Solnit’s book is more prevalent than ever. We are currently faced with a time of fear and turmoil. Her book, while it does state the drastic negative changes our world is facing, strives to prove that it will be okay. Even though horrible actions are unfolding all around us, revolutionary and amazing things are happening as well. Solnit states “We cannot eliminate all devastation for all time, but we can reduce it, outlaw it, undermine its sources and foundations: these are victories. A better world, yes; a perfect world, never (Solnit, 77-78)”. Solnit makes a valid point. Nothing in this world will ever be perfect. There will always be devastation, heartbreak, war, and divisions between us. However, we all strive to make our lives and the lives of others better. We don’t wish for perfection; we wish for improvement. This wish for improvement is what characterizes protesters and activists. They are a group of people who wish for change, and even if they fail, their efforts create a ripple, a stepping stone for others to follow. This is how change is made. Change is made with strong opinions, unwavering efforts, and togetherness. Solnit isn’t
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We aren’t doing. We stand and watch events unfold around us while stating we could never change the actions that are unfolding. However, that is fear, not hope. Fear is what slows down the inner-workings of change and acceptance. Solnit is trying to break through this fear, to address the bad but accompany it with the good that will eventually come. She points out the good that we can’t see happening because media is widely pessimistic and only focuses on shock news which mainly highlights the negative and dirty in our world. We forget in many areas of the world, wolves and bison are coming back to large land masses, even though CO2 levels are rising. Our world is a scale, constantly tipping, we need to open our eyes to the possibilities. We, then, need to act on those
We aren’t doing. We stand and watch events unfold around us while stating we could never change the actions that are unfolding. However, that is fear, not hope. Fear is what slows down the inner-workings of change and acceptance. Solnit is trying to break through this fear, to address the bad but accompany it with the good that will eventually come. She points out the good that we can’t see happening because media is widely pessimistic and only focuses on shock news which mainly highlights the negative and dirty in our world. We forget in many areas of the world, wolves and bison are coming back to large land masses, even though CO2 levels are rising. Our world is a scale, constantly tipping, we need to open our eyes to the possibilities. We, then, need to act on those