Lost Futures: A Mark Fisher Podcast
Lost Futures: S2E2: "What if you held a protest and everyone came?"
Jan 22, 2024
The discussion kicks off with an exploration of how protests can inadvertently reinforce capitalism. Delving into the film Wall-E, it critiques corporate neglect and environmental issues. The narrative critiques modern consumerism, warning against a dystopian future shaped by media. There’s a focus on interpassivity and its role in complacency. Celebrity philanthropy and its superficial impact on social issues are thoroughly examined, alongside the harsh realities of poverty and the historical ties between music and activism.
46:44
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Quick takeaways
- The podcast highlights how modern protests often reinforce capitalist realism by lacking coherent alternative visions, reducing activism to superficial demonstrations.
- It critiques the film 'WALL-E' as an example of interpassivity, showing how popular media allows audiences to feel engaged without challenging capitalism.
Deep dives
The Limitations of Superficial Anti-Capitalism
The discussion revolves around how seemingly anti-capitalist movements can inadvertently reinforce capitalist realism. The podcast underscores that many modern protests are superficial attempts at challenging capitalism, where the focus often lies in broad demonstrations rather than any coherent alternative visions. An example is drawn from the 2000s anti-capitalist movements, which were seen as efforts to mitigate capitalism's worst effects, rather than entirely replace it. This framing raises questions about whether these movements truly advance anti-capitalist agendas or merely serve as marketing campaigns for popular sentiments.
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