“The problems we face are systemic and interlocking.”

If anything at all, XF is an important read. The authors suggest that we should reclaim rationalism, naturalism, and scientific thought in the name of marginalized identities. Overall, I enjoyed the book’s nuanced discussions of gender-/race-abolitionism, callout culture, and the “fetishization of oppression” in contemporary social justice movements.

The biggest concern I have is that XF is inaccessible. Regarding its prose, XF often ventures into Judith Butler territory (notably OX12 ADJUST), which speaks to both its verbosity and (potential for) intellectual consequence. I have a hard time believing that XF is truly written for the “universalist collective” it seeks to inspire. I definitely needed to read several paragraphs more than once to understand even the essence of what the authors were trying to say.

If you’re an academic looking for a piece of critical theory, XF is a solid — albeit esoteric — choice. This manifesto is mostly theoretical and not as much (if at all) practical. At a time when capitalism and all of its attachments are barely a decade away from destroying the planet, we need fewer heady ~*theories*~ and more ideas about how we can reverse the damage. Does XF offer solutions? Maybe not, but at least it continues an important conversation. 2.5 stars