Honey Money: The Power of Erotic Capital - Hardcover

Hakim, Catherine

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1846144191 ISBN 13: 9781846144196

Publisher: Allen Lane, 2011

Synopsis

Why do some people seem to lead charmed lives? They are attractive, but also lively, friendly and charismatic. People want to be around them. Doors open for them. The answer, this book shows, is in the power of erotic capital - the overlooked human asset that is at the heart of how we work, interact, make money, succeed and conduct our relationships.

Catherine Hakim's groundbreaking book reveals how erotic capital is just as influential in life as how rich, clever, educated or well-connected we are. Drawing on hard evidence, she illustrates how this potent force develops from an early age, with attractive children assumed to be intelligent, competent and good. She examines how women and men learn to exploit it throughout their lives, how it differs across cultures and how it affects all spheres of activity, from dating and mating to politics, business, film, music, the arts and sport. She also explores why erotic capital is growing in importance in today's highly sexualised culture and yet, ironically, as a 'feminine' virtue, remains sidelined.

Honey Money is a call for us to recognize the economic and social value of erotic capital, and truly acknowledge beauty and pleasure. This will not only change the role of women in society, getting them a better deal in both public and private life - it could also revolutionize our power structures, big business, the sex industry, government, marriage, education and almost everything we do.

About this title

Review

Genius. It forces us to rethink the way we respond to those female traits that have for centuries been dismissed as desirable, yes, but essentially superfluous and irrelevant and perhaps even a little vulgar. In Hakim's world, knowing how to conduct oneself well in social situations is as valuable and admirable as an ability to do the Times crossword. It might appear that she is harking back to old-fashioned views of femininity. In fact her ideas are the most modern of modern: to show women how to reclaim these aspects of themselves rather than denying or subjugating them. (Sarah Vine, Book of the Week Times)

There's something altogether refreshing about Hakim's spade-calling (Will Self Guardian)

Hakim is quite right on one central point: women in the UK and the US are not brought up to make the best of themselves, as French women are. We are taught that beauty is the poor cousin of brains; we are hung up about flaunting it ... makes one see things differently. Sitting on the Tube having just finished it, I stared at all the frumpy English women and thought what a shame it was that so few of them were making anything of their erotic capital. (Lucy Kellaway Financial Times)

Hakim is absolutely right; more than that - her book should be read out to young girls as part of the national curriculum. Because it states something important that mothers have been frightened to tell daughters for fear of undermining their intelligence: that you can be a feminist, you can be strong and independent and clever, and you can wear a nice frock and high heels while you do this. (Bryony Gordon Daily Telegraph)

As I read these words a great sense of relief seemed to rise from me. That explains it: erotic capital isn't just about sexy, at all. It's about those human qualities which, for politicians, are paramount. MPs know this instinctively, Hakim argues, because they've already come out on top in the 'winner-takes-all' culture of erotic capital. ... Honey Money is genuinely thought-provoking, for the implications which arise from the fundamentally blunt nature of its argument. ... Politicians reading Honey Money will instinctively agree with the fundamentals of its claims. So why should they not also agree with the thoroughly controversial arguments which follow from them? (Alex Stevenson politics.co.uk)

About the Author

Catherine Hakim is a sociologist in the London School of Economics. She is an expert on the sociology of the labour market, changing social attitudes, women's employment and theories of women's position in society. She has published numerous academic works and papers. Her theory of erotic capital was first advanced in a paper for Oxford University's European Social Research journal. It has received much media and academic interest from around the world.

About this edition

• Publisher: Allen Lane
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1846144191
• ISBN 13: 9781846144196
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 384