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A Review of Capitalist Realism

I just finished reading the short book, Capitalist Realism by Mark Fisher. It was one of the first books on my to-read list for the year, so I'm starting strong.

Disclaimer: I'm uneducated in political economy beyond the few books I've read. I may have misunderstood some of the author's points and completely missed others.

"Capitalist realism" is the way capitalism shapes culture and society to assert its own dominance over other plausible systems. We have become so accustomed to capitalism that we can't even imagine any other way of organizing society. "It's easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism." The author relates the current form of capital realism to the rise of neoliberalism and neoconservatism. Several different presentations of capitalist realism are outlined in the book, including media, mental disorders, and even anti-capitalism.

Market logic infiltrates all aspects of our lives, teaching us to evaluate ideas based on their market viability rather than their communal benefit. Personally, I've heard friends try to insert market logic to explain my reasoning for making Free Software. In contrast, I believe in using technology for communal good, regardless of its "profitability". Altruism doesn't seem exist, or at least it's limited to narrow fields like food banks and soup kitchens. The market must go on.

One part that really impressed me was the evaluation of how anti-capitalism is used to reinforce capitalism itself. Hollywood constantly makes movies that portray the "evil corporation" and demonize the way they oppress the poor or destroy the environment. Yet Hollywood is run by corporation. Capitalism doesn't ignore criticism. It turns it into profit.

A deeper way anti-capitalists media reinforces capitalism is the illusion of action. We watch movies, read articles, and debate on social media rather than actually resisting capitalism. It forms a discrepancy between thought and action where we think we are doing something while our lives uphold what we fight in every way.

Also, seeing some of the ways capitalism affects ecosystems (including human) can lead to wanting to alleviate the symptoms but ignore the causes: the drive for profit, the illusion of infinite resources, and the commodification of everything.

Overall, the book was intellectual, difficult to read, and thought-provoking. I listened to it in about three hours, and I might go back over the e-book later.

Here's a link to Capitalist Realism as a PDF if you'd like to read it.

Ha det bra!