The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture Pdf

FREE THE REBEL SELL: HOW THE COUNTER CULTURE BECAME CONSUMER CULTURE PDF

Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — Nation of Rebels by Joseph Heath. Andrew Potter. In this wide-ranging and perceptive work of cultural criticism, Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter shatter the most important myth that dominates much of radical political, economic, and cultural thinking. The idea of a counterculture -- a world outside of the consumer-dominated world that encompasses us -- pervades everything from the antiglobalization movement to feminism an In this wide-ranging and perceptive work of cultural criticism, Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter shatter the most important myth that dominates much of radical political, economic, and cultural thinking. The idea of a counterculture -- a world outside of the consumer-dominated world that encompasses us -- pervades everything from the antiglobalization movement to feminism and environmentalism. And the idea that mocking or simply hoping the "system" will collapse, the authors argue, is not only counterproductive but has helped to create the very consumer society radicals oppose. In a lively blend of pop culture, history, and philosophical analysis, Heath and Potter offer a startlingly clear picture of what a concern for social justice might look like without the confusion of the counterculture obsession with being different. Get A Copy. Paperbackpages. Published December 14th by Harper Business first published January 1st More Details Original Title. Other Editions Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Nation of Rebelsplease sign up. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Jan 08, Cate rated it really liked it Recommends it for: anyone currently or formerly involved in "counterculture" movements. From the time I was about 15 I began wondering why the fashion styles of various counterculture movements seemed to be absorbed by the mainstream okay, so really I was pissed that the same kid that made fun of me two years before for wearing this or that was now wearing this or that item, only now it was considered "cool". I later came to the conclusion that most people involved in the counterculture do--the styles had been co-opted by corporate marketing schemes. Turns out I, along with the r From the time I was about 15 I began wondering why the fashion styles of various counterculture movements seemed to be absorbed by the mainstream okay, so really I was pissed that the same kid that made fun of me two years before for wearing this or that was now wearing this or that item, only now it was considered "cool". Turns out I, along with the rest of the counterculture, was wrong. Heath and Potter argue that counterculture hasn't been co-opted by consumer culture, but rather that counterculture is consumer culture. In other words, there is nothing to sell out because the whole ideology of the counterculutre is false. The highly idividualistic nature of the counterculture i. Individualism, or distinction, can be equated with "scarcity" in economic terms. The more distinct or scarce a trend is, the more status it gives the individual. This explains why former enthusiasts of Green Day suddenly turned on the band when they signed with a major label--listening to the band had decreased in distinction--it no longer set the individual apart from their peers, in short, it became "uncool. Instead of working towards gradual reform through democratic processes i. In my opinion the book is right on. Unfortunately I don't think that counterculture movement is on the way out, due to one fact that Heath and Potter make a point of--its just way more fun to overthrow the system The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture. Despite agreeing with nearly all of the main points in this book, "Rebel Sell" was a lousy read. Heath and Potter's arguments are poor and often backed up with little more than assertions, such that even when the reader can see that The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture are correct about something, one is annoyed by their intellectual dishonesty and flimsy rhetoric. D Despite agreeing with nearly all of the main points in this book, "Rebel Sell" was a lousy read. Do they weigh the relative evidence for each theory? Do they counter Gladwell with their own arguments? Another example of the author's sloppy logic occurs in the discussion of the politics surrounding the counterculture's response to uniform, in which they write this howler: "Given the martial archetype, it is hardly surprising that uniforms-and the men and women who wear them - are treated with tremendous scorn and hostility by cultural rebels Throw in the fact that most people in uniforms are agents of government-sanctioned violence or coercion and it is easy to see why the decision to wear a uniform was seen not only as an unappealing lifestyle choice, but as manifestly dangerous. It was inevitable, then, that the Vietnam War served as a lightening rod for countercultural protest". That's right, folks, get ready to re-write your history books, the opposition to the Vietnam War was REALLY due to the fact that the people fighting it wore uniforms. More importantly, to say that the authors paint in broad strokes as they admit in the afterword is a gross understatement. Every single person or organization who has ever complained about "the system" in any context is lumped together. Well, this isn't exactly true. One of Heath and Potter's assumptions is that the counterculture is completely ineffective, and so anyone who successfully changed the system is by definition not part of the counterculture. Circular reasoning aside, the notion that Martin Luther King was not a revolutionary is outright laughable. The authors assert that the counterculture wants nothing but a total overhaul of the system, and that in this they have been completely ineffective. But they go on to claim that the counterculture has been ineffective in fostering any change, and that it is in fact counterproductive. There is no hard evidence offered for this belief. In fact, they do point out the enormous social changes that have taken place since the 60's. The book also feels completely out of order; major concepts The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture defined hundreds of pages after they have been discussed in detail. For example, the authors are exceptionally vague about the nature, extent, and description of the counterculture. There are plenty of examples here and there, but over a hundred pages into the book there is no coherent description of the target of the authors' polemic. We are left wondering is they are The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture up a strawman? Lots of works are cited that are supposedly representative of the counterculture, but we're still left with the sense that the counterculture has something to do with hippies, punks, Adbusters, and Naomi Klein and, apparently, the entire political left. The best parts of the book, by far, are the conclusion in which they clearly state what they have been hinting at for the previous pages and the afterword in which they defend their conclusions from selected criticisms. This fact makes something startlingly clear; this book is little more than a 25 page article padded with hundreds of page of more or less supporting facts and arguments. The first ten chapters really add very little to their argument, while the authors' snarky tone and dismissive attitude could put off more than a few readers who could The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture approve of much of their central thesis. The Rebel Sell sparked interest up here mainly because of the shots the pair took at Naomi Klein, in particular ridiculing her complaint in No Logo about the hipster wannabes who had invaded her slickly grungy Slavic neighborhood to the point that the original cool kids wanted to pick up their studio lofts and go sulk. This episode was just one of several that the authors—who display a marked affinity for using Hobbes as a preferred analyst of societal problems over that twentieth century wunderkind, Marx—used to reinforce their central contention: that all of the hand-waving and utopian shenanigans The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture jamming that the counter-culture engages in have only ever served to produce the paradoxical effect of reinforcing the consumer culture that they desperately wish to overturn. The stark reality, say the duo in their placid but relentless tone, is that these counter-culture groups have merely become another player in globalized capitalism, finding a niche market and setting up the infrastructure to enable its exploitation and keep the almighty dollar on the move. Indeed, Heath and Potter turn the screws of mild sarcasm in order to point out how—seeing the ineffectiveness of the left's perennial dream of a revolution that will topple the hated marketplace and its political minions—it would be more productive for them to join in the working of the long- established political system currently in place; that incremental changes and patient legislation and careful opinion swaying has always produced the most palpable achievements in working towards a more just, more equitable, and more environmentally aware society. In a way, the then young authors are modern-day followers in the footsteps of Raymond Aron, upholding the necessity of rationally approaching the cultural and political problems at hand and striving to operate within the existing framework in order to implement one's goals while pointing out the destructive futility of revolutionary idealism. It's all remarkably sensible, orderly, and reasonable—thoroughly Canadian —at heart, and thus something innately persuasive to like-minded thinkers. Whether it will appeal to those whom the authors wish to sway—members of the progressive left—is a more debatable question. Certainly, the mocking tone and dismissal of the culture-jammers will likely The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture many of the latter away before the meaty part of the book has been reached. I found it to be enjoyable and educational while written in a workmanlike fashion—neither brilliant nor boring, but one that unfolds in a continually interesting and thoughtful manner. It's not perfect—there are mistakes, straw-men and questionable interpretations to be found within—but then neither are the societies they are suggesting we endeavor within. Perfection may sell well on the counter-cultural market, but it has so far proved impossible to attain in man or his institutions. The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture 2 comments. May 30, Douglas Wilson rated it it was amazing Shelves: culture-studies. Though written from the left, this book was really intelligent and shrewd. Really enjoyed it. If you have read Thomas Frank, it was a lot like that. Jul 02, Nicole rated it really liked it. Awhile ago I saw a postcard on a wall at Loyola for an upcoming lecture about the evils of marketing. Someone had written on the card, "this postcard is marketing. So when this book started out with a story about Adbusters putting out a shoe called "Blackspot" that was supposed to be an anti-brand answer to Nike, Adidas, etc. I've always found everything about Adbusters to be ironic. Counterculture will always find its way into mainstream culture, even drive it. This book takes a long look at the history of counterculture movements and how entrenched they actually are in the bigger consumer picture. I always think of this book when I hear someone rail against a band "selling out. Also excellent: their discussion of why "Buy Nothing Day" is actually ineffective in the bigger economic The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture, and why "Earn Less Day" would make more sense for what they are trying to achieve but probably not go over as well. The Rebel Sell. How The Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture

Paying over the odds to ensure that dinner was not, in a previous life, confined to tiny cages is all well and The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture. George Sand goes unmentioned; otherwise the authors might have fitted all of Western civilisation into a page book. Why range so widely? Anticipating criticism, perhaps, Messrs Heath and Potter make sure to put forth a few of their own solutions, such as the hour working week and school uniforms to keep teenagers from competing with each other to wear ever-more-expensive clothes. Imposing some restrictions, such as a shorter working week, might not The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture the arms race, but it would at least curb its most offensive excesses. This assumes one finds excess consumption offensive; even the authors do not seem entirely sure. But en route to such modest suggestions, the authors want to criticise every aspect of the counterculture, from its disdain for homogenisation, franchises and brands to its political offshoots. Moreover, the authors make the mistake of assuming that the consumers they sympathise with—the ones who buy brands and live in tract houses —know enough to separate themselves from their purchases, whereas the free-trade-coffee buyers swallow the brand messages whole, as it were. Still, it would be a shame if the book's ramblings kept it from getting read. At the very least, it puts its finger on a trend: there will be plenty of future critics of capitalism lining up for their free-range chicken. Reuse this content The Trust Project. More from Unknown Jobs at The Economist intern. Jobs at The Economist Job listing: News intern. The best of our journalism, hand-picked each day Sign up to our free daily newsletter, The Economist today Sign up now. The Rebel Sell - The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

Since Naomi Klein's bestselling anti-capitalist book No Logo was published five years ago, its success in Britain and North America has been accompanied by an intriguing political and economic mystery. While Klein and her imitators have made sweatshops and bullying corporations and the other costs of global consumerism into much more mainstream topics for public discussion, this does not seem to have stopped many people from going shopping. One conclusion you could draw is that political books are not as life-changing as they were. A more provocative one would be that where the dominance of modern capitalism is concerned, Klein's kind of thinking is not part of the solution but part of the problem. The Rebel Sell is a brave book. In places it is also unfair, light on evidence and repetitively polemical. But the argument it makes is important and original. Joseph Heath The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture Andrew Potter, both young Canadian academics, think that for nearly half a century critics of capitalism have profoundly misunderstood their enemy. Worse than that, the authors argue, these critics have - sometimes unintentionally, sometimes not - provided modern capitalism with the fuel it runs on. They begin with an eye-catching example. Two years ago, the US magazine Adbusters, one of the main journals of the anti-capitalist movement, began selling its own brand of trainers. In one way, the shoes were a radical gesture: each one was marked with a prominent spot to advertise the fact that it had not been made in a sweatshop, by implication shaming less ethical trainer manufacturers. But the authors see the initiative differently: "After that day, The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture rational person could possibly believe that cultural rebellion, of the type epitomised by Adbusters If consumers are willing to pay more for shoes made by happy workers, then there is money to be made. To Heath and Potter, the story of capitalism since the 60s is the story of business absorbing so much from the so-called counterculture of that decade and after, and vice versa, that the two effectively merged. By the early 21st century, the counterculture's governing ideas of rebelliousness and "cool" have become the "central ideology" of consumerism. Wherever you find capitalism at its most vigorous - as in the marketing of sportswear and pop music - a "rebel sell" philosophy is at work. This analysis is presented with great briskness and confidence. The authors write in short, conversational paragraphs but their best sentences can be artfully stinging. The obsession of modern marketing with coolness and youth is memorably dismissed as "the society-wide triumph of the logic of high school". Some of the themes here are not completely new, though. The US cultural critic Thomas Frank whom the authors acknowledge as a big influence wrote extensively in the 90s about the links between modern bohemianism and business. But Heath and Potter go further by suggesting that there has never even been any tension between the two sides: their interests have always been compatible. To demonstrate this, they supply an ambitiously brief version of the history of capitalism. In the beginning, it was a system concerned with selling people things they needed. But once those needs had been largely satisfied, in rich countries at least, capitalism became about selling things that would make people feel distinctive. In the The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture 19th century, the sociologist Thorstein Veblen coined the phrase "conspicuous consumption" to describe the never- ending The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture for prestigious lifestyles and possessions that was set in motion. Anti-capitalists, in Heath and Potter's view, have long failed to understand this development. They have mistakenly seen capitalism as a system that sells conformity rather than individualism. And so they have failed to spot something important: that the counterculture of the 60s and its successors have simply been examples of prosperous westerners seeking social distinctiveness, as Veblen predicted. From hippies to punks, from organic farmers to ravers, rebellious subcultures are always entrepreneurial - both in their daily activities and in their overriding concern to set themselves apart in the great modern marketplace of tastes and styles. And all the debate and worry about "selling out" that has attended the growth of such groups, the authors argue, has been a way of avoiding an uncomfortable truth: that everyone involved was instinctively capitalist long before the corporate sponsors came calling. Anti-capitalism of the attractively packaged No Logo variety, The Rebel Sell concludes tartly, is just the latest of these worldly subcultures, outwardly iconoclastic but actually status-seeking and snobbish. The authors are not above spicing their dense arguments with some easy point- scoring: "Whenever you look at the list of consumer goods that [according to critics of capitalism] people don't really need, what you invariably see is a list of consumer goods that middle-aged intellectuals don't need Hollywood movies bad, performance art good; Chryslers bad, Volvos good; hamburgers bad, risotto good. In the rare moments when Heath and Potter are not in attack mode, they describe their own political beliefs in orthodox left-leaning terms. They favour the welfare state and aiding the poor. They dislike unfettered business. But the relish with which the authors go about their debunking carries The Rebel Sell into more ambiguous ideological territory. Heath and Potter's dislike of the capitalist fixation with youth culture, for example, comes close to a fogeyish distaste for youth culture itself. Like Thomas Frank, the authors can sound as nostalgic as any conservative newspaper columnist for the world before the 60s, when genuine political rebels were more easily identified and more soberly attired. In places, too, The Rebel Sell relies too heavily on setting up straw men. Yet this ignores the possibility that the chain's prices and all-consuming expansionism may also be factors - and that Starbucks coffee, to a French person or an Italian, say, may not be that special. The book's assumptions are sometimes too North American. The position of American-style capitalism as the only possible capitalism; the importance to capitalism of American youth culture; the political superficiality of the 60s counterculture - all may be overstated as a result. Away from the United States, more paternalistic and less fashion-fixated business cultures also exist, as do rebellious subcultures - pacifists for example - with roots going back much further than the 60s and seemingly little interest in "commodifying their dissent". At the end of the book, when Heath and Potter propose that capitalism be tamed by "small, workable proposals" and "collective action" by governments rather than trendy protests, it as if they have forgotten the whole history of postwar European social democracy. But the point of this book is not to be comprehensive or mildly reasonable. It is to provoke and get you thinking. In that The Rebel Sell: How the Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture succeeds: the certainties of modern anti-capitalism will not feel as watertight again. Topics Books. Higher education Society books reviews. Reuse this content. Most popular.