Rebecca Solnit Discusses Slow Progressive Change and Historical Memory in New Book

Author Rebecca Solnit, known for popularizing the term 'mansplaining,' has released a new book titled 'The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on a World of Change.' In an interview from her San Francisco home, Solnit argues that despite current political turmoil, a 'slow revolution' has been unfolding since the 1950s, involving shifts in attitudes toward gender, race, sexuality, science, and climate. She references the 2024 return of 466 acres of ranch land north of San Francisco to the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria as an example of long-term activism yielding results. Solnit, 64, draws on Italian political philosopher Antonio Gramsci's concept of interregnum—'the old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born'—to frame the current era. She contends that far-right movements represent a backlash against progressive gains, emphasizing that memory and history are crucial in challenging authoritarianism. Solnit highlights environmental, anti-nuclear, civil rights, and anti-colonial movements as interconnected forces driving change. She quotes American theologian Walter Brueggemann's idea that 'hope arises from memory,' suggesting that despair stems from forgetting past struggles. The author also discusses climate pessimism, noting that activism fosters solidarity and purpose, as seen in events like the Paris Agreement and protests against the Keystone XL pipeline. Solnit concludes that the future remains uncertain, requiring continued engagement rather than assumptions of inevitability.