Product Description
<b>“A clever, even witty examination of the manipulation of language in these days of neoliberal or late stage capitalism” (<i>Counterpunch</i>).</b><br /> <br /> From Silicon Valley to the White House, from kindergarten to college, and from the factory floor to the church pulpit, we are all called to be <i>innovators</i> and <i>entrepreneurs</i>, to be <i>curators</i> of an ever-expanding roster of <i>competencies</i>, and to become <i>resilient</i> and <i>flexible</i> 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 <i>marketplace</i> to every sphere of life. What’s more, by celebrating the values of <i>grit</i>, <i>creativity</i>, and <i>passion</i> at school and at work, they assure us that economic success is nothing less than a moral virtue.<br /> <br /> Organized alphabetically as a lexicon, <i>Keywords</i> explores the history and common usage of major terms in the everyday language of capitalism. Because these words have infiltrated everyday life, their meanings may seem self-evident, even benign. Who could be against <i>empowerment</i>, after all? <i>Keywords</i> uncovers the histories of words like <i>innovation</i>, which was once synonymous with “false prophecy” before it became the prevailing faith of Silicon Valley. Other words, like <i>best practices</i> and <i>human capital</i>, are relatively new coinages that subtly shape our way of thinking. As this book makes clear, the new language of capitalism burnishes hierarchy, competition, and exploitation as <i>leadership</i>, <i>collaboration</i>, and <i>sharing</i>, modeling for us the habits of the economically successful person: be visionary, be self-reliant—and never, ever stop working.
