First Reads: The Upswing

Review
My journey to this book began near the tail end of my political course, where I was asked to analyze whether the America of today was still a nation of "joiners". This term, birthed from the work of Alexis de Toqueville's Democracy in America would (to my recollection) refer to how Americans at the time would be a part of various groups that fostered community and collective action. In was through this research that I came across this article, and from there, Join or Die. The documentary would be in my mind throughout break, before on the off chance, I noticed that it would be playing nearby in a theater. The last days of my break would be defined by this watch, consuming a big part of my thoughts when I wrote my weekly personal journal later that day. That documentary of course, led me to reading this book months later.

The Upswing is unrelenting in its analysis of America's macro history, where everything up till the last chapter lays out a very comprehensive and convincing argument that America used to be less polarized, more unified, and more prosperous than it is now. Of course, there are a lot of asterisks behind that last sentence. Author Robert D. Putnam and his co-author Shaylyn Romney Garrett are not ignorant to the complexities of history, and a lot of the 2nd half of the book goes into the causes of this upswing, who was left behind in this upswing, the turbulent times of the 60s & 70s in its major shift from an America of "We" to an America of "I". Really, the "How We Can Do It Again" part of the subtitle only comes in at the last chapter. That being said, I appreciate this approach, as not only does the ideas and argument the authors put out are stronger because of it, but also because solutions to our individualistic, polarized world are not quite simple, and are vague in certain aspects. While some of the data the author's use to support their point can feel contradictory to my personal values, it is never to the point of attack, and the authors do point to the successes of current society. The Upswing is not focused on being a guide to fix America, but be a rallying work for people to understand how we got here, how we can get out of here, and surpass where the last upswing faltered. Its up to us to learn and act for something better.

Overall Recommendation: Unrelenting in its message, but never overly optimistic nor pessimistic. A fantastic read on America's overall trajectory, and a much needed one in the face of such isolating and toxic times. If you are interested in reading political/social/cultural works, and/or are struggling to find the motivation to be more welcoming and partcipate in our diverse world, then this book is for you. It is a fantastic starting point, and a insightful read that should at least be considered to look into.

Buy it or Borrow It?: I borrowed this book, and quite frankly, this is something that I can hope to permanently obtain in my personal library. Feel free to borrow it, but do consider supporting the authors work. If books are not your thing, you can always buy a ticket or subscription service to watch Join or Die.