The Resilience Myth

FROM THE AUTHOR OF RAGE BECOMES HER, A POWERFUL ARGUMENT FOR COMMUNAL RESILIENCE BASED ON IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATIONS&,nbsp,INTO THE HISTORY, SOCIAL SCIENCE, PSYCHOLOGY, POLITICS, AND&,nbsp,PERSONAL NARRATIVES BEHIND HOW WE THINK ABOUT CRISIS AND RESPOND TO TRAUMA In this thought-provoking exploration, writer and activist Soraya Chemaly&,nbsp,challenges our common, most dearly held myths of resilience and urges us to&,nbsp,shift our perspective from prioritizing individualized traits and skills to uplifting&,nbsp,collective care, material life, and open-ended connections with our communities. Resilience, she proves, is always relational.&,nbsp, Chemaly dismantles notions of resilience rooted in the philosophies of “mind&,nbsp,over matter,” “mental toughness,” “strength,” and “positive thinking,” arguing&,nbsp,that our modern version of “resilience” is a bill of goods that has been sold to us&,nbsp,by capitalism, colonialism, and ideologies that embrace supremacy over others.&,nbsp,Instead, she makes the case that true resilience comes from acknowledging&,nbsp,our fragility, recognizing our interdependencies—on each other, on nature,&,nbsp,on time—and cultivating nurturing relationships that sustain us. Throughout,&,nbsp,Chemaly provides concrete examples of how to enact this new model in our&,nbsp,daily lives.She sheds new light on ACE (adverse childhood experiences)&,nbsp,research to reframe how parents and educators should think about the long-term&,nbsp,impact of childhood trauma, debunks the powerful notion of “bouncing back,”&,nbsp,and explains why we have to turn away from believing that we always have to “soldier on.” Blending rigorous research and enthralling personal storytelling,&,nbsp,The Resilience Myth offers a new vision for collective healing by emphasizing&,nbsp,care for our neighbors—both human and nonhuman—and our environments&,nbsp,over just ourselves. By prioritizing compassion, creativity, and connection, this book ignites essential conversations about fostering resilience for all, not&,nbsp,just for those who can afford it. all.