Capital's absorption of anti-capitalist discourse in a consumer society

Abstract

The article is devoted to the ability of capital to neutralize the anti-capitalist and anti-consumer discourse. The following kind of paradox is observed: advertising manipulates, at the same time seeks to appeal to spiritual intentions, standardizes and at the same time offers to emphasize individuality. What was once recognized as standing in opposition to the values of consumption is turning not just into a weak ideological barrier to the spread of consumer culture, but, on the contrary, into a rich material for commerce and advertising discourse. The article analyzes the absorption that touched the image of Che Guevara and anti-capitalist youth subcultures. Commercialization covers clothing paraphernalia of protest communities. Even anti-advertising discourse is captured by consumer networks and commodified. There is a phenomenon of capitalization of protest against capitalism, consumerization of rebellion against consumerism. Scientific rationality, being integrated by capital, rises to the service of commerce and finds new methods of irrational manipulation of consciousness and absorption of protest discourse.