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A review by dominic_t
We Will Not Cancel Us: And Other Dreams of Transformative Justice by adrienne maree brown
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
"Canceling is punishment, and punishment doesn't stop the cycle of harm, not long term...Instead of prison bars, we place each other in an overflowing box of untouchables--often with no trial--and strip us of past and future, of the complexity of being gifted and troubled, brilliant and broken. We will set down this punitive measure and pick each other up, leaving no traumatized person behind" (pp. 75-76).
The prose is beautiful, and the book has given me a lot to think about. The author says up front that this book doesn't have all the answers, and she doesn't entirely know how to get to the world she envisions. This book is a transformative justice manifesto, not a guide with concrete steps to take. I really resonate with some of the issues she flagged in social justice movements, but I wish she included more actionable steps.
I really liked what she said about how we have been conditioned by social media to react to everything immediately. I really agree with that. When someone posts a call out, there's an expectation to weigh in immediately, so there's no time to investigate the accusation or think about a better way to handle the issue. She encourages us to slow down and imagine a path forward that centers healing over punishment. I think this is fantastic, and I hope this catches on.
She also pointed out that all sorts of conflict, harm, and abuse are lumped together and treated the same way. There's no nuance. These things are all different, and each requires a different set of tools. When we rely on call outs, we aren't developing new tools to solve conflicts in a way that heals division.
It was mentioned in a couple of places that call outs can be a useful tool. I wish there was more discussion of when and how to use call outs.
The prose is beautiful, and the book has given me a lot to think about. The author says up front that this book doesn't have all the answers, and she doesn't entirely know how to get to the world she envisions. This book is a transformative justice manifesto, not a guide with concrete steps to take. I really resonate with some of the issues she flagged in social justice movements, but I wish she included more actionable steps.
I really liked what she said about how we have been conditioned by social media to react to everything immediately. I really agree with that. When someone posts a call out, there's an expectation to weigh in immediately, so there's no time to investigate the accusation or think about a better way to handle the issue. She encourages us to slow down and imagine a path forward that centers healing over punishment. I think this is fantastic, and I hope this catches on.
She also pointed out that all sorts of conflict, harm, and abuse are lumped together and treated the same way. There's no nuance. These things are all different, and each requires a different set of tools. When we rely on call outs, we aren't developing new tools to solve conflicts in a way that heals division.
It was mentioned in a couple of places that call outs can be a useful tool. I wish there was more discussion of when and how to use call outs.