Author: Sunitah Sah
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: January 14, 2025
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
As someone who devours self-help and psychology books, I found "Defy" to be a refreshing and insightful exploration of why we so often choose compliance over standing up for our values. Dr. Sunita Sah transforms our understanding of defiance from a negative trait into a crucial tool for personal and societal change.
The book's strength lies in its practical framework, particularly the five stages of defiance and the clear distinction between compliance and consent. Using Stanley Milgram's famous 1960 Yale experiments as a foundation, Sah breaks down the forces that push us toward compliance and provides actionable strategies for resistance when our values are at stake.
What sets this book apart is its nuanced treatment of defiance and the introduction of concepts like "conscious compliance" – the idea that sometimes we might choose to comply while fully acknowledging our disagreement, without shame. The five elements of consent (capacity, knowledge, understanding, freedom, and authorization) provide a practical toolkit for decision-making in challenging situations.
"Defy" stands as a valuable addition to my self-help books, offering essential guidance for anyone who has ever felt the pressure to go along with something that didn't feel quite right.
A big thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
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