Pre-ordered a hard copy. Congrats for this. I can't believe you wrote a book while sustaining the pace on this substack. You have a hell of a work ethic.
You ask....Why not return to a class based critique and activism (something I embrace)? Because social activism, regardless of intent, acts as cover for class.
The failure of Occupy Wall Street was near total. On the other hand, Black Lives Matter (and MeToo) were embraced by the business world precisely because they posed no threat to business models and their money making mission.
Can confirm, this site is great and when you make an account you can select a specific independent bookshop that will receive support from every purchase you make.
Please add a Denver stop to your book tour, Tattered Cover is our big one. Many libraries offer a “Request It” service for new books, so ask your local library to stock it all!
Looking forward to reading this. I'll also get a copy for my daughter. She has been active in organizing workers and has been disappointed with the lack of concrete useful actions in the progressive movement. She helped set up the Indie Sellers Guild https://indiesellersguild.org
I can likely boil it all down for you...the movement became corrupted the moment someone figured out they could gain status or money from it......sadly, this happens to MOST movements.
It was founded on ideal principles, although George Floyd was NOT a good poster boy. Many people of color who were not career criminals came to harm through bad policies and to pick one so obviously flawed and DEMAND that everyone worship him like he's the second coming of Jesus Christ was a misstep of epic proportions.
I'm not saying he deserved to die, but the fact that it cannot even be discussed how much Fentanyl was in his bloodstream and the fact that he was also COVID positive at the time of his death greatly weakens the argument. The whole thing was coopted by people who wanted Trump out and they forgot to actually help Black People...except Patrisse Cullors, she seemed to have been helped quite a bit.
You cannot have a movement with this type of corruption. You cannot have a SUCCESSFUL movement if it cannot be questioned.
Yes, rich white liberals destroy everything they touch, all the while spouting their own virtuosity.
George Floyd was "picked" because his death was caught on a video that told a clear story, one where he was outnumbered and could have been restrained without a knee on his neck for 8 minutes.
I'm sorry, but what does covid have to do with him being killed by someone pushing their leg into his neck until he suffocated (a very horrific way to die, by the way)? I don't see how that is even relevant? Would you say this if he had the flu?
Just remember, when you say something like "I don't think person deserved to die, BUT" you are implying you actually believe there is a reason they did deserve to die.
The details of George Floyd's 2007 aggravated robbery are sickening, and not widely passed around on the left. But he was apprehended and convicted of that crime, serving the sentence that society saw fit to impose. The relevance of his criminal history to his killing isn't clear, unless you're making a case that he was characteristically more likely to encounter the cops. But no one is surprised by that; the reaction was about what happened once they encountered him.
Whether he had COVID also seems like a non-sequitur. The police encounter many unhealthy people, and their responsibility to subdue a suspect without killing them remains the same.
What would an ideal poster child have changed? The people who condemn Floyd for irrelevant circumstances, would condemn him for nothing at all.
Congratulations, Freddie! Sounds like a great, incredibly timely work! Here's hoping for a book tour!
Excited for this!
Pre-ordered a hard copy. Congrats for this. I can't believe you wrote a book while sustaining the pace on this substack. You have a hell of a work ethic.
lol I wrote another novel too but we're still looking for a home for it
Hell yeah!
Looking forward to reading it.
You ask....Why not return to a class based critique and activism (something I embrace)? Because social activism, regardless of intent, acts as cover for class.
The failure of Occupy Wall Street was near total. On the other hand, Black Lives Matter (and MeToo) were embraced by the business world precisely because they posed no threat to business models and their money making mission.
There's always, as an Amazon alternative, bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-elites-ate-the-social-justice-movement-fredrik-deboer/19726835?ean=9781668016015
Thanks!
Unfortunately this doesn't seem to work for Australian customers.
Can confirm, this site is great and when you make an account you can select a specific independent bookshop that will receive support from every purchase you make.
Congrats on publication! Also, thanks for looking out for the non-Amazon users.
Please add a Denver stop to your book tour, Tattered Cover is our big one. Many libraries offer a “Request It” service for new books, so ask your local library to stock it all!
I'm a librarian, and I'm seconding this! Even if you're planning to buy your own copy, put in a request to your local library to show your interest!
Looking forward to reading this. I'll also get a copy for my daughter. She has been active in organizing workers and has been disappointed with the lack of concrete useful actions in the progressive movement. She helped set up the Indie Sellers Guild https://indiesellersguild.org
Congrats!! I look forward to reading it. It’s such an important topic that needs a sympathetic view.
Once the book is out, just point to it anytime someone has a question about SJ politics.
Congratulations! Excited to read.
I like to imagine Jordan Peterson and co getting very excited by the title... with a nasty surprise awaiting within.
Anyways, Congrats!
I can likely boil it all down for you...the movement became corrupted the moment someone figured out they could gain status or money from it......sadly, this happens to MOST movements.
It was founded on ideal principles, although George Floyd was NOT a good poster boy. Many people of color who were not career criminals came to harm through bad policies and to pick one so obviously flawed and DEMAND that everyone worship him like he's the second coming of Jesus Christ was a misstep of epic proportions.
I'm not saying he deserved to die, but the fact that it cannot even be discussed how much Fentanyl was in his bloodstream and the fact that he was also COVID positive at the time of his death greatly weakens the argument. The whole thing was coopted by people who wanted Trump out and they forgot to actually help Black People...except Patrisse Cullors, she seemed to have been helped quite a bit.
You cannot have a movement with this type of corruption. You cannot have a SUCCESSFUL movement if it cannot be questioned.
Yes, rich white liberals destroy everything they touch, all the while spouting their own virtuosity.
The death of George Floyd had nothing to do with race. The reaction, everything.
George Floyd was "picked" because his death was caught on a video that told a clear story, one where he was outnumbered and could have been restrained without a knee on his neck for 8 minutes.
They had Tony Timba’s death on video, too. But ya’ know, didn’t fit the narrative.
I'm sorry, but what does covid have to do with him being killed by someone pushing their leg into his neck until he suffocated (a very horrific way to die, by the way)? I don't see how that is even relevant? Would you say this if he had the flu?
Just remember, when you say something like "I don't think person deserved to die, BUT" you are implying you actually believe there is a reason they did deserve to die.
The details of George Floyd's 2007 aggravated robbery are sickening, and not widely passed around on the left. But he was apprehended and convicted of that crime, serving the sentence that society saw fit to impose. The relevance of his criminal history to his killing isn't clear, unless you're making a case that he was characteristically more likely to encounter the cops. But no one is surprised by that; the reaction was about what happened once they encountered him.
Whether he had COVID also seems like a non-sequitur. The police encounter many unhealthy people, and their responsibility to subdue a suspect without killing them remains the same.
What would an ideal poster child have changed? The people who condemn Floyd for irrelevant circumstances, would condemn him for nothing at all.
Just pre-ordered as well. I look forward to it (and am also amazed at the production rate - thank you).
Preordered! Excited for this one. I loved The Cult of Smart.