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Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right by Arlie Russell Hochschild
kleonard's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent rendering of the conflicts and issues that the lack of education and lack of prosperity cause among poor whites, driving them to think and vote against their own self-interests.
alexisrt's review against another edition
5.0
I had some trepidation about this book because of so many bad articles purporting to explore our political divide, especially in the Trump era. Hochschild's book is significantly better than most of these efforts. She focuses on a single area (south Louisiana, especially the Lake Charles area) and particularly on the petrochemical injury and its disastrous effects on the environment. The book succeeds because while her bias is clear--she thinks the right wing is factually wrong, and brings evidence to show how their policies have failed Louisiana and its people--she is not condescending towards the people she's studying. Their feelings are real, and they're complex individuals.
The conclusions she draws aren't earth shattering--people believe in these ideas in part because of life experience (government has not shown itself to be effective, especially when it comes to environmental regulation--if they'll stop you from fishing, but not stop companies from dumping in the bayou, what good are the regulations?) and in part because of their values and world view. She does a nice job of letting people tell their stories and explain themselves, and puts it into a good politician and historical context in a relatively short space.
The conclusions she draws aren't earth shattering--people believe in these ideas in part because of life experience (government has not shown itself to be effective, especially when it comes to environmental regulation--if they'll stop you from fishing, but not stop companies from dumping in the bayou, what good are the regulations?) and in part because of their values and world view. She does a nice job of letting people tell their stories and explain themselves, and puts it into a good politician and historical context in a relatively short space.
sara_shocks's review
3.0
This was an aggravating read in many ways. I think her methodology produced some interesting results, but frankly, Hochschild does not seem to understand the South, even after actually spending time there. Her unwillingness to confront racism and classism (caste, perhaps) more directly with her subjects was disappointing at best. (An interview subject actually says she wants the government to sterilize poor people--paying them for it--and Hochschild does not really dive into where this line of eugenics thought comes from!) I think some of the class issues she fails to address relate to America's inability to discuss class more broadly. To be fair, some of my own ideas have been influenced by later research (Metzl's Dying of Whiteness findings, more recent discussions I've seen around the fragile footing of the white middle class)
I'm also disappointed she managed to repeat ideas that the Civil Rights movement in the South was all about Northerners coming in and erased local activism. I am more acquainted with some of the Civil Rights Movement grassroots activism in the Mississippi Delta, but I feel confident that Louisiana had people doing the work too. (This is related to her unwillingness to confront some of her interview subjects on how their personal ideas of history are not necessarily true/the whole truth, particularly around race.)
I'm also disappointed she managed to repeat ideas that the Civil Rights movement in the South was all about Northerners coming in and erased local activism. I am more acquainted with some of the Civil Rights Movement grassroots activism in the Mississippi Delta, but I feel confident that Louisiana had people doing the work too. (This is related to her unwillingness to confront some of her interview subjects on how their personal ideas of history are not necessarily true/the whole truth, particularly around race.)
burstona's review
4.0
This book is beautifully written and will give everyone an insight into the hearts/minds of those who put Trump in power. Rather than an ideological critique, Hochschild has created an ethnography that humanizes conservative voters and sets the stage for constructive dialogue.
Ethnomethodologically, this book is old fashioned. A great deal of space is dedicated to Hochschild's subjective perspective, and this takes away from descriptions of her informants. Additionally, her theoretical constructs often pertain to her own struggle to understand conservative voters, rather than conservative voter's systems of interactions, beliefs, etc.
Criticism notwithstanding, this book is phenomenal.
Ethnomethodologically, this book is old fashioned. A great deal of space is dedicated to Hochschild's subjective perspective, and this takes away from descriptions of her informants. Additionally, her theoretical constructs often pertain to her own struggle to understand conservative voters, rather than conservative voter's systems of interactions, beliefs, etc.
Criticism notwithstanding, this book is phenomenal.
tlctbr's review
5.0
This book was just phenomenal. As moderate Democrat, I’ve struggled to understand how and why the Republican Party has moved so much further to the right over the past 10-15 years. Although I embody the compassionate tendencies common in so-called “bleeding heart liberals,” I’ve found myself struggling to hold compassion for far right voters, with whom I vehemently disagree. Through her research, Hochschild has helped me scale what she calls the Empathy Wall. No, I don’t agree with the right. No, I will not vote republican. But at least now I understand the stories of people who do.
This book has also made me want to explore and question my own deep story, something I think we all need to do once in a while.
If the Right baffles and upsets you, read this book. I can’t say that it will make you more accepting of Trump, but perhaps it will bring you some understanding of the people who voted for him. Understanding is the first step in healing our country’s divide.
This book has also made me want to explore and question my own deep story, something I think we all need to do once in a while.
If the Right baffles and upsets you, read this book. I can’t say that it will make you more accepting of Trump, but perhaps it will bring you some understanding of the people who voted for him. Understanding is the first step in healing our country’s divide.
parkergarlough's review
slow-paced
2.75
to use the author's phrasing, i did not cross the empathy wall while reading this book. it kept quoting conservatives saying blatantly selfish things and then insisting those people were kind.
dreamgalaxies's review
3.0
Hmm.
I thought this was an enlightening read but I don't think it stands up to the hype. My favorite part was the 'deep story' portion, trying to get into the emotional reality working class conservatives see themselves in today. I also appreciated some of the discussion of Trump as a match that really set off a powder keg of flaring racial and class dynamics in our society.
I don't think, though, that this was a particularly groundbreaking book in terms of true connection between liberals and conservatives. Sure, maybe left-leaners will be able to understand more of why conservatives think they do if they read this--but they'll still come to the conclusion that these people vote and believe the way they do out of ignorance. To some extent, I guess it's an unavoidable conclusion--especially on the environmental front. I just couldn't get over the 'empathy wall,' as Hochschild refers to it and understand why these people think the way they do based on the life experiences they have. I guess that says a lot about the problem itself.
I also feel like there's a lot missing on race in this book, and a good bit about the 'establishment' feel in politics these days. Part of the reason we're seeing such mobility from the left to the right is that there is a right-wing answer to the feeling that we've gotten screwed by the establishment. The Left is still very much only The Establishment Left. The Democrats are not appealing to lower class folks at all. They deserve some blame in this game for that, and Hochschild doesn't get into that at all. As a Leftist who would not consider myself a Democrat, I found myself frustrated that Hochschild talked so much about class without digging into that.
I thought this was an enlightening read but I don't think it stands up to the hype. My favorite part was the 'deep story' portion, trying to get into the emotional reality working class conservatives see themselves in today. I also appreciated some of the discussion of Trump as a match that really set off a powder keg of flaring racial and class dynamics in our society.
I don't think, though, that this was a particularly groundbreaking book in terms of true connection between liberals and conservatives. Sure, maybe left-leaners will be able to understand more of why conservatives think they do if they read this--but they'll still come to the conclusion that these people vote and believe the way they do out of ignorance. To some extent, I guess it's an unavoidable conclusion--especially on the environmental front. I just couldn't get over the 'empathy wall,' as Hochschild refers to it and understand why these people think the way they do based on the life experiences they have. I guess that says a lot about the problem itself.
I also feel like there's a lot missing on race in this book, and a good bit about the 'establishment' feel in politics these days. Part of the reason we're seeing such mobility from the left to the right is that there is a right-wing answer to the feeling that we've gotten screwed by the establishment. The Left is still very much only The Establishment Left. The Democrats are not appealing to lower class folks at all. They deserve some blame in this game for that, and Hochschild doesn't get into that at all. As a Leftist who would not consider myself a Democrat, I found myself frustrated that Hochschild talked so much about class without digging into that.