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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
A really good diagnosis of the general idea, perfectly labelled as, capitalist realism. This term describes the prominent ideas put in place by capitalism that cause people to see no alternative. It refers to how capitalism normalises all challenges to it and adapts them into the system. It's quite an interesting read even if many of these ideas are pretty standard for leftists now.
Well, this year's been enough of a bummer so let's do this thing.
I have wanted to read some of Mark Fisher's longer writing – having been acquainted with his blog for ages – for some time, and I figured, given that 2020/21 had pretty much clocked the woe-meter, it was time. So I settled down for an afternoon of anticapitalist invective.
First things first. The writing is taut and, unusually for both the subject and theory in general, pretty fucking funny. I haven't kept up with economic theory since I learned the term 'stagflation' in high school, but that didn't really stop me from getting most of what was going on here.
To read the rest of this review, please visit my website.
I have wanted to read some of Mark Fisher's longer writing – having been acquainted with his blog for ages – for some time, and I figured, given that 2020/21 had pretty much clocked the woe-meter, it was time. So I settled down for an afternoon of anticapitalist invective.
The most Gothic description of Capital is also the most accurate. Capital is an abstract parasite, an insatiable vampire and zombie-maker; but the living flesh it converts into dead labor is ours, and the zombies it makes are us.
First things first. The writing is taut and, unusually for both the subject and theory in general, pretty fucking funny. I haven't kept up with economic theory since I learned the term 'stagflation' in high school, but that didn't really stop me from getting most of what was going on here.
To read the rest of this review, please visit my website.
Would give this a 4.5/5. It’s a great analysis of modern day capitalist structures, with abundant references to culture and existing scholarship.
I wish the conclusion / the “what now” end to the book was better developed as it came across as a bit simplistic. We need a “new left” unlike the old left. What does that look like though? Fisher says the old left was a failure, but by what standards? He never really proved that point or even outlined what this new left would look like. Its too bad that this wasn’t further developed but luckily it does not take away from the analysis provided throughout the rest of the book. Great read.
I wish the conclusion / the “what now” end to the book was better developed as it came across as a bit simplistic. We need a “new left” unlike the old left. What does that look like though? Fisher says the old left was a failure, but by what standards? He never really proved that point or even outlined what this new left would look like. Its too bad that this wasn’t further developed but luckily it does not take away from the analysis provided throughout the rest of the book. Great read.
challenging
informative
fast-paced
Mark Fisher - " Smuggling Anti-Capitalistic ideas into art and books is a Capitalistic activity! We pay money to hear complaints about Capitalism, experience catharsis, then move on with our lives! It's ridiculous! We need real change!"
Me - "Okay Mark, what are you going to do about it?"
Mark Fisher - "I'm going to write a jargon-filled Anti-Capitalist book and sell it to everyone!"
Me - "Sold! Wait a minute..."
Seriously though, who is this book for, and what does it hope to accomplish? I'm not opposed to any of the 15,000 ideas briefly touched on in this 80 page book, but I am opposed to bold claims without a shred of evidence or argumentation. You can't spend THREE PAGES contending that the rise in mental health issues is due to increased resignation and repression towards the Capitalistic system and expect me to believe you. Give me some studies, show me some expertise! I'm glad you taught a class and a student wore his headphones every time you met, but that isn't going to cut it, Mark.
I find a ton of the ideas in here to be interesting. Unfortunately, this book is flimsy and confused. It's stuffed to the brim with enough hideous, esoteric, and fatty sentences to make you wonder whether Mark wanted anyone with a life to read this thing.
Me - "Okay Mark, what are you going to do about it?"
Mark Fisher - "I'm going to write a jargon-filled Anti-Capitalist book and sell it to everyone!"
Me - "Sold! Wait a minute..."
Seriously though, who is this book for, and what does it hope to accomplish? I'm not opposed to any of the 15,000 ideas briefly touched on in this 80 page book, but I am opposed to bold claims without a shred of evidence or argumentation. You can't spend THREE PAGES contending that the rise in mental health issues is due to increased resignation and repression towards the Capitalistic system and expect me to believe you. Give me some studies, show me some expertise! I'm glad you taught a class and a student wore his headphones every time you met, but that isn't going to cut it, Mark.
I find a ton of the ideas in here to be interesting. Unfortunately, this book is flimsy and confused. It's stuffed to the brim with enough hideous, esoteric, and fatty sentences to make you wonder whether Mark wanted anyone with a life to read this thing.
On a second reading: Fisher here presents one of the most clear and accurate descriptions of our modern capitalist world that I have come across - and finally read correctly. This short book discusses topics ranging from mental health to teacher assessments, showing how increasing beaucracy and Kafkaesque lack of authority has led us to now, where even the insightful Communist Manifesto cannot accurately describe our modern dystopia. Fisher here develops upon the descriptive aspects of the Manifesto to cover the modern world - the era of history after 'the end of history' - however unlike the Manifesto there is no immediate solution for our dilemma. There is no clear possibility for either revolution or significant reform (especially considering the outcomes of recent elections in Europe and America). In our modern world it appears that there really is no obvious solution.
The old review: The criticism that this book places against capitalism are so overt that there is no need to mention them (e.g. the show big brother has the same name as Orwell's big brother and that Wall-E is anti-capitalist while being made by a capitalist company). Either this is the case or the criticisms are positions taken from another critic, Fisher does quote or paraphrase very often, though of course without references it makes the work more editorial rather than original.
Beyond this criticism, Fisher does not provide an overt alternative. Rather he criticises and criticises, though does not really envision or contemplate any serious alternatives. The rhetorical subtitle in this case must have just been taken literally by the author, for nothing close to an answer was given. At this point I would just recommend reading alternatives for yourself because you will not find any here.
Though there is a further gripe which I have with this work, the constant references to other media (usually films) both lack clarity and necessity. They drag the work down to an unbareable pace and even more so when it makes references that you do not understand. Such inclusions were not necessary and definitely make the work feel far less serious and academic.
The old review: The criticism that this book places against capitalism are so overt that there is no need to mention them (e.g. the show big brother has the same name as Orwell's big brother and that Wall-E is anti-capitalist while being made by a capitalist company). Either this is the case or the criticisms are positions taken from another critic, Fisher does quote or paraphrase very often, though of course without references it makes the work more editorial rather than original.
Beyond this criticism, Fisher does not provide an overt alternative. Rather he criticises and criticises, though does not really envision or contemplate any serious alternatives. The rhetorical subtitle in this case must have just been taken literally by the author, for nothing close to an answer was given. At this point I would just recommend reading alternatives for yourself because you will not find any here.
Though there is a further gripe which I have with this work, the constant references to other media (usually films) both lack clarity and necessity. They drag the work down to an unbareable pace and even more so when it makes references that you do not understand. Such inclusions were not necessary and definitely make the work feel far less serious and academic.
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
I wanted this to be a five stars so bad, but I found the ending and solutions quite dissatisfying. I went into it hoping to receive an image of the Alternative that we all believe doesn't exist, and that wasn't really what I got. HOWEVER, apart from the conclusion this was fantastic. For a skinny little thing it packs several revelations and I had to take my time to process everything. It is a little doomsday at times, but still manages to shift perspectives on pervasive modes of thinking. In exposing the multitude of ways in which we constantly reinforce capitalism as the only viable system, despite its implication, Fisher's writing was nothing short of mind-blowing.
challenging
informative
medium-paced