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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
Succinct and sharp, The New Prophets of Capital discusses how the spirit of capitalism is being strengthened on different fronts. The book is divided into four sections: one that discusses Sheryl Sandberg's Feminist capitalism (or why women should also be capitalists), John Mackey's conscious capitalism (or why you should pay your workers, not destroy the environment and uh... sell the company to Jeff Bezos??), Oprah Winfrey's individualist perceptions (you should work harder, nothing else needs to change!), and the Gates' foundation's philanthrocapitalism (of course education and healthcare are commodities, not rights... right?).
My comments above might be laced with (a bit of) contempt at these capitalists, but Nicole Aschoff has done a great job at presenting the good that has come with the teachings of these prophets. All of the prophets identify valid problems in capitalism and the world at large, or at least approximately identify them, but their solutions ultimately entrench the current scheme of social relations and accumulations of wealth and power.
I think the dialectical analysis in this book was well done, and the main idea of organizing production around human needs, not profit-motives was effectively argued. We need to be aware of how capitalism absorbs its critiques and reframes them on its own terms. A multitude of approaches are needed to envision a different system, approaches that share between them ideas of democracy, de-commodification and redistribution.
My comments above might be laced with (a bit of) contempt at these capitalists, but Nicole Aschoff has done a great job at presenting the good that has come with the teachings of these prophets. All of the prophets identify valid problems in capitalism and the world at large, or at least approximately identify them, but their solutions ultimately entrench the current scheme of social relations and accumulations of wealth and power.
I think the dialectical analysis in this book was well done, and the main idea of organizing production around human needs, not profit-motives was effectively argued. We need to be aware of how capitalism absorbs its critiques and reframes them on its own terms. A multitude of approaches are needed to envision a different system, approaches that share between them ideas of democracy, de-commodification and redistribution.
This book was Fine. It didn't say anything that was novel at all? Maybe I'm just not its intended audience. I agreed with pretty much everything it said, but it just wasn't saying much. There were a lot of sources and opportunities for further reading, though, which would probably be helpful for whoever its intended audience.
Two stars is probably too harsh. It wasn't a Bad book. But I just didn't really enjoy it.
Two stars is probably too harsh. It wasn't a Bad book. But I just didn't really enjoy it.