Capitalist realism is the idea that capitalism is the only viable way to organize society and the assumption that nothing could possibly supplant it. Just like chattel slavery and the divine right of kings before it, it is the assumption that this is simply the way the world is and must always be.
Nihilistic defeatist outlooks or liberal idealism depending on the variety expressed and who is expressing.
The book by Mark Fisher of the same name is decent but he had some problematic takes that lean toward the former.
A made up term by some champaigne socialist who repackaged gramsci’s “cultural hegemony” for western college students.
I randomly decided to read some of these beginner marxism books a year or so ago, and mark fisher’s books were the absolute worst. It’s the focus and obsession of culture, art, over materialist analyses of history and imperialism, that’s so appealing to westerners.
I knew Jonás Ceika promoted that book so it should have been a red flag. I think it was one of the first socialist books I heard about via this post: Answer to Why do people believe in capitalism? by Connie Commie Honestly, I was convinced by the dude who was on revleft for dialectics that some “postmodernism” isn’t worthless, but there are much more important things to study than cultural critique.
It reminds me of original Proletkult, it often turns sus really fast, even happened under the nose of Lenin himself, not to mention westolefto.
Which is the first book that you are referring to?
Capitalist realism. It quotes zizek more than marx, if that gives you any indication.
I thought it was OK if you are already equipped to parse through the bullshit (e.g. reading it critically).
The best thing I would say about it is it is relatively concisely written for such a heady topic, and I appreciated the anecdotes regarding skyrocketing mental illness in British schools. It helped descramble my brain a little bit when I read it.
I recommend Gramsci a million times over, though. Fisher’s breakdown is a mere toe in the water in comparison.
No, I meant the book from Gramsci that you said that they plagiarised the idea from
It’s just the notebooks right? I recommend the current season of Marx madness, as that’s what they’re covering
Ayyy Marx Madness is rad and I’m friends with comrade Sungmanitu. We’re doing some cool shit.
About to start some construction projects out at Pine Ridge.
Do you have a link to the show? I have never heard of Marx Madness before.
Thanks comrade 😊
Yep, prison notebooks.
Ugh
Capitalist realism is summed up in this phrase “It is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism”
It is the belief that everything other than capitalism is impossible or idealistic. This is best exemplified in the United States and the West’s complete inability to do anything about Climate change. Most people have passively accepted that climate change and its ensuing destruction is inevitable and even those that go out to protest envision a capitalist solution (Elon Musk fixing it through business or something).
It is at its core state propaganda to fill the populace with hopelessness that any change is doomed to fail.
Me in a nutshell:
You want something better than capitalism, but for some reason you believe everything that the CIA tells you about Socialist States.
It is this feeling, this current state of being, where everything is…capitatalist. Everything in our global capitalist society is an exchange of values determent by the current socio-economic system, everything is being comodified and everything is becoming business to the point where people cant imagine essentials like housing or water being free and not profit driven only for the people who can afford it. It is this sense that capitalism is the only thing existent, that capitalism is the only true socio-economic system and that every alternative has been tried and failed. People cannot imagine a future beyond capitalism nor can they even think beyond capitalism because capitalism is the only viable system, it seems to have become the very fabric of our observable reality.
basically “embrace capitalist dystopia because this is the best system forever”
What was that quote from 1984 that libs like to parrot?
“Imagine a steel boot stepping on a face - forever”. Something along those lines. And as usual it was projection all along
What is the idea that you want the world to be communist, and try to do that within your power, but accept that the current system we live in is capitalist and try to deal with that to live your life - capitalist practicalism?
There is much more to being a communist than wanting the world to be communist. This is what we call idealism.
I mean, if I’m being 101% honest, I don’t have much issue with the world being Capitalist.
“I’m so privileged I don’t care about the genocide or social murder inherent to capitalism”
As someone with more context about this individual, they aren’t really privileged. They just have had the idea imposed upon them hard that they belong in the elite even though they are not elite and have no way of getting there. They are also an ignorant child, whom I have been working hard to educate.
How did you know? Which verse says that? Jesus’s only issue with the people selling fish were that they were selling it in the temple of God. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have cared. In the Bible, he has never spoken a word against tax collectors, much less Capitalists. Proof?
That person is a Supply Side Jesus believer.
You don’t have much issue with a death cult with constant crises, imperialism, never ending wars, exploitation, poison in the air and water, and mass extinction? You’re in denial.
…well, I do. Its just that I don’t feel strongly about it. Unless if it impacts me directly or if I see it in front of me.
There’s this thing called having empathy. It’s pretty cool, you should try it sometimes.
Lmao wow they said the thing straight up
You care enough about seeking attention and validation for your performative apathy.
“I got mine”
I mean, that’s just Marxism
A modernised explanation of the ideological aspects of the State and and social super structure. It is an attempt to simplify into modern and approachable language, with modern references, a core component of Marx’s analysis of society
