Episode #202 - Why we can’t think beyond Capitalism. (Mark Fisher, Capitalist Realism)
Episode #202 - Why we can’t think beyond Capitalism. (Mark Fisher, Capitalist Realism)
This episode introduces the concept of Capitalist Realism as developed by Mark Fisher, describing a widespread feeling that it's easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism. It explores how neoliberalism, with its focus on individualism, competition, and limited government, became the dominant system by absorbing people’s desire for change and repackaging it as personal ambition. The episode argues that this framework not only shapes how people think and live but also hides its failures by blaming individuals for systemic issues, including mental health struggles. Fisher suggests that this mindset prevents solidarity and deeper political change, not through conspiracy, but through the way society is structured to make alternatives feel unimaginable.
Further Reading
Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? by Mark Fisher (2009)
Understanding Mental Distress: Knowledge, Practice and Neoliberal Reform by Rich Moth (2022)
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein (2007)
See the full transcript here
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