Dying of Whiteness

How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America's Heartland

By: Jonathan M. Metzl

Narrated by: Jamie Renell

Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

A physician reveals how right-wing backlash policies have mortal consequences - even for the white voters they promise to help.

Named one of the most anticipated books of 2019 by Esquire and the Boston Globe.

In the era of Donald Trump, many lower- and middle-class white Americans are drawn to politicians who pledge to make their lives great again. But as Dying of Whiteness shows, the policies that result actually place white Americans at ever-greater risk of sickness and death.

Physician Jonathan M. Metzl's quest to understand the health implications of "backlash governance" leads him across America's heartland. Interviewing a range of everyday Americans, he examines how racial resentment has fueled progun laws in Missouri, resistance to the Affordable Care Act in Tennessee, and cuts to schools and social services in Kansas. And he shows these policies' costs: increasing deaths by gun suicide, falling life expectancies, and rising dropout rates. White Americans, Metzl argues, must reject the racial hierarchies that promise to aid them but in fact lead our nation to demise.

©2019 Jonathan M. Metzl (P)2019 Hachette Audio

Fascinating and intriguing

Great book lots to think about. Im recommending to friends and will probably read again.

N issue:

Listening to lots of large numbers is way less effective than reading them. I could not make sense of them. Perhaps if the reader slowed down it mihjt be possible to follow better.

A thoroughly researched wakeup call for America.

A very good, well supported analysis of how large swaths of the American electorate vote against their own interests. To the point that disastrous local policies get promoted to the national stage simply by rote. To sum up one major takeaway of 2/3 of the book, austerity kills. Slowly, subtly, but nonetheless. Also, more guns equal the opposite of more safety. It is up to 7 times more likely that you will die of suicide, accident, or domestic dispute than be the victim of a violent gun crime on the street. Suicide rates skyrocket when gun laws are liberated.

loved it

I loved this book, well organized and narrated. it definitely gave me a new perspective.

White Voters need to read this book

Just listen to it. Don’t argue, don’t feel compelled to agree, just listen to the information. The wealthy want you dead or at best barely alive. We are returning to an era of paupers and serfs working the land, factory, mines, and farms of the elite. The GOP has the American middle class exactly where it wants us.

Insightful

Well researched and informative One of those books that everyone should read our society would be better for it

Extremely informative.

Low and Middle-class white Americans have been political pons since forever. This book uses clear data to show how this is not only true, but also, more often than not, clearly detrimental to their own well-being, life expectancy, upward mobility, and quality of life for themselves, their families and their future generations. Racial superiority and whiteness trumps everything else. They are pons and martyrs to the lies and deceits of corrupt politicians and big business, while they consistently give up their lives and morals for the privilege of being white. This is what makes America 'great.'

Shocked

It is amazing the levels people will go to not have to re-think their beliefs even when confronted with irrefutable facts to the opposite. People vote against their best interests and are willing to die on a hill because they cannot expand their minds. This book will have you shaking your head in disbelief and teach the reader to look at their own blind spots.

Democrats listen up

Is it possible that the answer to all the degradation presented in this excellent research, presented in an engaging manner, could be as simple as giving a big hug to a Trump supporter near you. The people described herein are not deplorable they are human. Which is to say they have been deceived by ruthless ideologues who are preying on their decency. Show them a righteous path out of their predicament and they will take it.

Every social justice leader should read this book

There are so many nuggets and strategies woven in the accounts in this book that I recommend anyone doing work around social justice should also take a listen!

thought provoking, especially in these times

should be required listening for anyone looking to understand their whiteness better. fifteen words. words.