Keywords: The New Language of Capitalism

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Keywords: The NewLanguage of Capitalismchronicles the rise of a new vocabulary in thetwenty-first century. From Silicon Valley to theWhite House, from kindergarten to college, and from the factory floor to the church pulpit, weare all called to beinnovatorsandentrepreneurs, to becuratorsof an ever-expanding roster ofcompetencies, and to becomeresilient and flexible in the face of the insults and injuries we confront at work. In the midst of increasing inequality, these keywords teach us to thrive by applying the lessons of a competitive marketplace to every sphere of life. Whats more, by celebrating thevalues ofgrit,creativity,andpassion at school and at work, they assure us that economic success is nothing less than a moral virtue.

, modeling for us the habits of the economically successful person: be visionary, be self-reliant,and never, ever stop working.

Reviews

"A sharp recent book." The New York Times "LearysKeywordsis definitely stimulating and well worth a read...." Naked Capitalism "The extent to which the language of the market has appropriated so many aspects of our lives is both fascinating and troubling. Because its so ubiquitous we use this language without questioning its deeper meaning, some of which, as Leary illustrates, is less than benign." The Independent, Santa Barbara "As [Leary] explores what our language has looked like, and the ugliness now embedded in it, [he] invites us to imagine what our language could emphasize, what values it might reflect. What if we fought for free time, not flexibility; for free health care, not wellness; and for free universities, not the marketplace of ideas His book reminds us of the alternatives that persist behind these keywords: our managers may call us as human capital, but we are also workers. We are also people. Language is not merely a passive reflection of things as they are, Leary writes. [It is] also a tool for imagining and making things as they could be. The Outline "[Leary] has written a clever, even witty examination of the manipulation of language in these days of neoliberal or late stage capitalism. Keywords: The New Language of Capitalism reminds the reader that those who control the language can more easily control the culture while also providing that reader with the tools needed to decipher the capitalist classs manipulation of the words we use." Counterpunch "John Patrick Learys bracing study of the market regimes signature catchphrases and word clouds allows us to see how the dogmas of late capitalism increasingly shape not merely the taken-for-granted order of things but also the very language we might otherwise employ to challenge that order. Still, even as Learys dogged philology points us toward grim conclusions, his critical voice also showcases the best uses our common tongue can servecalling out the lies and cruelties of the patois of the capitalist market for what they are.Keywordsis a worthy successor to the groundbreaking work of Raymond Williams, and deserves just as wide a readership."Chris Lehmann, author ofRich People Things "John Pat Leary has written a history of the present in the form of lexicon of its keywords. Resilience, flexibility, passion, wellness, synergy, and dozens more he explains the political work done by wordsthat fuel and beset our imaginations, that hail and exhort us to keep working and buying things and paying our debts in times of crisis, decline, and uncertainty about the future. We dont have nearly enough bulwarks against despair. This book is it!" Sarah Brouillette, Professor, Department of English, Carleton University "In this masterful dissection of capitalism's modern lexicon, John Patrick Leary elucidates the ideasand ideologyshaping our contemporary political moment." Nicole Aschoff "If you feel like youre drowning in the endless torrent of capitalist bullshit, turn to this excellent glossary which explains what all those terms really mean. Dip into it, use it as a reference, or read it cover to cover - however you approach it, youll find it immensely clarifying (and sanity-restoring)." Doug Henwood "[This book]...pulls no punches. [It] shows, with a mordant analysis, how the words used inmodern business culture disguise inequality, a false meritocracy, and the new ideology thatfinds the bosses of Silicon Valley in bed with the politicians in the White House." El Confidencial Learys book is accessible, incisive, clever and compelling. Oliver Eagleton, Counterfire Language has the opportunity to both passively reflect and actively transform our environment. . . Keywords reminds us time and again of this. . .Essential literature, although hardly this year's corporate Christmas gift. Flammen

Author Bio

John Patrick Leary is Associate Professor of English at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he teaches nineteenth- and twentieth-century U.S. and Latin American literature. He is the author of A Cultural History of Underdevelopment: Latin America in the U.S. Imagination (2016) and numerous scholarly articles and essays.