Into the Mirror World
Naomi Klein’s new book, Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World (2023), begins with Klein sharing an incident on social media where she was mistaken for Naomi Wolf, a feminist thinker who shifted her views to becoming a conspiracy theorist and engaging with very right-wing thinkers and public figures. This all took place around when the COVID-pandemic hit the world. Throughout the pandemic, Wolf propagated online and in a book that vaccines and public health measures were part of a scheme orchestrated by a “transnational group of bad actors” with intentions ranging from sterilization to transforming children into drones and undermining the Constitution.
The confusion between the identities between Naomi Klein and Naomi Wolf got so bad that it practically became an internet meme. Naturally, it was disconcerting for Klein, who is known for her serious works like No Logo (1999) and The Shock Doctrine (2007), to be associated with a figure like Wolf. No Logo explores the impact of globalisation and corporate branding on culture, society and the economy. It delves into the rise of multinational corporations and the increasing dominance of branding in consumer culture. In the book, Klein argues that these corporations exploit cheap labour and tax regulations in developing countries, while also homogenising culture and undermining local economies. The Shock Doctrine explores the concept of disaster capitalism, a notion in which economic elites exploit crises to push policies that would not be accepted under normal circumstances. Those policies often involve privatisation, deregulation, and cuts in social services. This push benefits the wealthy at the expense of the poor.
Initially, Klein attempts to disregard “Other Naomi,” finding the humour in the mix-up and categorizing it as one of those things that are confined to the domain of the internet alone. However, she eventually becomes fixated on Wolf’s ascent in what she terms the “Mirror World” of conspiracy theories and right-wing paranoia. During the pandemic, Klein isolates herself from her family to closely follow Wolf’s discussions on Steve Bannon’s podcast. This transforms her analysis of her “doppelganger” into a meticulous exploration of online culture and political duplicity. Rather than giving in to the urge to dismiss Wolf and others in the Mirror World as strange people that should not be taken seriously, Klein undertakes a thorough investigation into their concerns and what makes them so appealing to some.
By looking into what caused the transformation of her namesake and examining other instances of online paranoia that flourished during the pandemic, Klein traces what caused the gap between well-intentioned liberals and anti-vaxxers. She observes that we distinguished ourselves from one another, yet increasingly found similarities, even to the extent of deeming each other as non-persons.
Her writing in this book remains clear and dynamic even though the subject matter is incredibly confusing and has so many layers. The book is therefore a nice easy read even though the contents could easily be confusing. It is a personal story which makes abstract issues in the political realm concerning conspiracy theorists and anti-vax movements into something tangible. Though Klein explains every step clearly, not expecting the reader to know everything about her, knowing something about who Klein is and the books she has written before adds an extra layer to the story.
While Klein’s language may feel sensationalist sometimes, using terms like “Mirror World” and “doppelgangers”, it is exactly this use of words that makes the book so captivating and fun to read. By using the language of psychological thrillers, she brings her occasionally dense or theoretical content truly to life.
The result of the whole ordeal is that Klein finds herself feeling less attached to who she is perceived as online. She finds it silly, looking back how serious she once took her online persona. In result, she now feels liberated from her public self. This book precisely documents a journey that is an example of so many of these stories that unfold in this day and age. Klein’s story is a testament to the last couple of years of our world. It tackles socio-political issues that have grown during the pandemic, mostly to do with polarisation, and it adds dimensions of social media and its effects on the public debate. Klein shares her story, in which we can all relate to certain aspects, and puts forward interesting observations and ideas that one can philosophise further about, academically and privately.
References
Klein, Naomi. 1999. No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies. London: Picador.
Klein, Naomi. 2007. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. New York: Henry Holt & Company.
Klein, Naomi. 2023. Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World. London: Penguin Books Limited.