That's the title of Naomi Klein's forthcoming book. It's her reaction to and prescription for resistance to the Trump presidency. She tells The Guardian's Tim Adams:
“He keeps everyone all the time in a reactive state,” she said. “It is not like he is taking advantage of an external shock, he is the shock. And every 10 minutes he creates a new one. It is like he has these lasers coming out of his belt.”
Klein admits that she wrote the book quickly "because she feared that the further into a Trump administration America travels, the less scope there might be for resistance, for building an alternative."
And she believes that there are precedents that point the way to dealing with Trump:
She points hopefully to the example of Spain in 2004, when after the Madrid train bombings the prime minister, José Maria Aznar, announced that a state of emergency and special state powers were necessary. The people, remembering Franco, took to the streets to reject that analysis and kicked the government out, voting in a party that would pull Spanish troops out of Iraq. She is fully aware, too, of the alternative in Turkish president Recip Tayyip Erdoğan’s successful plea for dictatorial powers following the chaos of the failed coup in 2016. Klein’s book sets out those examples in advance of any comparable shock in America, and makes the case for collective resistance in the event of crisis. “I hope none of it happens [in the States] and none of it is useful,” she says, “but just in case, I wanted to have it out there as soon as possible.”
As hopeful as Klein is, she warns that evicting Trump from the White House will not be easy:
“I think he is a showman and that he is aware of the way that shows can distract people,” she says. “That is the story of his business. He has always understood that he could distract his investors and bankers, his tenants, his clients from the underlying unsoundness of his business, just by putting on the Trump show. That is the core of Trump. He is undoubtedly an idiot, but do not underestimate how good he is at that.”
The book sounds like an important read.
Image: commondreams.org
6 comments:
Having paid good money for Klein's last book, I'll be giving this one a pass. She seems to climb on whatever bandwagon is the theme of the day and then "delivers herself of her opinion" before moving on to the next issue/book.
"This Changes Everything" changed nothing and it wasn't long before Klein moved on to the Leap Manifesto before moving on to Trump. Is it unfair to label her (brand - ouch) "Issue Promiscuous"? Perhaps she quests to become the Grande Dame of all things protestable provided she has a suitable wardrobe, doesn't have to miss a hair or nail appointment, and gets to fly around the world at every opportunity.
I haven't read "This Changes Everything," Mound. I read both "No Logo" and "The Shock Doctrine" and found her analyses insightful. If I buy the book, I'll have something to say later. Right now, we're still unpacking.
I'm of a similar opinion. I find her and Avi both to be opportunistic, formulaic and ultimately shallow gadflies.
Owen, when it comes to Klein, I side with Mound's analysis. She is an upper class dilettante who titles her books with catchy phrases. Most of what she has to say is in the first few pages. The rest of her books consist primarily of repetition. I always finish her books disappointed.
It's good to see you posting again. We may not always agree but you and your respondents always have something to think about.
The NDP was ultimately not impressed with the Leap Manifesto, Dana. It would be ironic if Avi and Naomi wound up enduring the same fate as Stephen Lewis' nemesis, The Waffle coalition.
I truly enjoy the back and forth between commenters, Toby. It's not about seeking agreement. It's about seeking enlightenment.
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