Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto

Hersey delves into the concept of resistance as an intrinsic part of the journey toward embracing rest. She posits that resistance is a natural response to the oppressive nature of grind culture, which begins to exert its influence from birth, impacting the soul’s inherent tendency to seek rest and peace. Hersey views rest as an essential act of soul care, a means to counter the toxic systems that obscure our true nature and potential. She asserts that rest enables us to connect with the deepest parts of ourselves, fostering a liberation that is both internal and societal.

Hersey references figures like Harriet Tubman and the legacy of maroons in America as embodiments of the resistance spirit, and she highlights their refusal to accept bondage and their creation of spaces of freedom and autonomy. She argues that these historical examples reinforce the argument that rest is not merely a personal indulgence but a political act of defiance against systems that exploit and dehumanize.

Hersey moreover advocates that to effectively resist the dehumanizing demands of capitalism and white supremacy, one must engage in a deep, soulful reckoning. She challenges readers to consider the ways in which their own lives are complicit in these systems and to actively seek rest as a form of rebellion.