17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Seeing the World from a Different Frame, March 14, 2010
This review is from: Getting A Grip 2: Clarity, Creativity and Courage for the World We Really Want (Paperback)
In her remarkable book, Getting a Grip 2, Frances Moore Lappé emphasizes the point that there is no "they." We, not "they", are responsible for what happens in our local and national communities, and blaming others for our problems doesn't help. Neither does it help to label ourselves bad or selfish, although we may be shortsighted at times, especially when it comes to focusing on sustainable solutions rather than short-term gratification. Throughout the book, Lappé describes conditions that get in our way (a sense of powerlessness, fear, anonymity and scapegoating, most especially), and she asks us to consider seeing the world from a different frame. She provides many examples of effective reframing taking place in communities around the world. When we feel powerless, we can either give into it or figure out ways to reclaim our power. We must, she says, face the discomfort of failing in order to find new frameworks. This takes courage. "Power" is redefined and expanded to mean "capacity to act; to be able."
Many ideas presented are not new to Lappé but they have been reworked to be relevant to what is going on in our country today. How have we come to be controlled by the richest 1% of the population? Why has public oversight of the market been so severely curtailed? The government and market, she argues, are not enemies. But to sustain competitive fair markets, rules must be created under democratic policies that are fair, inclusive and broadly representative. And there must be accountability.
As in previous works, Lappé highlights significant differences between what she calls "thin" and "living" democracy. Illustrating stark differences between a spiral of powerlessness and a spiral of empowerment, she encourages all of us to reclaim our political power. Specific "arts" of living democracy are described. Lappé believes that if we can identify the conditions that bring out the worst in us, we can address them and she gives us many ideas about how to take first steps. But all this is not done in the abstract. Every point, every suggestion is demonstrated several times over with examples, anecdotes, facts, stats and quotes that connect theory with real life.
Lappé emphasizes that even individual choices create ripples. For example, the more we buy "organic" in the stores, the more the stores order. She gives example after example of effective citizen group efforts that have made elections cleaner; eliminated toxic waste and made polluters more accountable; had an impact on the environment; and so on.
She claims that we can become a "living" democracy by believing in possibility. Lappé's profound impact is that, by the end of the book, I do.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Yikes, July 23, 2010
This review is from: Getting A Grip 2: Clarity, Creativity and Courage for the World We Really Want (Paperback)
I really wanted to like this book, since I've always heard great things about Lappe. I couldn't get past the first couple of chapters--had to skim the rest and that was enough. She strikes me as viewing the world through pathologically rose-colored glasses. I say pathologically because there is a sort of happy-smiley positivity here that I find actually deeply insensitive to the suffering that is so rampant in the world today and also averse to the sort of conflict that needs to be recognized and dealt with, rather than avoided with overly cheerful simplistic empowerment. On the plus side, she does offer a compelling case for why the current model doesn't work--so there's certainly some acknowledgement of the negative realm--but looking forward she's just hugely one-sided in her cheery can-do optimism.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Getting A Grip 2 a Book for Our Moment!, March 30, 2010
This review is from: Getting A Grip 2: Clarity, Creativity and Courage for the World We Really Want (Paperback)
Frances Moore Lappé clearly has a grip on the civilian sentiment of our country judging by her latest book, Getting A Grip 2. Unlike many of the other books that I have read that discuss how we've reached the current political crises facing our country, Grip left me feeling empowered, rather than hopeless about our situation. I love the fact that Lappé highlights the positive elements of human nature! Especially in light of the recent threats towards members of Congress over the current health care reform, it is important to keep in perspective that we humans are just as capable of doing good as we are bad. This book is a must read for anybody who feels like they need to get a handle on the what is happening in our country right now and want to know what to they can do about it. Getting A Grip 2 is truly a book for our moment in history!
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