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No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump's Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need by Naomi Klein
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.
rltinha's review
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.
colin_cox's review against another edition
5.0
No Is Not Enough is a persuasive diagnosis of neoliberal politics and economic principles and a prescription for moving beyond a global neoliberal regime. Like The Shock Doctrine, No Is Not Enough explores how the contours of shock tactics create the conditions for abuse, degradation, and profiteering by the established order. Like the Bush administration two decades ago, the Trump administration is not unique. Instead, as Klein argues, the Trump administration is the signifier for neoliberalism's most abusive and destructive tactics. No one embodies all that is wrong with neoliberalism like Trump (from exploitative labor practices to hetero-patriarchial white supremacy). If lucky, the Trump administration is neoliberalism's zenith and twilight.
The climate crisis features heavily in No Is Not Enough. As Klein suggests, we cannot fully reckon with the abuses of neoliberalism unless we unpack the illogic of environmental degradation in the pursuit of profit. This follows the logic of an old joke about capitalists: if you say to a capitalist, "I want to shoot you," they will respond, "just wait, I have a gun to sale you." But as Klein details, this illogic is far from surprising. What we see or saw with Trump was skepticism regarding climate change, which makes complete sense when profit motives are someone's primary drive. Despite what many of its adherents might say, this suggests that capitalism is far from logical, natural, reasonable, or ethical. Instead, unyielding adherence to neoliberalism is profoundly unnatural; otherwise, how might we explain the dramatic shifts in our planet's climate?
While the solutions Klein describes are robust and multi-faceted, the broader contours are best understood as an intersection of collective action, conservation, and ethical consumption. Of course, moving beyond capitalism requires more than this, and the fruits of this labor may come long after my lifetime. Still, Klein's analysis offers an enduring assessment of how we can and should move beyond neoliberalism.
The climate crisis features heavily in No Is Not Enough. As Klein suggests, we cannot fully reckon with the abuses of neoliberalism unless we unpack the illogic of environmental degradation in the pursuit of profit. This follows the logic of an old joke about capitalists: if you say to a capitalist, "I want to shoot you," they will respond, "just wait, I have a gun to sale you." But as Klein details, this illogic is far from surprising. What we see or saw with Trump was skepticism regarding climate change, which makes complete sense when profit motives are someone's primary drive. Despite what many of its adherents might say, this suggests that capitalism is far from logical, natural, reasonable, or ethical. Instead, unyielding adherence to neoliberalism is profoundly unnatural; otherwise, how might we explain the dramatic shifts in our planet's climate?
While the solutions Klein describes are robust and multi-faceted, the broader contours are best understood as an intersection of collective action, conservation, and ethical consumption. Of course, moving beyond capitalism requires more than this, and the fruits of this labor may come long after my lifetime. Still, Klein's analysis offers an enduring assessment of how we can and should move beyond neoliberalism.
plumrain's review against another edition
5.0
I put off reading this for months because I thought it would be too depressing, but it was instead and inspiring and invigorating read. It acknowledges that Trump is not an anomaly and that under his administration things can, and likely will, get worse. So on one hand this book is a wake-up call, but it's also a pep talk to all of us on what we need to do not only to resist, but to build a better world that tears down the forces that brought us Trump to begin with.
vitsa's review against another edition
4.0
I wanted to read this book quickly, because I don't imagine it will age very well. It deals with the very topical and current issue of Trump's rise to power, primarily with the foundation that allowed this to happen. He positioned himself as a brand which makes him almost invincible to criticism.
The book was an interesting exploration of the current political climate and the way companies/brands exploit crises to push their neoliberal agenda, and it laid out the actions necessary to combat these shock policies. We need to come together at community level and take decisive action.
But the truth is I didn't buy it. The examples that Klein provided made me more and more convinced that it doesn't work, that no matter the fighting and the opposition, in the end they still slowly but surely push through their own agenda. I don't know if there is a way for us to change the system in time to stop catastrophic changes to the environment and any more damage to our social and economic rights.
The book was an interesting exploration of the current political climate and the way companies/brands exploit crises to push their neoliberal agenda, and it laid out the actions necessary to combat these shock policies. We need to come together at community level and take decisive action.
But the truth is I didn't buy it. The examples that Klein provided made me more and more convinced that it doesn't work, that no matter the fighting and the opposition, in the end they still slowly but surely push through their own agenda. I don't know if there is a way for us to change the system in time to stop catastrophic changes to the environment and any more damage to our social and economic rights.
overlordror's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
kneessa's review against another edition
2.0
I think I missed this part of the book: "Resisting Trump's Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need." I feel even more shocked and less hopeful.
gladiolus17's review against another edition
Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but while I lean politically the same as Klein, I feel like I am not the target audience for this book. She assumes a basic knowledge of a lot of topics of economy and about Trump that I just do not have, so when she makes claims about either of these things I feel alienated and doubtful. Often I felt there was a lack of detail and explanation.
skiracechick's review against another edition
4.0
Great book, which I highly recommend reading. I took a star off because while it gives ideas on “resisting Trump’s shock politics and winning the world we need,” it doesn’t really provide much that the average individual can actually do, more as a collective society. But still a fascinating read. I did spend the majority of time reading this in a state of panic - panic and fear at the thought of what the current administration has done, is currently doing, and will strive to do. Panic at the thought of the things that have happened just in the time since this book came out (just six months ago, in June!). I don’t think the ideas quite placated my panic, but there is at least hope. I’ll definitely need to check out some of her other books.