Det måste finnas en väg ut ur det här samhället by Göran Greider

This book was a great read that really hit a spot for me. Despite being in a bit of a slump at the time of reading due to some unfortunate circumstances it was a fairly quick read. Sure, the circustances meant that I have forgotten to return it in... a while, now, and hence it's cost me about 600 kr (that's approximately $60) but hey, at least I'm supporting my local libraries! Besides, it was well-worth the read. I may buy the book (or one of Göran Greiders other books) just to have it, and to be able to re-read and refer back to.

My favourite quotes

I read the book in a bit of a frenzy, almost, on the train to Stockholm this spring. Due to that, I didn't really have any access to post-its or similar conveniences, so the book has about a million tiny pieces of notebook stuck between the pages, marking quotes I liked. Here are some of the best ones, in Swedish and in english.

"Gränsvarelserna rör vid mig. Varje gång jag omvänt möter en människa som istället förblivit tryggt inbäddad i ett socialt skikt, företrädesvis medelklass eller överklass fastän det är lika irriterande att möta en LO-medlem som tycks vaccinerad mot känslorna av främlingskap, blir jag genuint och ärligt förvånad: Vad är det för säkerhet? Hur kan man leva med den utan att generas? Känner ni inte hur världen gungar under er?" pg. 23
"The marginal men are touching to me. Every time I instead meet a person who's been safely sat in a particular class, especially middle or overclass though it is as irritating to meet a LO-member [member of a union] that seems vaccinated against feelings of alienation, I am genuinely and honestly surprised: What kind of safety is that? How can one live with it without being embarrassed? Do you not feel the world rocking beneath you?"

"Denna vägran att skylla på individerna är dessutom alltid ett försök att rädda det mänskliga: hoppet om att vi inte behöver snärjas av våra villkor. Voegelin vill i sin analys få denna gnostiska/vänsterintelektuella inställning att verka ytlig och just förutsägbar, fastän det i själva verket speglar ett fullkomligt mirakulöst språng i sättet att förstå ett samhälle och dess individer: att utgå från att samhället är dåligt organiserat är det historiskt nya." pg. 29
"This refusal to blame the individual is also always an attempt at saving the humane: the hope that we do not need to be limited by our circumstances. Voegelin wants to make this gnostic/leftist stance to seem shallow and predictable, despite it mirroring a miraculous leap in the way we understand a society and its individuals: to assume that society is poorly built is the fresh and new.

"Men att kapitalism innebar ett steg "framåt" i jämförelse med den föregående feodala eller antika ordningen är nog en självklar tanke hos var och en som kallar sig vänster, hur mycket den än naggas i kanten av de ekologiska hot som just utvecklingen skapat mot biosfärens överlevnad." pg. 29-30
"But the fact that capitalism meant a step 'forward' compared to the previous feudal or antique order is probably an obvious idea among each and any one who calls themselves a leftist, no matter how much the ecological threat that that very development causes to the survival of the biosphere may gnaw at them."

I find this sentiment to be one that isn't emphasised enough when I've read about leftism - as a matter of fact I think I only heard it fully explained when I began interacting with leftism more IRL. It's an important thought to discuss, though. Yes, capitalism is a good development in a lot of ways, but there's still room for a lot of development!

"Är exempelvis inte bilden av de moderna samhällena som präglade av individualism på många sätt helt missvisande, för det är ju i de moderna samhällena de stora kollektiva rörelserna växer fram, såsom masspartier och fackföreningar?" pg. 109
"For example, is the image of modern societies as deeply individualistic not misleading in a lot of ways, since it's within those modern societies that the large collective movements develop, such as mass parties and unions?"

I do think the trend towards loneliness is concerning and definitely accurate, but that it's not because of a lack of tools! We just aren't using them right, all the time. But FFF and BLM are prime examples of how a ginormous sense of community is possible even now, it just requires effort, no?

"...å ena sidan vänsterns ensidiga fokus på ett radikalt nytt samhälle som i praktiken aldrig låg inom räckhåll och å andra sidan arbetarrörelsens dagspolitiska närsynthet, den som kunde vara imponerande nog men som ständigt hotade att lösa upp all idépolitisk medvetenhet. Hur skulle det där förenas? Borde inte de båda synsätten snarare kunna hämta energi ur varandra? Var det inte just det som varit fallet under den era då arbetarrörelsen varit som mest vital?" pg. 113
"...on one hand, the lefts unilateral focus on a radical new society that in practice never is within reach and on the other hand the workers right movements short-sightedness, which could have been impressive in its own right but constantly threatens to remove all idea political[?] awareness. How could that be united? Shouldn't both views be able to gain power from each other instead? Wasn't that precisely the case when the workers rights movement was at its peak?"

"1974 släppte Peps Persson den låt, 'Hög standard', som på sätt och vis sammanfattade känslan av att något i grunden var fel med det nya konsumtionssamhället." pg. 179
"In 1974 Peps Persson released the song 'Hög standard', which in some ways summarised the feeling that something was wrong at the core of the new consumption based society."

This is one of my favourite songs, and I highly recommend giving it a listen! If I remember to, I'll translate it and link that here, sometime :)

"Så även om breda samhällsskikt såg standardstegringen som i grunden välkommen, fanns en äkta och levande sorg över att de goda inslagen i äldre livsformer nu försvann inför ögonen på människor. Plötsligt lades den sista lanthandeln ner, gårdar övergavs, landsbygden avfolkades, tempot i arbetslivet höjdes, hundratusentals människor hade stängts in i fabriker, en känsla av tillvarons tilltagande ytlighet trängde sig på..." pg. 187
"So even if the rise in standard of living was welcome at large, there was a deep and living sorrow for the good aspects of older ways of life disappearing right in front of people. Suddenly the last farmers market closed, farms were abandoned, the countryside was depopulated, the pace of working life increased, hundreds of thousands of people were shut into factories, a feeling of the increasing shallowness of life made itself known..."

"Hos Pasolini finns emellertid något annat och mer djupgående än en stackars reaktionärs känslor av förlust: en fruktansvärt skarp blick för vad som skett med de fattigas självkänsla under den nya konsumismen." pg. 208
"However, Pasolini has something different and more complex than a poor little reactionaries feelings of loss: an awfully sharp eye for what has happened to the confidence of the poor under the new consumerism."

This is one of the quotes that is most incomplete without its context. I highly recommend you read the entire book, but this part really struck a chord for me. I love the description of the "clout chase" that we're so fruitlessly on in a lot of context at this time, and how there is a fundamental shame in being poor that hasn't always been there. Honestly, it's the main thing I've taken from studying stoicism a bit - there's no shame in being where you're at, everyone has a place in this world. However, I still understand that some people will be dissatisfied, and I'm not trying to dismiss that. I just think we should try to let go of that shame.

"Skattesänkningar leder till ökade inkomstskillnader som leder till lyxkonsumtion som orsakar ett konsumtionstryck genom hela den sociala hierarkin med ökade skulder längst ned på samhällsstegen. Att skylla bolånekrisen på fattiga låntagare är därför höjden av arrogans: Det är ju där uppe som den ödesdigra statusjakten inleds [...] ungefär som i den så kallade stadionliknelsen: alla reser sig upp för att se bättre, varvid alla ser lika dåligt som tidigare." pg. 215
"Lower taxes led to higher differences in income which lead to luxury consumption which led to increased consumption throughout the social hierarchy with higher debts at the bottom of the social ladder. To blame the cost of living crisis on the poor is the height of arrogance: It is at the top the damned status chase begins [...] similar to the so called stadium comparison: everyone stands up to see better, and as a result everyone sees as little as they did beforehand."

"Det sätt på vilket de liberal-konservativa aktörerna hanterade hotande systemkritiska tolkningar av finanskrisen, liknande på ett kusligt sätt hanteringen av klimatdebatten. Frågan individualiserades. Den styrdes snabbt in på för systemet ofarliga vägar." pg. 229
"The way that the liberal-conservative actors dealt with analyses of the financial crisis that were critical of the system, were eerily similar to the way the climate debate was dealt with. The question was individualised. It was quickly lead onto paths that weren't dangerous to the system."

"Den rikaste tiondelen i Sverige släpper ut fyra gånger så mycket växthusgaser som den fattigaste tiondelen. [...] Samtidigt är denna del av arbetarklassen [som vill ha lägre bensinpriser o dyl.] skyldig till långt mindre utsläpp än den typiske mittenväljaren i en storstad (den senares flygresor borgar för det)." pg. 242
"The richest tenth in Sweden releases four times as many emissions as the poorest fourth. [...] At the same time this part of the working class [which wants lower gas prices and such] responsible for much fewer emissions than the classic middle voter in a big city (the latters flying tends to make up the majority of the difference).

"När jag skriver ut ordet medelklass syftar jag nämligen inte på en majoritet av befolkningen i Sverige eller något annat utvecklat land, utan faktiskt på en minoritet." pg.243
"Because when I write middle class I'm actually not referring to a majority of the Swedish population or any other developed country, but rather a minority."

The entirety of pages 242-243 are incredibly readworthy, and puts words on things I have tried, but failed, to express fully.

"Borde inte då den ekonomiska kris som utlöstes 2008 kunna öppna övergångsmöjligheter [för diskussionen runt konstant tillväxt kontra nolltillväxt/miljövänliga samhällssystem]? Koldioxidutsläppen minskade kraftigt hösten 2008, även om det var tillfälligt. Förra gången den kapitalistiska världsekonomin saktade in, var på sjuttiotalet. Då föddes olika tillväxtkritiska strömningar som fick rätt stort genomslag bland breda folklager." pg. 255
"Shouldn't the economic crisis of 2008 be able to open new doors [for the discussion regarding constant growth vs. environmentally friendly societies]? Carbon emissions lowered drastically in the fall of 2008, although only momentarily. Last time the capitalist world economy slowed down was in the 70s. At that time different growth-critical schools of thought were born, and received a lot of support among the masses."

I find this particular part interesting due to the recent lowering of emissions that happened for a short while during covid. I'm interested to read more about what Greider has to say about that. After all, I'd argue that covid did result in some climate awareness, though I'm not sure to what extent that may be...

"Med det jämlikhetsbegreppet går det inte att nöja sig med att ett arbetarbarn formellt har samma möjligheter att studera på universitetet som barn till akademiker. Det avgörande är att lika stor andel arbetarbarn som medelklassbarn faktiskt gör det." pg. 260
"With that definition of equality it's not enough that a working class child formally has the same chance to study at a university as the child of an academic. What matters is that equal amounts of working class children as middle class children actually do so."

"Viljan att ge bistånd och idén om internationell solidaritet är långt starkare i samhällen med mindre inkomstskillnader" pg. 273
"The will to give financial aid and the ideas of international solidarity are far stronger in societies with smaller wage gaps."

"Höjda inkomstskatter missgynnar i princip alltid den konsumtion som är dålig för klimatet och gynnar den som är mer klimatneutral." pg. 280
"Higher taxes are almost always negative for the consumption that is bad for the climate and positive for more climate-friendly options."

"Bara att föra fram tanken på nolltillväxt är att kliva ut på radikalt okänd mark. Hur skulle ett extremt lågtillväxtsamhälle se ut? Vad får det för konsekvenser för sysselsättningen? Eller är denna fråga bättre: Vilka möjligheter till arbetstidsförkortning och ökad livskvalitet ger det? Så mycket är klart att den fattiga världen under överskådlig tid måste få ha andra tillväxtmål än den rika och annat kommer de heller inte att acceptera." pg. 284
"Simply suggesting zero growth is to step into a radically unknown area. How would an extreme zero-growth society look? What consequences would it have on working life? Or is this a better question: What possibilities of less work and a higher quality of life does it open up? Of course, poorer parts of the world needs other growth goal than richer parts for the foreseeable future, and will not accept anything else."

"Debatterna om pandemier på senare år må emellanåt ha varit överdrivna, men i grunden pekar de på en ohållbar, global matkultur." pg. 289
"Recent debates regarding pandemics may have been exaggerated at times, but at the core they point at an unsustainable global food culture."

Well, this didn't age all that well. The point being made is not bad, but I'd be interested to read an updated version of this specifically, haha

"I teorin var intresserade jag mig för alla slags kollektiv och gemenskaper, men i praktiken var jag synnerligen individualistisk och så har det förblivit hela mitt liv" pg. 293
"In theory i was interested in all kinds of collectives and communities, but in practice i was very individualistic and it has remained that way my whole life."

This is the last page of the book that I marked, and the last quote for this time. It really spoke to me, as a fairly introverted person who usually likes doing my own thing. I am all for the collective - it's just a bit difficult! I am actively trying to improve myself on that part, but my limited social battery makes it difficult.

My thoughts

This book resonates deeply with me. It begins with a recollection of Greiders youth, and the reasons he became a socialist. While not entirely relatable to me (I was born ca 30 years after the events he speaks of), it is insightful and interests me to look at the parallels in how I ended up being a socialist. After that, he gets into the nitty gritty of the double crisis (financial and climate), which makes for an interesting read. These are things that I've studied, to some extent, as well as things that I've had a deep interest in since I was a pre-teen. His analysis is great and he brings up things I hadn't considered, as well as things I had a hard time to put into words.
Aside from the contents in and of itself I love the way that Greider writes. Reading this book reminded me that I ought to read (and write) more Swedish texts. I can tell that there is some overlap in the media we've consumed, or at least the kind of writing styles we enjoy. His style is classical in a way that a 2000s-kid (such as myself) would see it, and the way that his sentences sometimes nearly are too long really resonates with me, in case that isn't obvious. I always see that as an ache to put as much as possible information down, and it really sparks joy.
So, to sum it up, I highly recommend this book, and will definitely be on the lookout for more of his writing. His recent summer talk is on my to-listen list already, and will be linked below!

Reading list

Reading recommendations found in the book! This list is far from everything mentioned, mainly the parts on the pages I've gathered quotes from. For a full reading list, you can look at the final pages of the book itself, actually! I will try to make time to read some of these in the future.

Andersson, Jenny, När framtiden redan hänt: socialdemokratin och folkhemsnostalgin, Ordfront 2009
Berg, Lasse, Gryning över Kalahari: hur människan blev människa, Ordfront 2005
Cockshott, W. Paul & Cottrell, Allin, Planhushållning och direktdemokrati alt Towards a new socialism, Manifest kulturproduktion, 2002
Jonstad, David, Vår beskärda del - en lösning på klimatkrisen, Ordfront 2009
Pickett, Kate & Wilkinson, Richard, The spirit level - why more equal societies almost always do better, Penguin books 2009

Lastly, give his summer talk a listen! Obviously it's going to be easiest if you speak Swedish :)