The Rebel Sell: How The Counter Culture Became Consumer Culture - Softcover

Joseph Heath; Andrew Potter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1841126551 ISBN 13: 9781841126555

Publisher: Capstone, 2006

Synopsis

This is an explosive rejection of the myth of the counter culture in the most provocative book since "No Logo". In this wide-ranging and perceptive work of cultural criticism, Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter shatter the central myth of radical political, economic and cultural thinking. The idea of a counter culture - that is, a world outside of the consumer dominated one that encompasses us - pervades everything from the anti-globalisation movement to feminism and environmentalism. And the idea that mocking the system, or trying to 'jam' it so it will collapse, they argue, is not only counter productive but has helped to create the very consumer society that 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 counter culture obsession with being different.

About this title

Review:

"...a brave book... presented with great briskness and confidence..." (The Guardian, June 4 2005)

a compelling read, proposing ways for us serfs to combat the brandlords (Focus, August 2005)

" a lively read, with enough humour to keep the more theoretical stretches of its argument interesting." (Economist.com, September 2006)

"best surprise of the year" (The Irish Times, December 2006)

a brave book presented with great briskness and confidence (The Guardian, June 4 th 2005)

a compelling read, proposing ways for us serfs to combat the brandlords (Focus, August 2005)

" a lively read, with enough humour to keep the more theoretical stretches of its argument interesting." (Economist.com, September 2006) 

"best surprise of the year" (The Irish Times, December 2006)

About the Author:

COUNTERCULTURE HAS ALMOST COMPLETELY REPLACED SOCIALISM AS THE BASIS OF RADICAL POLITICAL THOUGHT

With the incredible popularity of Michael Moore s books and movies, and the continuing success of anti–consumer critiques like ADBUSTERS magazine and Naomi Klein s NO LOGO, it is hard to ignore the growing tide of resistance to the corporate–dominated world. But do these vocal opponents of the status quo offer us a real political alternative?

In this wide–ranging and perceptive work of cultural criticism, Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter shatter the central myth of radical political, economic and cultural thinking. The idea of a counterculture that is, a world outside of the consumer dominated one that encompasses us pervades everything from the anti–globalisation movement to feminism and environmentalism. And the idea that mocking the system, or trying to jam it so it will collapse, they argue, is not only counterproductive but has helped to create the very consumer society that 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.

About this edition

• Publisher: Capstone
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1841126551
• ISBN 13: 9781841126555
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 384