Upside Down (book)
ISBN 0312420315 | |
Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World (in Spanish Patas Arriba: la Escuela del Mundo al Revés), originally published in Spanish in 1998, was written by Eduardo Galeano, a Uruguayan author who was greatly impacted by the political turmoil during the 20th century military regimes in Latin America. Events such as the Uruguayan military coup forced Galeano into exile in Spain and Argentina;[1] these exiles, in particular, may have been formative in Galeano's life and writing. The ruminations of this book were formed as a result of Galeano's desire to remember the past traumas and as well as to learn from them. Within this piece of nonfiction, he explores themes such as modern education systems, racism, sexism, poverty, economics, work, and societal fear. The pretense of the prose tends to be preoccupied with learning to rethink the contradictions of society; in a moment when outrageous circumstances are normalized, it is time to reconsider the understandings many people hold, which, in turn, informs the way such people view things. Though focusing on Latin America, Galeano uses what he has learned from the political and social environment within Latin America to understand injustices and social dynamics throughout the rest of the world.
Form
In Upside Down, Galeano makes a set of rhetorical and visual choices that expose the intentions of his book. Beginning with the title, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, Galeano uses the term "primer" to convey the educational goals of the book. Later on he uses the term "practicum" to reinforce such goals. Primer, in this case, both indicates Galeano’s wish for this to be the initial textbook that engenders a new structure of thought and also suggests a secondary meaning; he views Upside Down as a text that provides a clear foundation. Galeano's prose is accessible to intellectuals as well as non intellectuals; many examples are developed in very clear and simple terms. His desire to change his readers' manner of thinking is shown through the accessibility of this non-fiction piece. Furthermore, small drawings, such as the one seen to the left, occupy the pages of this text. The text and image is reminiscent of introductory textbooks and picture books. Overall, Galeano's choices seem to always enhance accessibility.
Summary
Upside Down presents the relationship between developed (or “first world”) and developing (or “third world”) nations, illuminating the influences of the
Education
Galeano begins his analysis with the
Racism, Sexism, and Poverty
People are drawn to capitalism with the promise of choice, but as Galeano points out, those who are allowed to actually make those choices are limited often by money, gender, and race."This world, which puts on a banquet for all, then slams the door in the noses of so many, is simultaneously equalizing and unequal: equalizing in the ideas and habits it imposes and unequal in the opportunities it offers".
Economics
The system of economics, explains Galeano, seems to be dichotomized these days: "You have a job or you have nothing",[15] "What is rewarded above is punished below",[16] "Profits are privatized, losses are socialized".[17] Global corporations take all the power over workers by threatening to move the business to another third world location at the slightest complaint. Despite the abolition of slavery throughout the world, there is a new type of slavery that has taken power, "wage slavery." This references the type of pay that is just high enough to keep the workers in need of the job they have, but always low enough to keep the workers in a constant state of "humiliation".[18] Galeano further problematizes the idea of the economy by suggesting the connection between the choices made by the military as made in reference to economic growth. "Good news for the military economy, which is to say, good news for the economy: the weapons industry, selling death, exporting violence, is flourishing".[19]
Ideological consistency
The ideology presented in Upside Down reflects both Galeano’s contemporary, public rhetoric and the ideas behind the movements with which he is involved. Endorsing egalitarian social conditions, Galeano continues to reiterate one of the fundamental messages found in Upside Down, i.e. that control must be placed over the global forces that influence people’s lives. In a recent manifesto issued by a prominent group of leftists, Galeano, along with other leading activists such as Naomi Klein, demonstrated his cries for increased democratization over the global institutions that influence many aspects of people’s lives.[20] Focusing on what Upside Down poses as one of the most controversial systems in the world, the manifesto addresses the international financial system, calling to democratize globalist organizations and institutions such as the IMF, the WTO, multinational banks, G8/G20, and the European Central Bank. Seeking to deconstruct the imperialist dominance that such establishments embody and perpetuate to the end of great inequality, both racial and social, the manifesto declares, “We are all born equal, rich or poor, woman or man. Every African and Asian is equal to every European and American. Our global institutions must reflect this, or be overturned.”[21] These words as well as those written in Upside Down precede what Galeano describes as “the birth of another world.”[22] Occupy movements around the world vocalize the messages conveyed in Upside Down. Though the world remains rotten, “there is another world in this [world’s] belly that is waiting” Galeano declares. “I see it in these spontaneous… demonstrations.”[23]
References
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.337, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, "Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World", p.7, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, "Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World", p.12, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.13, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.14, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.15, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.19, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.166, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.176, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.25, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.32, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.72, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.44, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.164, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.147, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.155, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.173, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ Galeano, Eduardo, Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World, p.113, Picador USA, New York, USA (1998)
- ^ "Amid International Protests, Intellectuals and Activists Issue Manifesto for Global Democracy." Welcome | Campaign for a UN Parliament. UNPA. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. http://en.unpacampaign.org/news/580.php
- ^ "Amid International Protests, Intellectuals and Activists Issue Manifesto for Global Democracy." Welcome | Campaign for a UN Parliament. UNPA. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. http://en.unpacampaign.org/news/580.php
- ^ Wolf, Naomi. "No Place like Home." No Place like Home. | How Do We Start Again? 25 Nov. 2011. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. http://awayfromitall.me/category/social/
- ^ "Eduardo Galeano on Students and Their Enthusiasm: Keeping the Gods inside." Not My Tribe. NMT, 8 July 2011. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. http://notmytribe.com/2011/eduardo-galeano-on-enthusiasm-keeping-the-gods-inside-825503.html