Devon Price delivers books that inspire authentic living and creative problem-solving for real-world problems. I really appreciate that!
I think that there are some points in this text, such as offering to co-sign on loans for others when you have no family, or living out of a van or tiny home, that could go VERY poorly if not taken into the context of trusting relationships with self and others. These are not ideas to be taken lightly or decisions to be made quickly.
Yet, these are helpful and hopeful examples for neurodivergent or otherwise marginalized individuals who find themselves without biological familial ties and the typical resources required for conventional capitalistic thriving that show that out-of-the-box thinking can lead to solutions for a meaningful life when survival seems to be all that one can muster. As someone who has lived that narrative to a less-extreme degree, the alternative solutions expressed in this book are helpful to read.
I think these ideas just need a longer warning label than provided in this text, and perhaps some lengthy resources provided on how to make them viable (texts/resources for van-life, self-defense and personal safety, etc). Honestly, all of this could (and perhaps should?) be expanded to a conglomeration of resources and websites for marginalized folks looking for alternative ways of thriving in society.
With its flaws, this book takes on a complex set of topics (its life, after all, so includes many puzzle pieces) and offers an inspiring start to think differently about how to make them viable in a world that isn’t built for you (the presumably disabled and/or neurodivergent and/or queer and/or otherwise marginalized reader/acquaintance of reader).
At its core, I think that this book points individuals to greater acceptance of themselves (and the parts of themselves/their stories beyond their control) and others and learning to navigate those parts deemed “unacceptable” by the larger society within community, forming unconventional and meaningful lives. I appreciate Devon’s self disclosure and creative approach towards the aspects of life that can make neurodivergence feel like such a hurdle and the attitude of working with rather than against our diversity and individual needs and quirks.