Let me stipulate right at the top that I really loved this book. I found it inspiring… but also troubling. And we’ll get into that later.
On today’s “To the Contrary” podcast I sit down with author Gal Beckerman, a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the new book, “How to Be a Dissident” — which is (in part) a step-by-step manual on how to stand athwart authoritarianism and say, “Stop!”
Beckeman argues that dissidence is a universal human capacity—an inner refusal to betray one’s conscience. Beckerman explains that dissidents are not extraordinary superheroes, but ordinary people who choose to align their actions with their inner moral truth, even when doing so is risky or costly. This alignment—asking “Can I live with myself?”—is what defines a dissident.
Dissidence isn’t merely political rebellion, he writes, but a moral practice that begins with a solitary recognition of truth, moves through the courage to speak it, and ends with the possibility of leaving a legacy that outlasts one’s life.
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Some highlights of my conversation with Gal Beckerman
Dissidents need to take the long view.
Be willing to be alone and marginalized.
Be funny. Why dissidents should cultivate a sense of humor.
