The Resilience Myth

March 18, 2024
There is a growing knowledge gap “between what we need to achieve resilient outcomes and what we are culturally told we need,” according to this ambitious study from feminist and free speech activist Chemaly (Rage Becomes Her). Using a feminist and anticapitalistic framework to interrogate notions of resilience, the author posits that traditionally “male” values of rigid self-sufficiency can serve to isolate. As an alternative, she touts the use of “social connections, collaborative care, and shared resources” to adapt to challenges. (For example, she cites the pandemic-era refusal of masks and vaccines as proof of the sometimes “maladaptive” values of individualistic strength, with the disease disproportionately affecting the older white men who were most likely to reject preventive measures.) Elsewhere, she claims that corporate America’s “grind culture” impairs resilience; that expectations to “bounce back” after crises impede long-term healing; and that feeling “safe” in one’s body is key to facing the “uncertainty of anxiety-provoking life changes.” While those seeking actionable guidance might become frustrated with Chemaly’s tendency to think in broad strokes, readers who welcome a more conceptual take will appreciate her rigorous efforts to set forth an expansive view of resilience as adaptation. This is sure to spark conversation.