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lisamchuk's review against another edition
4.0
Just like his other books, this is hard to read but very interesting. This book stands alone but also acts as an update. And like the others, this book is well researched and will make you think, perhaps re-examine a few of your consumer tendancies, or push for change.
hellera's review against another edition
5.0
scary, but a very informative and good read. really changed my mindset on fast-fashion.
leesmyth's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting and informative, if somewhat dismal due to its subject matter. I particularly appreciated the narratives Kara shares from current and former slaves. The author strives for transparency about his definitions and methods, which I found helpful. He also from time to time mentions his personal struggles in dealing with the emotional/mental/spiritual impacts of his work, but does not dwell on that aspect at great length.
Overall, the tone and approach is convincing, fact-based advocacy. But for that very reason, a handful of mildly overblown statements toward the end really stood out for me. Example 1 (end of chapter 7): "We are what we eat, and if we eat the products of slavery, we are slaves." (I would disagree with the premise that we are what we eat, but even if it were true, his conclusion does not logically follow since we are not eating slaves.) Example 2 (start of chapter 8): "As long as there is even one slave in the world, the legitimacy of contemporary civilization is threatened." (Really? Even if that person is in some remote place that "contemporary civilization" hasn't reached? I realize it's a bit of hyperbole, but still.)
Overall, the tone and approach is convincing, fact-based advocacy. But for that very reason, a handful of mildly overblown statements toward the end really stood out for me. Example 1 (end of chapter 7): "We are what we eat, and if we eat the products of slavery, we are slaves." (I would disagree with the premise that we are what we eat, but even if it were true, his conclusion does not logically follow since we are not eating slaves.) Example 2 (start of chapter 8): "As long as there is even one slave in the world, the legitimacy of contemporary civilization is threatened." (Really? Even if that person is in some remote place that "contemporary civilization" hasn't reached? I realize it's a bit of hyperbole, but still.)
ben_sch's review against another edition
Thoughts while reading this:
The world is much scarier than I thought it was. More scary than the "slavery existing" part. There is a section in the book where mafia backed juju priests conduct magic rituals to strip away girls identities and will before they go work in debt bonded prostitution. I didn't realize that deep emotional / spiritual work can be used to harm others in such a way.
That, plus the author's meeting with the juju priests has me questioning morality --- it seems like spiritual access is a morally neutral thing, and that just meditating or whatever won't necessarily make you a good person. That has me far more confused, and suspicious, about how moral and religious precepts are constructed. Are they just as bogus [intellectual fronts for psychological aggression/power] as other ideologies?
About 3/4's of the way through book, in one of the more mild seeming sections, made brain came to a hard stop of some kind I haven't understood fully. One of the major reasons slavery exists is the global inequality, yet with huge numbers of poor people and the cheapness of travel, this means it's super easy. I came away from this section feeling like making "Do no harm" pledges are utterly pointless, because there is always people suffering somewhere down the line, and living totally off the land as a hermit is only possible because of modern technology and governments doing the innovation and protection work for you.
The world is much scarier than I thought it was. More scary than the "slavery existing" part. There is a section in the book where mafia backed juju priests conduct magic rituals to strip away girls identities and will before they go work in debt bonded prostitution. I didn't realize that deep emotional / spiritual work can be used to harm others in such a way.
That, plus the author's meeting with the juju priests has me questioning morality --- it seems like spiritual access is a morally neutral thing, and that just meditating or whatever won't necessarily make you a good person. That has me far more confused, and suspicious, about how moral and religious precepts are constructed. Are they just as bogus [intellectual fronts for psychological aggression/power] as other ideologies?
About 3/4's of the way through book, in one of the more mild seeming sections, made brain came to a hard stop of some kind I haven't understood fully. One of the major reasons slavery exists is the global inequality, yet with huge numbers of poor people and the cheapness of travel, this means it's super easy. I came away from this section feeling like making "Do no harm" pledges are utterly pointless, because there is always people suffering somewhere down the line, and living totally off the land as a hermit is only possible because of modern technology and governments doing the innovation and protection work for you.
drbird's review
Not a bad book but it was too overwhelming and depressing for me to continue. I celebrate Kara’s dedication but my spirit is too weak.
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