Mark Fisher in conversation with Amber Jacobs

Capitalism Realism / talk at Birkbeck Jan 2011
Mark Fisher in conversation with Amber Jacobs

In 2009 Mark Fisher published Capitalist Realism: Is There no Alternative? (Zero Books) in which he addressed the condition of ideological malaise produced by neo-liberal capitalism - or as he puts it- the “widespread sense that not only is capitalism the only viable political and economic system, but also that it is now impossible even to imagine a coherent alternative to it.” The economic crisis has only reinforced and accelerated the rhetoric of capitalist realism that demands that we all must face the hard facts of economic ‘reality’ in our acceptance of the dismantling of the public sector. Fisher argues that now, more than ever, alternatives must be articulated and fought for and the current resistance being lead by students makes this all the more urgent. As Zizek puts it “Fisher’s book is simply the best diagnosis of our predicament that we have.” This research seminar will be organised around a discussion of Capitalist Realism and the questions of theories and practices of resistance, cunning and subversion -which also inform Amber Jacobs’ current research.

Introduction + talk + discussion: 

http://backdoorbroadcasting.net/2011/01/capitalist-realism-is-there-no-alternative/