Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World - Book Discussion

[Jack_Clark]

Just finished reading this impactful book by Anand Giridharidas, and I wondered what people's reactions to it were.

Personally I found it very direct and compelling, and cut through a lot of cultural narratives I hadn't considered fully until reading. The book also left me with a mixed feeling of anger, dread, and guilt. It made me consider whether the way I was living my life was more self serving than I initially thought.

 

Would love to hear other's thoughts on the book!

 

[puporing]

I haven't read the actual book but heard him speak about it. It's obviously not for everyone and probably triggering for some. It's nice that you are receptive to the message. 

It is a message that urge honest self-reflection.. the desire to be special and more powerful than other beings that run much of our way of life right now, a difficult task indeed. Everything will move towards what Love wants to do, and someone like Anand is one of the actors that points out more "things to be loved" so that more Love can shine through reality, though he may not be fully conscious of this fact nor come off this way.

This process just takes "time"  and patience. Accept the feelings you have one way or another, for the "you" that enjoys whatever "advantages" is still part of you to be loved, and only by loving yourself can you begin to love "others", and contribute to the evolution of consciousness being revealed here starting with loving yourself.

Just my 2-cents .

Edited October 25, 2022 by puporing

[aurum]

@Jack_Clark It’s a good book but it also can create an anti-elite bias in you if you take it too simplistically and without balance.

The proper balance is understanding that the elites do actually at times provide value for society that is win/win. Anand is revealing a partial perspective of how this narrative can be corrupted, but the narrative itself is still not entirely untrue. Situations are complex. And if you don’t acknowledge that complexity, you just become a Green Meanie.

 

[Jack_Clark]

@aurum I completely agree that taken simplistically we can walk away from the book feeling that the people in charge are evil, selfish, and deserve to be overthrown etc. I think what I took from it, is similar to a quote Leo and others have mentioned before, that problems cannot be solved by the same level of consciousness that created them. This book seems to illustrate well the struggle of a class of people trying to do good, but from the limits of the self-biasing systems they put in place. It is also definitely true that the elites have done good for the world, I think the book is pointing out rather well however, that they are limited in the types of good that they can do, and in some cases are actively doing bad.

 

@puporing Thanks for your take!, definitely it was helpful noticing my emotional reaction to the book, there were quite a few. It is definitely a big challenge to love beings that challenge my selfish survival. The urge to morally condemn elites, and shut off empathy for them can be strong for me for sure.