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Slow Down
Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto | Kohei Saito
6 posts | 1 read
"[A] well-reasoned and eye-opening treatise. . . . [K?hei Sait? makes] a provocative and visionary proposal." Publishers Weekly, starred review "A cogently structured anti-capitalist approach to the climate crisis." Kirkus Reviews, starred review Why, in our affluent society, do so many people live in poverty, without access to health care, working multiple jobs and are nevertheless unable to make ends meet, with no future prospects, while the planet is burning? In his international bestseller, K?hei Sait? argues that while unfettered capitalism is often blamed for inequality and climate change, subsequent calls for sustainable growth and a Green New Deal are a dangerous compromise. Capitalism creates artificial scarcity by pursuing profit based on the value of products rather than their usefulness and by putting perpetual growth above all else. It is therefore impossible to reverse climate change in a capitalist societymore: the system that caused the problem in the first place cannot be an integral part of the solution. Instead, Sait? advocates for degrowth and deceleration, which he conceives as the slowing of economic activity through the democratic reform of labor and production. In practical terms, he argues for: the end of mass production and mass consumption decarbonization through shorter working hours the prioritization of essential labor over corporate profits By returning to a system of social ownership, he argues, we can restore abundance and focus on those activities that are essential for human life, effectively reversing climate change and saving the planet.
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Robotswithpersonality
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Degrowth ≠ Capitalism

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Robotswithpersonality
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...but can it occur under capitalism?

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Robotswithpersonality
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A just redistribution of resources...

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Robotswithpersonality
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Ecological imperialism in clothing

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Robotswithpersonality
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The Netherlands Fallacy

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Robotswithpersonality
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Not your grandfather's Marx. My head is now stuffed full of degrowth communism and participatory socialism, among other well-explained concepts, but what really comes through is Saitō's determination to breakdown long-standing outdated misconceptions about Marxist philosophy, about previous ill-conceived applications and views of communism, 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? of the many ways capitalism, and socialist and communist theories that still include aspects of capitalism are unprepared to manage the current climate crisis in a way that ensures a functioning society and healthy planet continue into the future.
I love how concrete he is about:
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Robotswithpersonality 3/? 1) challenging previous thought, all while respecting those thinkers that are earnestly looking for eco-friendly economic solutions,
2) how degrowth communism can work,
3) ending with tangible projects already in place

Not just a hopeful dream but a radical action plan. I will be reading more and doing my best to DO more to contribute to this kind of change.
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Robotswithpersonality 4/? What better review is there for a book than that the arguments it contained convinced me?
Can recommend the audiobook, but to get the full benefit of this learning experience I suggest either not listening to it much beyond 1x speed or tandem reading with the physical book.
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Robotswithpersonality 5/5 Huge props to the translator, Brian Bergstrom, because considering how well this material was laid out in English, it's stunning to realize it was originally written in another language (Japanese).
⚠️Discussion of the devastation wrought by capitalism (mentions of racism, colonialism, poverty, ecological destruction)
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