"It's like when something becomes an issue in the mirror world, it ceases to exist in ours"

It feels a little inappropriate that this is the first Naomi Klein book I've ever read (especially given how she references her past works fairly often in this one), but I did really enjoy it and found it so, so timely. I appreciate how she looks at problems and analyzes them from "both" sides of the political spectrum, giving us an understanding of how right-wing anti-vax (or sometimes more left-wing anti-vax, anti-lgbt etc) people think. Liberals really are so quick to make fun, or to say something *isn't* a problem just because right-wingers think it is. While many right-wingers tend to focus on conspiracy theories and fear mongering, a lot of their concerns around technology and covid were not totally invalid, and liberals at times are way too accepting of the status quo. Which further entrenches people into this divide, and the unlikely allyships she discussed.
A lot of problems were presented in this book, but a lot of hope too towards the end. We need to focus at the root of an issue (capitalism, often) and go from there to avoid both conspiracy making and complacence. While I don't think vaccine mandates/lockdowns were part of some conspiracy for the "elites" to take over the world or bear down on all our freedoms, I do think there was a lot of mismanagement, businesses and people did suffer, as did kids being away from schools. Our politicians often take the lazy way out to avoid losing out on too much capital, and also because our economy and society just aren't planned in a way that they could be. And we should be upset about that. We just need to be upset at the right people, for the right reasons.

This turned into a bit of a rant and not review LOL but anyway this is a great look at pandemic politics and everything that has come since. Highly recommend.

This is so, so worth a read, an almost messy overview of the concept of doppelganger. But really, the subtitle tells the true story - Naomi Klein dives into all the various types of mirror societies that have sprung up in modern capitalism. From the alt-right, to wellness influences, to autism and vaccines, to Israel and Palestine, a ton of ground is covered here. The throughways get lost occasionally, and things get a bit glossed over, but this sweeping book is riveting, and at times, uncomfortable in the best ways.

I wish that she would have had an expanded section on calls to action, and what we can do. Doppelganger can be a real downer, and there aren't enough practical examples of what we can do collectively to help turn tides in meaningful ways.

That being said, definitely worth a read.