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arch_nemesis's review
challenging
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
ladyeremite's review against another edition
3.0
I agree with the general gist of this book, even though it could be more specific and its assumption that the PMC hates Bernie Sanders is questionable at best. At any rate, one more thing to self-flagellate about!
katmackie's review against another edition
3.0
I’m not sure enough of my thoughts on this subject to write a proper review, but it’s always exciting (and at times uncomfortable) to have my ideas challenged. I wish she contrasted her polemic with some positive accounts of working class organization. In this sense, I wish it wasn’t a polemic at all, but but something more spread out. I think her criticisms lose some of their teeth because they don’t disrupt as much as they appear to. I plan on revisiting this again in the future.
mercedesb's review
2.0
The description of this book as a polemic is accurate. If you are angry and feel like you need a good vent-sesh, this could be for you.
However, I found it lacking.
The titular PMC’s identity changes throughout the book becoming whatever boogeyman the author needs for the point she’s making. Sometimes it’s university students, sometimes it’s mid-level white collar workers, sometimes it’s the financial execs who benefitted from the 2008 financial crisis, and then at other times it’s the wealthiest of wealthy political donors.
There is a lot of talk of class solidarity but no examples of it within the text. Rather than uplift ideas from poor and working class communities, it’s more about self hatred and hatred of the elite. It even goes so far as to dismiss some schools of thought, like intersectionality, that originated in the very communities the author seeks solidarity for.
And finally, I didn’t see any solutions or actions. It really was just critical and nothing else. The book is extremely short so maybe that’s not the point but that’s also what made it not for me.
However, I found it lacking.
The titular PMC’s identity changes throughout the book becoming whatever boogeyman the author needs for the point she’s making. Sometimes it’s university students, sometimes it’s mid-level white collar workers, sometimes it’s the financial execs who benefitted from the 2008 financial crisis, and then at other times it’s the wealthiest of wealthy political donors.
There is a lot of talk of class solidarity but no examples of it within the text. Rather than uplift ideas from poor and working class communities, it’s more about self hatred and hatred of the elite. It even goes so far as to dismiss some schools of thought, like intersectionality, that originated in the very communities the author seeks solidarity for.
And finally, I didn’t see any solutions or actions. It really was just critical and nothing else. The book is extremely short so maybe that’s not the point but that’s also what made it not for me.
foundeasily's review against another edition
1.0
Overly broad to the point of incomprehension. This paints 'the PMC' as whomever the writer wishes and manages to tar both art and academics as inherently elitist. Even as the author tells us she is, and presumes we are, part of the awful class, she chides the thoughtlessness of her peers.
Worse than useless, actively harmful.
Worse than useless, actively harmful.