Customer Reviews

Getting A Grip 2: Clarity, Creativity and Courage for the World We Really Want

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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!

As a 21 year old student in South Africa I find Lappé's ideas incredibly energising. Lappé offers a well-formulated way of seeing that I have gratefully embraced as a new way of engaging with reality. This paradigm or 'lens' brings alive a remarkable synthesis of enthusiasm and realism. Lappé is a new realist, she identifies root causes of our quickening interconnected global crisis and offers powerful leverage for individuals to influence change. Getting a Grip 2 opens a space of possibility that this generation would do well to explore

Frances Moore Lappe's book Getting A Grip2 first gives a clear picture of several current crises in our country and world and then offers us true stories of people who moved to pierce through the gloom and desperation. These individuals harnessed their vision, inner strength, intelligence and organizational skills to bring about solutions that worked for the best benefit of all. Getting A Grip2 felt like a powerful hand pulling me out of bleakness. I feel encouraged to continue acting on the issues that I care about. I contact legislators about the issues that matter to me and I participate in activities to help our community and country. Knowing what others have achieved gives me faith that we can succeed in bringing about living democracy in our country and in the world. I see that even seemingly small actions such as talking with others while waiting to get my hair cut or talking with a grocery clerk with heart and openness, can create a positive ripple that helps shift us away from "thin democracy" and toward "living democracy." Getting A Grip2 shows us in crystal clear ways that we are the connecting fiber in our communities, ecology and universe. Reading Getting A Grip2 has been a wonderful support that has helped me to remember that it is important that I keep speaking up and reaching out. I definitely will be giving this book to friends and relatives. I strongly recommend this book!

In the midst of the dire direction of civilization -- which she fully recognizes -- Lappe lavishes on her readers seldom cited but profoundly inspiring evidence of positive developments in every corner of the world. Her aim is to break the disempowering spell of the mass media and mainstream politics AND the self-defeating attitudes of many well-intentioned activists, to liberate the stifled but immensely powerful life energy coiling up for breakthrough on the edge of global transformation.

She is a source of tremendous inspiration grounded in a lot of solid reality, constantly evolving upstream to clarify ever-more fundamental dimensions of what needs to change and how we can find the capacity to change it. As such, she's one of my favorite activists.

Getting a Grip 2 has been one of the first and only books that I have read that has left me feeling empowered and prepared to bring my inspirations to action. Most other books written on similar topics fall short in this aspect. I have already adapted what Lappe refers to as the "arts of living democracy" into my own life when addressing issues within my community. If you are looking for real methods to create positive change then I would definitely recommend picking up a copy of this book.

Getting a Grip 2: Clarity, Creativity and Courage for the World We Really Want is a book of answers. It lays out the problems that we are all far too familiar with and then takes the next step and shows how these problems can be fixed. Not only does Frances Moore Lappe show how people are already leading the way, she shows how human ingenuity combined with our natural pension for team work can make the world we live in, into the world we want to live in. This book does not get caught up where so many people have, in a state of depression and a feeling of disempowerment. Instead, by looking around the world and right here in the United States Frances has found that people ARE changing the world for the better, and shows how easy it is to become one of those people.

I read the first edition of Getting a Grip a few years ago and really identified with its message. Now, in this new version, the message has become even more powerful. The revisions are well worth the effort. This book should be on everyone's must read list. I highly recommend it.