holdenn93's review against another edition
5.0
Basically this book taught me about the widespread use of shock tactics by dirty politicians, where they exploit the immediate public shock following a tragic event to force in their policies and make a change to suit their agenda because everyone is too busy being shocked by the event to focus on anything else, and how Trump thrives off these shock tactics. Klein's solution is immediate widespread solidarity of the people to the threat.
elnatnal's review against another edition
5.0
Really great. Highlights the intersectionality of all the things that have occurred to get to a societal point of where the United States is (relatively recent), some ways to see the system as a whole. Most inspiring and the call to action was to come up with a plan to say yes to, thinking of what the preferred big future could be and saying yes towards that (with a clear plan). More and more inspiring, encouraging, and needed coming to the close of the book.
jamrock's review against another edition
5.0
The concluding chapter of this book begins with the following quote: “The hour calls for optimism; we’ll save pessimism for better times.” — Jean-Claude Servais and I can't think of a better mission statement for the current times.
I am so annoyed at myself for taking so long to read this book. I started it in 2017 with the hardback edition and just finished it this week. I know we joke about my "under active brain" and my inability to read non-fiction but jeez!
The book starts with an exploration of how Trump gamed the system other "hollow brands" had mastered before him and I got so mad reading every chapter that I would end up just waving my fist at the sky or shouting into my Twitter echo-chamber. In doing so it took me three years to get the crucial last section of the book which is where the articulation of optimism began and made me realise that, as the title suggests, saying "no" to Trumpism (and associated extremism) is not enough.
In part I am pleased to see this partially expressed in culture-hacking resistance (Trumps' rally plans being foiled by the #TikTokTeens and #KpopAllies is a great example). In reality though this only inflames the culture war that is dividing people who should be united.
It's time to stop pointing out the obvious dystopia and start following the example of the working class movements of the Great Depression era who were well versed in W.E.B. Du Bois' utopian vision of a pan-working class, bi-racial movement transforming an unjust economic system.
This is what always frustrates me about people who equate "intersectionalism" with some sort of "hard left radical agenda" when it is about accepting that we can't work in silos on combatting the climate change deniers, the wealth extracting oligarchs and those that would deny black people and women their human rights, all the issues intersect.
I took a lot from this book and now need to understand how I can start properly applying myself to being part of the solution rather than just railing against the status quo.
I am so annoyed at myself for taking so long to read this book. I started it in 2017 with the hardback edition and just finished it this week. I know we joke about my "under active brain" and my inability to read non-fiction but jeez!
The book starts with an exploration of how Trump gamed the system other "hollow brands" had mastered before him and I got so mad reading every chapter that I would end up just waving my fist at the sky or shouting into my Twitter echo-chamber. In doing so it took me three years to get the crucial last section of the book which is where the articulation of optimism began and made me realise that, as the title suggests, saying "no" to Trumpism (and associated extremism) is not enough.
In part I am pleased to see this partially expressed in culture-hacking resistance (Trumps' rally plans being foiled by the #TikTokTeens and #KpopAllies is a great example). In reality though this only inflames the culture war that is dividing people who should be united.
It's time to stop pointing out the obvious dystopia and start following the example of the working class movements of the Great Depression era who were well versed in W.E.B. Du Bois' utopian vision of a pan-working class, bi-racial movement transforming an unjust economic system.
This is what always frustrates me about people who equate "intersectionalism" with some sort of "hard left radical agenda" when it is about accepting that we can't work in silos on combatting the climate change deniers, the wealth extracting oligarchs and those that would deny black people and women their human rights, all the issues intersect.
I took a lot from this book and now need to understand how I can start properly applying myself to being part of the solution rather than just railing against the status quo.
stephen11's review against another edition
4.0
Helpful as we begin to transition from just saying NO, to providing a vision people can say YES to. We just can't play defense and hold ground, we have to provide something to look forward to. Although this book is important for the current state, I found it wasn't as gripping as The Shock Doctrine, the author's blockbuster earlier work. But then she admits she rushed this to the publisher, knowing that time is of the essence!
rltinha's review against another edition
4.0
OMG the Trump phenomenon!… there are no optimistic last notes able to stop me from just curling up in the fetal position in total despair.