Title: "Morning After the Revolution" by Nellie Bowles Critiques Progressive Activism
Nellie Bowles, a former reporter for The New York Times, has authored a new book titled "Morning After the Revolution: Dispatches From the Wrong Side of History," which critically examines progressive activism in recent years. Released by Thesis with a total of 242 pages, the book is priced at $30.
Bowles’s work reflects on events and public attitudes around 2020 and 2021, during significant demonstrations such as Black Lives Matter and the call for police abolition. She delves into her experiences, particularly focusing on issues surrounding homelessness and the impact of sympathetic progressive measures in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
In her narrative, Bowles juxtaposes her past activism, including her high school efforts for gay rights and her own journey as a lesbian who benefits from prior progressive activism, against what she views as the excesses of current activist measures. She touches on her strained interactions with colleagues following her relationship with Bari Weiss, a known critic of the liberal environment at The New York Times.
The book not only critiques the activist strategies but also broader societal and economic issues like income inequality, which Bowles argues are inadequately addressed by current activist rhetoric. It suggests that while mocking the left’s failures, there is no inherent need to swing to the right politically.
Laura Kipnis reviewed the book, noting Bowles's satirical tone and her less effective arguments compared to potential stronger criticisms she could have made regarding liberal strategies and free speech.
"Moring After the Revolution" aims to offer a critique of what Bowles sees as misguided progressivism that has become intertwined with mainstream corporate and institutional practices, a phenomenon sometimes described as "woke capitalism."