Sunday, December 4, 2011

Book Review: Think It Over




Think It Over: An Introduction to the Industrial Workers of the World is a small booklet by Tim Acott, printed at the Eberhardt Press. Full disclosure: I am highly sympathetic to worker’s rights. A century ago we had seven day work weeks, sixteen hour workdays, no vacations, no health care for workers, no safety, low wages and no protections for working people. Oh wait a minute – it sure feels a lot like that NOW.

While I support most of Tim Acott’s ideas, I’m not so sure I support his ideology. This booklet seems filled with “black and white thinking” … it’s either “this” or “that”. Personally I think this type of divisional thinking is outmoded. Nostalgic pining for the days of the Wobblys isn’t going to bring back worker prosperity. 100 years of unions have not achieved much change in the socioeconomic system. Old ways of thinking are not going to evolve the essential changes we need to create a sustainable culture.

On the other hand, our corporate profit and greed driven economy has turned most Americans into zombie consumerists and placed us on a collision course with disaster. We’ve seen it firsthand in the past 30 years, and even moreso since the crash of 2008 and non-recovery since. It’s just a preview of what is to come.

Nicely printed 30 page booklet – but Think It Over doesn’t leave much to think about in the long run, or really stimulate thinking for yourself. I suggest watching the Zeitgeist films instead. 

No comments: