For What Reason, Barbara Ehrenreich? – Harris Chang

After reading Barbara Ehrenreich’s Bright-Sided, I immediately realized that I wasn’t the biggest fan of this book. And it really wasn’t the fact that I didn’t necessarily agree with the reasons Ehrenreich gives, although some were questionable, but it was rather because I didn’t understand/agree with her purpose in writing the book. I feel that the main reason why I had troubles agreeing with Ehrenreich’s viewpoints was because I felt that her motives for writing this book were questionable. Like the book cover states, Barbara Ehrenreich feels that positive thinking is undermining America. So whether it’s through her battle with breast cancer, a look into today’s American economy/current recession, or her issues with mega churches, Ehrenreich finds a connection to prove that her position is correct.

Now the issue I have with her purpose is that I feel that it is unnecessary and plays a “Debbie downer” role to all those that read this book. Specifically speaking, in the chapter, “Smile or Die: The Bright Side of Cancer,” Ehrenreich dives into her own opinions based on her experiences with breast cancer. And in the process, she undermines the reputation of breast cancer support groups and acts like the Pink Ribbon movement.

Regardless of the validity or falsehood behind the facts that Ehrenreich pulls out in this chapter, they push the audience towards thinking that positive thinking may indeed be overrated. The issue I have about this whole deal is that never in my 18 years of living, have I heard that being realistic or lacking positivity have saved lives or helped people live on better lives.

I feel that Ehrenreich lacks the sensitivity towards the American public as she goes out and bashes an ideology when it has never done any harm. I have met some breast cancer survivors that believe that acts such as the pink ribbon movement really helped them push past the struggles of breast cancer. It just seems out of taste to me that Ehrenreich would attack such a consensually admired program for breast cancer patients/survivors.

I like to relate my issue with the purpose of the book to a hypothetical dilemma. Everyday, people debate about whether the world and all the living beings on the world were created by the theory of intelligent design or evolution. Many live their lives knowing that the truth will and cannot be revealed so they go on living their lives believing what they want to believe. Although a portion of the people may mildly support their views, a vast majority tends to strongly support their views.

So say an individual somehow figures out the truth behind the long debated question. Knowing that publically revealing the truth would create havoc for the majority of the people in the world, would one go on and reveal the truth, or would he just let the people believe what they want knowing that there would be less chaos? In comparison to Ehrenreich, I feel like she has taken the latter approach.

Whether or not she has truly figured out a function of how living beings should live, Ehrenreich has chosen to share her opinions even though they might not help the overall stability of human thinking. In other words, sure it’s great that Ehrenreich is able to create a discussion amongst her readers, but I fear that the discussion may easily become, in a way, unproductive.

A primary example of this unproductive danger is in the front matter of the book. Barbara Ehrenreich deliberately dedicates her writing “to complainers everywhere” adding a message to these people to “turn up the volume.” She has obviously aimed for this book to encourage those that don’t hold a positive outlook on the world. And like I have previously stated in this review, I have not heard of a case where being positive has been detrimental to anyone or where lacking positive thinking has saved lives.

The other reason I had troubles appreciating Bright Sided was because of the suspect sources that Ehrenreich used to make her claims. Towards the end of the book, Ehrenreich acknowledges all the sources she used to state any facts or quotes. However, a fellow classmate of mine pointed out that some of these online sources do not exist any longer or that the information was misused. On page 208, the book’s notes, when citing footnote number 8 and 9, Ehrenreich gives two websites that no longer exist.

Personally, I find it very unprofessional for an author as opinionated and sassy as Barbara Ehrenreich to use information with invalid sources. Even if it is possible that at the time the book was written, these sources were available, Ehrenreich has a responsibility to make sure that the sources are long lasting or updated. With this issue, the book loses some credibility and becomes a hazard because while now some facts become questionable, any person can read the text and take it all blindly as fact.

All in all, in my opinion, Barbara Ehrenreich’s Bright Sided fails to live up to its hefty opinions. For the power behind the viewpoints Ehrenreich expresses in this book, she does not do a good enough job making sure that her words are credible and help people live better lives. While it is highly respectable to see how much research and emotion Ehrenreich has put into the book, I feel that it has selfish motives. However that does not mean I do not find the book entertaining for it has a unique perspective on positive thinking. However, I would caution all readers to read this book and not act upon what is read.

Any questions?
Harris Chang http://www.twitter.com/harriskichang
Non-Fiction