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No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump's Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need by Naomi Klein
jiujensu's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
So I'm waiting on Naomi Klein's Doppleganger (audio) from the library, so I got No Is Not Enough - it was written when Trump was elected. Some is old news - but in many ways, we're repeating it! So you should read it, lol. She's one of a few pubic figures I agree with on most things - a rare stress free listen/read. I love how she connects anti-capitalism, anti-war, healthcare, human rights, feminism, racial justice, environmentalism where many liberals will put several of these in competition. She reassures us that we CAN have nice things! (At the end)
Check this out, though. This quote describes exactly what we're seeing with how Democrats are treating Palestinians. Democrats, both voters and officials, believe they are entitled to the Palestinian and Arab vote, despite US funding genocide and doubling down on discrimination (free speech/assembly/employment). Democrats are preemptively blaming Palestinians for Trump. Go to Mars, i say!
I like the way Michelle Alexander (via Klein) puts it here.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow, came out strongly against Clinton during the primaries, arguing that her track record on criminal justice and welfare meant she did not deserve the Black vote. But she also chose not to publicly endorse Sanders. The most urgent message of the 2016 election, she told me, is: "If progressives think they can win in the long run without engaging meaningfully with Black folks and taking racial history more seriously, they better get Elon Musk on speed dial and start planning their future home on Mars, because this planet will be going up in smoke."
It's a message we need to learn fast. Because if Left populist candidates keep missing the mark, and Democrats keep putting up establishment candidates in their place, there is every reason to expect an increasingly belligerent Right to keep on winning."
~~~~~~~~~~
That last bit is perfect. Trump and his ilk will keep winning if the Dems keep offering up crap centrist candidates with no substance. It won't be black people's fault. It won't be Palestinians' fault. It won't be the fault of idealistic, self-important, performative, uppity leftists like me (or so I've been called) who oppose genocide, apartheid and occupation. The blame rests with the Democratic Party.
In the quote: ~engage meaningfully~ with Palestinians - treat them as equals, oppose genocide, oppose occupation, oppose apartheid, boycott/sanction/embargo Israel until it complies, learn why the two state solution is dead, learn about the one secular democratic state option.
Examine those biases - why don't you accept any Palestinian or Arab news sources as objective or legitimate as CNN, NPR, NYT or even JPost? Why does it take one Israeli death, but 10,000 - 40,000 Palestinian deaths to warrant national attention? Why do you say Israeli self-defense and Palestinian terrorism? Why does Israel 'have a right to exist' but Palestine and Palestinians do not? How can you call it a war when it's against the population you occupy? Why do you share Israeli sources who don't fact check their government propaganda (40 beheaded babies, babies in ovens, most moral army, they don't bomb hospitals, etc) and refuse to share Palestinian journalists on the ground? Why are Israelis hostages, but Palestinians are prisoners? Why do you only start the clock when a rocket lands in Israel (and not at 1918 or 1948 when it began)? Why do you believe Israel is the perpetual victim responding despite the fact that it can turn the electricity and water off at the drop of a hat? Why do you allow Israel self-defense from the people it OCCUPIES, but Palestinians aren't allowed to resist occupation? Why do you demand Palestinians (and the world) recognize Israel as a Jewish only apartheid ethnostate, but do not require everyone to recognize a basic level of humanity or self-determination for Palestinians? Why is Palestinians basic humanity perpetually on trial - we *may* think about talks that will lead to other talks about a possible state IF they do x, y, and z (usually - give up Palestinians right to resist, accept Palestinian administered/funded occupation, and celebrate Israeli generosity when you can have a few disconnected bits of land, no right of return, no control of borders, and of course no real authority).
***Anyway, I know some of you don't think this way (I appreciate you!) - I'm reacting to infuriating to annoying conversations I've had when I was less judicious with my time and social media connections as well as the US media environment generally. What đź—‘.
Check this out, though. This quote describes exactly what we're seeing with how Democrats are treating Palestinians. Democrats, both voters and officials, believe they are entitled to the Palestinian and Arab vote, despite US funding genocide and doubling down on discrimination (free speech/assembly/employment). Democrats are preemptively blaming Palestinians for Trump. Go to Mars, i say!
I like the way Michelle Alexander (via Klein) puts it here.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow, came out strongly against Clinton during the primaries, arguing that her track record on criminal justice and welfare meant she did not deserve the Black vote. But she also chose not to publicly endorse Sanders. The most urgent message of the 2016 election, she told me, is: "If progressives think they can win in the long run without engaging meaningfully with Black folks and taking racial history more seriously, they better get Elon Musk on speed dial and start planning their future home on Mars, because this planet will be going up in smoke."
It's a message we need to learn fast. Because if Left populist candidates keep missing the mark, and Democrats keep putting up establishment candidates in their place, there is every reason to expect an increasingly belligerent Right to keep on winning."
~~~~~~~~~~
That last bit is perfect. Trump and his ilk will keep winning if the Dems keep offering up crap centrist candidates with no substance. It won't be black people's fault. It won't be Palestinians' fault. It won't be the fault of idealistic, self-important, performative, uppity leftists like me (or so I've been called) who oppose genocide, apartheid and occupation. The blame rests with the Democratic Party.
In the quote: ~engage meaningfully~ with Palestinians - treat them as equals, oppose genocide, oppose occupation, oppose apartheid, boycott/sanction/embargo Israel until it complies, learn why the two state solution is dead, learn about the one secular democratic state option.
Examine those biases - why don't you accept any Palestinian or Arab news sources as objective or legitimate as CNN, NPR, NYT or even JPost? Why does it take one Israeli death, but 10,000 - 40,000 Palestinian deaths to warrant national attention? Why do you say Israeli self-defense and Palestinian terrorism? Why does Israel 'have a right to exist' but Palestine and Palestinians do not? How can you call it a war when it's against the population you occupy? Why do you share Israeli sources who don't fact check their government propaganda (40 beheaded babies, babies in ovens, most moral army, they don't bomb hospitals, etc) and refuse to share Palestinian journalists on the ground? Why are Israelis hostages, but Palestinians are prisoners? Why do you only start the clock when a rocket lands in Israel (and not at 1918 or 1948 when it began)? Why do you believe Israel is the perpetual victim responding despite the fact that it can turn the electricity and water off at the drop of a hat? Why do you allow Israel self-defense from the people it OCCUPIES, but Palestinians aren't allowed to resist occupation? Why do you demand Palestinians (and the world) recognize Israel as a Jewish only apartheid ethnostate, but do not require everyone to recognize a basic level of humanity or self-determination for Palestinians? Why is Palestinians basic humanity perpetually on trial - we *may* think about talks that will lead to other talks about a possible state IF they do x, y, and z (usually - give up Palestinians right to resist, accept Palestinian administered/funded occupation, and celebrate Israeli generosity when you can have a few disconnected bits of land, no right of return, no control of borders, and of course no real authority).
***Anyway, I know some of you don't think this way (I appreciate you!) - I'm reacting to infuriating to annoying conversations I've had when I was less judicious with my time and social media connections as well as the US media environment generally. What đź—‘.
philippakmoore's review against another edition
5.0
If you have been left reeling by the events of 2016 - both Brexit and Trump - and have been asking yourself, and those around you, "how the hell did this happen?" then this book gives you the answers. And they are shocking. None of this came out of nowhere, and Klein lays bare, factually and in the harsh light of day, how we got to this place (the role of superbrands in politics is particularly frightening. It will leave you questioning whether democracy still exists at all!). The key takeaway for me is that feeling shocked by the state of the world is not enough - being against Trump and Brexit is not enough. Start advocating for the world you DO want. Speak up for what you DO want to see. Support the politicians who ARE doing good things (there are some of them left). Be the change you want to see, support the change you want to happen. Doing nothing is no longer an option. Because look what happens when people do that!
Absorbing, shocking but also surprisingly empowering, this is the book to read if you've been despairing at the state of the world and want to fight back.
Absorbing, shocking but also surprisingly empowering, this is the book to read if you've been despairing at the state of the world and want to fight back.
alexandrabree's review against another edition
1.0
This book is brutal. Ignore the political front for a minute. Did they even consider editing this? Because it seems like they did a one and done draft all the way.
Klein has clearly been taking hints from LR Hubbard who wrote more garbage than anyone ever.
Moving into the political, this woman has zero stance and contradicts herself constantly, I don’t have a dog in which political “powerhouse” rules but if your going to write a political “hit” piece on Trump/Trumpera maybe it should make a tiny bit of sense. I really wish someone would step up and write a coherent statement on why you should vote for X, instead of the long parade of reasons to vote against a different party. The lesser of two evils is still evil for goodness sake. Hello world grab a brain.
Anyway, I semi-read and then skimmed basically skipping the last half because *puke*
Klein has clearly been taking hints from LR Hubbard who wrote more garbage than anyone ever.
Moving into the political, this woman has zero stance and contradicts herself constantly, I don’t have a dog in which political “powerhouse” rules but if your going to write a political “hit” piece on Trump/Trumpera maybe it should make a tiny bit of sense. I really wish someone would step up and write a coherent statement on why you should vote for X, instead of the long parade of reasons to vote against a different party. The lesser of two evils is still evil for goodness sake. Hello world grab a brain.
Anyway, I semi-read and then skimmed basically skipping the last half because *puke*
yates9's review against another edition
4.0
I found it difficult to read this book because it walks a righteous path that is in many ways unassailable while at the same time does not address the complexity of issues and the risks of unintended consequences.
I am not ultimately sure if the argument is enlightened or faith based. For example at times suggesting we hark back to a native relationship to land but no admission of how realistic this would be with current world population.
Some interesting ideas at the end of the text are a breath of fresh air from the heavy complaints that fill the first 80%.
Overall, I am left skeptical of this approach to persuasion, creation of knowledge and agency for change but admire the desired intent.
I am not ultimately sure if the argument is enlightened or faith based. For example at times suggesting we hark back to a native relationship to land but no admission of how realistic this would be with current world population.
Some interesting ideas at the end of the text are a breath of fresh air from the heavy complaints that fill the first 80%.
Overall, I am left skeptical of this approach to persuasion, creation of knowledge and agency for change but admire the desired intent.
msholyoak's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
A must read for anyone feeling hopeless. A remedy for Doomerism. it's not enough to just say "no". We need to design an image of a possible world, what that makes us say "Yes".