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hazeld's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, and Colonisation
rebcamuse's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.75
It is necessary to take Hersey at her word that this is a manifesto. That can help clear out the discomfort of the lack of structure and repetition--at least a bit. The message is crucial and important, but a how-to book it is not. And that feels a bit frustrating at times. We know what we need more of: love, care, therapy, dreams, DreamSpace, naps, etc (from the list on p. 124). She gives us examples of what "resting can look like": meditation, slow dancing with yourself, not immediately responding to texts and emails". She suggests we begin by detoxing from social media, work on our trauma-informed boundaries, listen more...All of that seems do-able, but does NOT seem to be the ultimate goal of the manifesto. Resistance against and liberation from white capitalist grind culture is crucial, we understand. She clearly says "The time is up for any shallow wellness work that doesn't speak about dismantling the systems that are making us unwell. We must blame and interrogate the systems. They are the problem." (133) That message is repeated over and over again with passion and drive.
What's missing is how our choosing to stand for rest will perhaps impact those who are not empowered or are without agency to do the same. As a privileged white woman, I read her words carefully and thought about how grind culture disproportionately impacts Black women. I thought about how I might be upholding capitalism's reliance upon white supremacist models. But I am forced to wonder what happens when I say NO. Perhaps it is my role to say NO differently, or to different things, than the Black women who are reading the book. But what about the collateral damage? I'm not talking about losing my job--I'm talking about labor. Is it not an act of (white) privilege to decide to "rest" when there is so much work to be done to dismantle the very systems she cites? It is hard to believe that my "no" won't create labor for someone else--possibly someone already disenfranchised by capitalist systems.
Hersey extolls the value of sacred community. And certainly it echoes the proverb "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." But when she said "Individualism is leading us to the path of exhaustion and death," even though I know what she meant, I wanted more discussion of what "individualism" means there. Creativity, which she honors, could be argued to be very much tied to a concept of "individual." And I'm not looking to parse every word. I want to "stand in the gaps for each other" (189) and "be relentless in [my] support and witness" (189) and I didn't come away from reading the book with the strongest sense of how best to do that. I believe that rest will come in to play, yes, but I was struggling with how to reconcile that with activism.
This is an important message, and despite my struggles with the delivery, it is sitting with me. I'm looking for the best way to "spiritually disconnect from the shenanigans of grind culture while physically still living in it" (136). I think it is incumbent upon those of us with privilege to hear her message and think about how we strengthen and support "rest as a reimagined way of life" (136).
What's missing is how our choosing to stand for rest will perhaps impact those who are not empowered or are without agency to do the same. As a privileged white woman, I read her words carefully and thought about how grind culture disproportionately impacts Black women. I thought about how I might be upholding capitalism's reliance upon white supremacist models. But I am forced to wonder what happens when I say NO. Perhaps it is my role to say NO differently, or to different things, than the Black women who are reading the book. But what about the collateral damage? I'm not talking about losing my job--I'm talking about labor. Is it not an act of (white) privilege to decide to "rest" when there is so much work to be done to dismantle the very systems she cites? It is hard to believe that my "no" won't create labor for someone else--possibly someone already disenfranchised by capitalist systems.
Hersey extolls the value of sacred community. And certainly it echoes the proverb "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." But when she said "Individualism is leading us to the path of exhaustion and death," even though I know what she meant, I wanted more discussion of what "individualism" means there. Creativity, which she honors, could be argued to be very much tied to a concept of "individual." And I'm not looking to parse every word. I want to "stand in the gaps for each other" (189) and "be relentless in [my] support and witness" (189) and I didn't come away from reading the book with the strongest sense of how best to do that. I believe that rest will come in to play, yes, but I was struggling with how to reconcile that with activism.
This is an important message, and despite my struggles with the delivery, it is sitting with me. I'm looking for the best way to "spiritually disconnect from the shenanigans of grind culture while physically still living in it" (136). I think it is incumbent upon those of us with privilege to hear her message and think about how we strengthen and support "rest as a reimagined way of life" (136).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
annelihghh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racism, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism
meecespieces's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Slavery
hale7's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.0
Important information, but it could have been an essay. Black Americans in the United States who are the descendants of people who were enslaved have been given significantly less ability to rest than white Americans. The descendants of people who were treated as property are likely going to have complex relationships with owning property (i.e., a business), to say nothing of the difficulty under capitalism for Black people to acquire a business. That means they are disproportionately impacted by the work requirements that prohibit/restrict rest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Colonisation
Moderate: Ableism, Police brutality, and Classism
mads_jpg's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
2.5
I really liked the message of the book and definitely took away some good tactics from it (I've already limited my screen time and social media usage) but the writing itself just didn't land with me. Which is surprising given that it came at the perfect time in my life, as I've been overworked for weeks staying up past midnight ever night. I even fell asleep reading this on the tram at one point.
I found it incredibly repetitive (if I have to see the word "bamboozled" or "portal" one more time) and it frequently referenced other books to the point where I felt like I was reading them instead (Octavia Butler especially). The writing read more like a mantra or wishy-washy meditation, and that might work for some people but I just didn't connect with it. Even though the book has distinct chapters I felt like I was just rereading the last one each time. I think this would've worked better if it was either edited heavily or written as more of a memoir. That being said, I still think people should read it or at least look into the Nap Ministry.
I found it incredibly repetitive (if I have to see the word "bamboozled" or "portal" one more time) and it frequently referenced other books to the point where I felt like I was reading them instead (Octavia Butler especially). The writing read more like a mantra or wishy-washy meditation, and that might work for some people but I just didn't connect with it. Even though the book has distinct chapters I felt like I was just rereading the last one each time. I think this would've worked better if it was either edited heavily or written as more of a memoir. That being said, I still think people should read it or at least look into the Nap Ministry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Grief, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Death, Racial slurs, Violence, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
butlerebecca's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Death of parent
softgalaxy's review
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read in my life. Absolutely life-changing. “Rest is resistance” is a simple phrase that I’ll carry with me for all my days.
This book has confirmed what I’ve felt all my life - that life and people are going too fast. What has changed for me is that I shouldn’t feel ashamed at resting. As a disabled person, rest is how I manage my illnesses, but even medical professionals have told me that I need to “keep going and push forward”.
The answer to my queries is in fact: capitalism is the problem. Always has been.
To refuse capitalism and to rest is what our bodies need to do. We need to dream.
This book has confirmed what I’ve felt all my life - that life and people are going too fast. What has changed for me is that I shouldn’t feel ashamed at resting. As a disabled person, rest is how I manage my illnesses, but even medical professionals have told me that I need to “keep going and push forward”.
The answer to my queries is in fact: capitalism is the problem. Always has been.
To refuse capitalism and to rest is what our bodies need to do. We need to dream.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Slavery and Death of parent
mirandyli's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
Great reminder to be anti-capitalist and rest. Repetitive at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism