and is hosted by guides with lived experience.
If you enjoy the tour, please consider tipping the guides!
Lastly, a trigger warning: this tour features dark stories of colonial violence and graphic descriptions of numerous brutal atrocities.
This is a presentation of Hidden Montreal, Haunted Montreal's new sister company. Stay tuned for more details about other Hidden Montreal tours!
WHAT: Colonial Secrets of Old Montreal Walking Tour
WHERE: Meet in front of Pointe-à-Callière, 350 Place Royale, Montreal, H2Y 3Y5
WHEN: Saturday, August 15 @ 2 PM
METRO: Place-d’Armes (Orange)
TICKETS: Eventbrite
