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eli_the_coder's review
informative
medium-paced
4.25
It was a good read but it was a great amount of information to evaluate. I learned a great deal but found myself wondering about topics and movements I never knew existed.
eitaneverett's review
4.0
This is a really worthwhile read and a fantastic overview of a lot of the different fascist movements and strains of thought active today. Burley goes most in depth into the white nationalist, religious, and militant groupings within what could broadly be described as the fascist movement, and in that he excels. He also goes into what historical tactics have been used against similar movements, and offers some amount of perspective on how those tactics can be employed today, though that is not a focus. I think some of his final points about how the left needs to learn to effectively counter the claims of the right with better tailored education, more insight into the far right's entryism into leftist circles, and filling the same needs and desires that drive people to the right are highly valuable.
I also really appreciated the short section that goes through what has happened since Trump's election and even Charlottesville. It's one of the more hopeful looks at where we stand today that also includes careful, realistic analysis of where the left has fallen short and what dangers lurk ahead that I've read.
I have a few caveats, though they do not detract from the fact that this is certainly a worthwhile read. His focus on the explicitly non-capitalist movements within the far right is certainly welcome, as I know many on the left forget that they do not hold a monopoly on criticizing the failures of capitalism, and this leads to a certain amount of windmill tilting and strange, often unexpected ideological bedfellows. However, in my perception of many far right subcultures, the libertarian and anarcho-capitalist strains of thought are potent drivers of people into more explicit fascism, as the myth of meritocracy allows proto-fascists and fascists themselves to justify and "prove" the existence of a perceived natural order and hierarchy. Leaving this perspective out is a fairly large blind spot. Similarly, Burley only barely scratches the surface of the Dark Enlightenment crowd, which has a fairly large presence in Silicon Valley and the tech world, and so wields an outsized amount of power.
Somewhat less importantly, despite having a fantastic chapter on the types and function of religious thought in fascist movements, he seems to totally leave out any of the Mormon brands of it. This leads to a moment of whiplash as the very next chapter starts out by examining the occupation of the Malheur Wildlife preserve, the perpetrators of which proclaimed a radical, somewhat fundamentalist interpretation of Mormonism to justify some of their complaints against the federal government (one member of the group only referring to himself as "Captain Moroni", even) - but Burley never even so much as mentions that. Several (very good!) pages on Odinism and none on fundamentalist Mormonism seems like an odd balance.
However, I don't really think these are particularly important issues, as no one survey of any political field can ever be fully comprehensive, and for the most part Burley does do a great job with as much as he does cover.
Aside from that, there are a few text issues that I think would have been sorted out with another or more thorough round of editing - as an example, he at some point refers to the subreddit "r/The_Donald_Trump" where I'm 99.9% certain he meant "r/The_Donald" and the organization "Run for Something" gets misnamed as "Run for Nothing". Simple errors probably from mistyping rather than ignorance, but something that should have been caught before going to print.
In the end, one of the best reads I've had in awhile, highly recommended.
I also really appreciated the short section that goes through what has happened since Trump's election and even Charlottesville. It's one of the more hopeful looks at where we stand today that also includes careful, realistic analysis of where the left has fallen short and what dangers lurk ahead that I've read.
I have a few caveats, though they do not detract from the fact that this is certainly a worthwhile read. His focus on the explicitly non-capitalist movements within the far right is certainly welcome, as I know many on the left forget that they do not hold a monopoly on criticizing the failures of capitalism, and this leads to a certain amount of windmill tilting and strange, often unexpected ideological bedfellows. However, in my perception of many far right subcultures, the libertarian and anarcho-capitalist strains of thought are potent drivers of people into more explicit fascism, as the myth of meritocracy allows proto-fascists and fascists themselves to justify and "prove" the existence of a perceived natural order and hierarchy. Leaving this perspective out is a fairly large blind spot. Similarly, Burley only barely scratches the surface of the Dark Enlightenment crowd, which has a fairly large presence in Silicon Valley and the tech world, and so wields an outsized amount of power.
Somewhat less importantly, despite having a fantastic chapter on the types and function of religious thought in fascist movements, he seems to totally leave out any of the Mormon brands of it. This leads to a moment of whiplash as the very next chapter starts out by examining the occupation of the Malheur Wildlife preserve, the perpetrators of which proclaimed a radical, somewhat fundamentalist interpretation of Mormonism to justify some of their complaints against the federal government (one member of the group only referring to himself as "Captain Moroni", even) - but Burley never even so much as mentions that. Several (very good!) pages on Odinism and none on fundamentalist Mormonism seems like an odd balance.
However, I don't really think these are particularly important issues, as no one survey of any political field can ever be fully comprehensive, and for the most part Burley does do a great job with as much as he does cover.
Aside from that, there are a few text issues that I think would have been sorted out with another or more thorough round of editing - as an example, he at some point refers to the subreddit "r/The_Donald_Trump" where I'm 99.9% certain he meant "r/The_Donald" and the organization "Run for Something" gets misnamed as "Run for Nothing". Simple errors probably from mistyping rather than ignorance, but something that should have been caught before going to print.
In the end, one of the best reads I've had in awhile, highly recommended.
punkstronomer's review
3.0
Un libro sobre el ascenso de grupos fascistas y neo-nazis en USA desde la campana de Trump. Se hace bastante lento de leer ya que se detiene demasiado en ejemplos muy locales, tanto de grupos fascistas como de sus contrapartes antifascistas, en distintos estados de USA.
De todas maneras contiene un sinnúmero de ideas interesantes, especialmente sobre la capacidad camaleónica del fascismo para infiltrarse hacia una población que en principio considerariamos proclive a la izquierda, por el hecho de compartir ciertas ideas con esta, aunque con un origen y finalidades completamente distintos.
-Fascism is an attempt to answer the unfinished equation of capitalism, and, instead of challenging the inequalities manifested through this economic system, it hardens them.
-Fascism grows in the arts, in poetry, in philosophy, in spirituality, in the formation of community bonds, and the ways we see ourselves. Politics is only the public manifestation of a cosmic shift in attitudes and values.
-...while the left critiques capitalism for its inability to deliver broad equality, the far-right critiques it for not being explicitly racialized and unequal enough.
-(in Fascism) Difference cannot be celebrated horizontally; it can only be ranked vertically.
-For the Alt Right, free speech per se has never been an issue of importance, instead it is an easy tool to use to appeal to liberal values and cement their own access to a platform.
-Antifascist work is a piece of the larger mass working-class struggle for survival and progress, and it should come out of the experiences and needs of the class rather than the ideological imposition of experienced organizers.
-Fascism has always fed on weaknesses in the left, the ideological inconsistencies, the internal clashes, and the inability to live up to its own radical promises.
- Often times, in an attempt to venerate the indigenous and find enemies in the current crisis, we find allies in the nightmares of the past, whether real or fetishized.
Esta última frase me hace pensar en donde pueden yacer las trampas de fascismo en Chile. Por ejemplo, en la desesperada búsqueda por cierta identidad (whatever that means) que empuja a parte importante de la población a tragarse tomo tras tomo de supuestas "historias secretas de Chile", a la continua apropiación del imaginario de los pueblos originarios. El fascismo se alimenta de nacionalismos y tribalismos. En enfatizar las diferencias como manera de clasificarnos y separarnos, y no de celebrarnos en nuestra diversidad.
De todas maneras contiene un sinnúmero de ideas interesantes, especialmente sobre la capacidad camaleónica del fascismo para infiltrarse hacia una población que en principio considerariamos proclive a la izquierda, por el hecho de compartir ciertas ideas con esta, aunque con un origen y finalidades completamente distintos.
-Fascism is an attempt to answer the unfinished equation of capitalism, and, instead of challenging the inequalities manifested through this economic system, it hardens them.
-Fascism grows in the arts, in poetry, in philosophy, in spirituality, in the formation of community bonds, and the ways we see ourselves. Politics is only the public manifestation of a cosmic shift in attitudes and values.
-...while the left critiques capitalism for its inability to deliver broad equality, the far-right critiques it for not being explicitly racialized and unequal enough.
-(in Fascism) Difference cannot be celebrated horizontally; it can only be ranked vertically.
-For the Alt Right, free speech per se has never been an issue of importance, instead it is an easy tool to use to appeal to liberal values and cement their own access to a platform.
-Antifascist work is a piece of the larger mass working-class struggle for survival and progress, and it should come out of the experiences and needs of the class rather than the ideological imposition of experienced organizers.
-Fascism has always fed on weaknesses in the left, the ideological inconsistencies, the internal clashes, and the inability to live up to its own radical promises.
- Often times, in an attempt to venerate the indigenous and find enemies in the current crisis, we find allies in the nightmares of the past, whether real or fetishized.
Esta última frase me hace pensar en donde pueden yacer las trampas de fascismo en Chile. Por ejemplo, en la desesperada búsqueda por cierta identidad (whatever that means) que empuja a parte importante de la población a tragarse tomo tras tomo de supuestas "historias secretas de Chile", a la continua apropiación del imaginario de los pueblos originarios. El fascismo se alimenta de nacionalismos y tribalismos. En enfatizar las diferencias como manera de clasificarnos y separarnos, y no de celebrarnos en nuestra diversidad.
redbecca's review
4.0
As the title suggests, the book weaves together an analysis of contemporary fascism with suggestions for opposition organizing. The discussion of anti-fascist resistance may be the strongest and most original contribution of the book, as it discusses a wide variety of organizing responses to fascist groups in the US, from militant black bloc style, to legal strategies, investigative work,and mass protest organizations.
jeskota's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
redbecca's review against another edition
4.0
As the title suggests, the book weaves together an analysis of contemporary fascism with suggestions for opposition organizing. The discussion of anti-fascist resistance may be the strongest and most original contribution of the book, as it discusses a wide variety of organizing responses to fascist groups in the US, from militant black bloc style, to legal strategies, investigative work,and mass protest organizations.
mxduck's review against another edition
5.0
Gonna be honest, this was sitting on my shelf for a month. And then in my bag for another month. I've been meaning to start down the research rabbit hole of current politics, especially as I'm an organizer and there's a lot more to know besides my limited experience. For some reason, though, I was afraid to pick it up and go.
I realize in retrospect that the fear was simply that it'd strike too close to home. And it did! I live in Portland, and the author lives in Portland, and he was talking about events I attended. It helped to pull it into a larger picture of what's going on in the US. And it was terrifying and relieving to learn that some of my own observations weren't just one-offs I'd made up in my head - they're becoming universal. It's not the city I live in, it's the whole damn country. Burley does a terrific job of outlining the threats, and helping you come to your own conclusions.
I've been vacillating between 4 and 5 stars because of one minor detail that's actually a major detail for me, and that's the use of "transgendered" - aren't there editors who're supposed to catch those things? - but, knowing that the author has already gotten that feedback, and knowing he's responsive to it, I'm going with the 5 stars.
I realize in retrospect that the fear was simply that it'd strike too close to home. And it did! I live in Portland, and the author lives in Portland, and he was talking about events I attended. It helped to pull it into a larger picture of what's going on in the US. And it was terrifying and relieving to learn that some of my own observations weren't just one-offs I'd made up in my head - they're becoming universal. It's not the city I live in, it's the whole damn country. Burley does a terrific job of outlining the threats, and helping you come to your own conclusions.
I've been vacillating between 4 and 5 stars because of one minor detail that's actually a major detail for me, and that's the use of "transgendered" - aren't there editors who're supposed to catch those things? - but, knowing that the author has already gotten that feedback, and knowing he's responsive to it, I'm going with the 5 stars.
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