Capital and Ressentiment - A Short Theory of the Present

The growth of social media has created a reservoir of resentment that populist and authoritarian leaders are exploiting, by fusing finance capital and information in a new form of information capitalism. This ressentiment is directed towards migrants, foreigners, and others, deflecting its critical potential and bolstering the system that is their source. Joseph Vogl's book provides a insightful analysis of how information capitalism is transforming the affective economy of our societies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 220 pages
Publication date: 04 November 2022
Publisher: Polity Press

The proliferation of social media has created an ideal environment for the expression and sharing of feelings of anger and frustration, leading to a deep pool of ressentiment that is being exploited by populist and authoritarian leaders. In his book, Joseph Vogl explores how this dynamic is rooted in the fusion of finance capital and information in a new form of information capitalism, reshaping the affective economy of our societies. The strategies of capital accumulation employed by powerful new platforms and social media are driving people into fragmented, opposing, and conflictual communities, where ressentiment is nurtured and grows. These feelings of grievance and rejection generated by capitalism are redirected towards migrants, foreigners, and other groups, deflecting their critical potential and bolstering the system that is their source.

Understanding the cunning of ressentiment is crucial in understanding why global finance and information capital cannot be understood or attacked as a totalizing power despite the profusion of communication in our social media age. Vogl's analysis provides valuable insights into the forces shaping our societies today and is of interest to anyone concerned with these issues.

Weight: 382g
Dimension: 144 x 222 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509551811