There are no softballs in Arianne Shahvisi’s “Arguing for a Better World: How Philosophy Can Help Us Fight for Social Justice.” Instead, the Kurdish-British author, ethicist and academic sets up the reader with exactly the sort of provocative questions many of us heard from our most whataboutist friends and family members. “Has ‘political correctness’ gone too far?” she asks in one chapter, before proceeding to query “Do all lives matter?” And “Is it sexist to say ‘men are trash’?”
What makes Shahvisi’s writing so refreshing is that she then explores these concepts with a serious and open mind, one that accepts that “Mistakes are unavoidable in political movements.” Hers is a voice that presumes a degree of good intentions from us, while challenging our seemingly inescapable complicity. Toggling between despair and hope, Shahvisi offers a practical and forgiving path into the tough discussions we have with each other — and our own consciences.
Salon talked to the author recently via Zoom about doing good when everything feels pointless, recognizing that there’s a “hierarchy of harms” and making space for “learning and forgiveness.” And if you want to argue well, she advises, “Let’s look for the agreement first. Let’s be charitable.”…
After the truth-shower 