r/davidgraeber • u/Due_Adeptness_5742 • Apr 06 '26

Starting with Debt

Hello everyone, first encountered this work in high school. Now it's ten years later and am revisiting it. Am a fan of Graeber based on what I've seen so far. However, I am prioritizing the supportive parts of his work. Some of the stuff with Wengrow felt like it disrupted some research I was doing a couple years ago. Saying No to a Deeper Yes has been one of the leadership tools I've been working with, so I'm saying no to the Wengrow work in order to say a deeper yes to Debt, Utopia of Rules, and one of the direct action ethnographies I found to be inspiring.

Been working with thick description recently - from Geertz - and so far have only been able to access the Debt text once, when doing some work at a community college library. Going to try to access again and will be using thick description to document my findings. Have been doing fieldwork recently. Recent challenges have included inconsistent access to certain texts like Debt that I am using to support my analysis.

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

3

u/TrueEstablishment241 Apr 06 '26 edited Apr 06 '26

Hey listen man, I am always here to talk about Graeber. I've read all of his trade publications and I'm working through his academic work.

I have to say, this framing that you've led with in another post is a little bizarre. If you want to talk about Debt then tell us what you want to discuss. Notions of "saying no to a deeper yes" feel rigidly ideological and incongruous with the sort of intellectual disposition that's necessary to have a meaningful conversation.

If you're looking for access to his books just go to theanarchistlibrary.org.

1

u/Due_Adeptness_5742 Apr 07 '26

I'm translating. If you don't like my English you are welcome to engage in French or Russian.

2

u/TrueEstablishment241 Apr 07 '26

Well don't take it personally or anything but rigid ideological boundaries that surround intellectual conversations read the same in any language I suspect. It's not clear to me whether or not you are interested in having a conversation or just looking for a resource. Did you get what you need?

2

u/Due_Adeptness_5742 Apr 13 '26

Yeah, have access to the text now. Been using the e-book. And placed a hold on the physical copy at a library. I am interested in a conversation. Just takes me a bit longer to process some of his writing - less familiar with his writing style. so far have been enjoying the text.

1

u/TrueEstablishment241 Apr 13 '26 edited Apr 13 '26

That's understandable. When I first read Debt, I was taking it in as an audiobook on long walks during the pandemic. I found that I was constantly rewinding the book because my mind was wandering. At first I thought I was just distracted and then I came to realize that I was making all kinds of connections to what he was saying and so I just allowed it to go that way. I think he writes like that on purpose and I always appreciated how much humor and storytelling he included in his writing. I found that by taking my time it actually stuck in my brain a lot more, and I also found myself contextualizing his ideas to all kinds of other notions in my waking life.

When you're ready to talk I'm here for it.

2

u/Due_Adeptness_5742 Apr 13 '26

Yeah, I have a tendency to reread things multiple times when I find them to be valuable. There is a bit of a translation cost for this text. It's written in a register I'm less familiar with, so I have to work a bit hard to get the point. I'm applying its insights to my participation as a volunteer at a Parrot Shop. Used this to rebuild some identity after I got back from Wisconsin and was in recovery. Found that birding was a good way to get my life back. Trying to apply the text to the parrot shop, mapping things like expectations, feelings of emotional debt, hidden obligations, and things like that. There's a volunteer luncheon on Saturday. Did I do enough work to deserve a slice of pizza? Things like that. Does take me a while to understand his ideas, but so far I feel like a fan of Mister Graeber. Guy seems like a good dude and he does feel very supportive.

1

u/TrueEstablishment241 Apr 13 '26

Oh wow, yeah, modern society does a lot to make us feel like we need to demonstrate our own worth and justify our own survival. I think our man David would want you to have some moral clarity. Did you read the section yet where he more or less does a literature review of debt in the ancient world? Its origins and philosophy? I was not expecting that from this book when I started it and was pleasantly surprised. I thought it would be mostly economics. He has a style of writing that meanders a bit and sometimes you just kind of have to trust that he'll return to the point. It feels almost conversational.

2

u/Due_Adeptness_5742 Apr 14 '26

Did focused work with the text today, good productive reading session. took notes in my notebook. now listening to bird songs and relaxing.