Capitalism and the Limits of Desire

This thought-provoking exploration examines how self-love has been conflated with capitalism, offering a hopeful path toward reclaiming desire and identity.

Addressing Spinoza’s enduring question about why the masses fight for their servitude as if it were salvation, Capitalism and the Limits of Desire delves into the complex relationship between self-love and the pursuit of pleasure. The author, John Roberts, explores how self-care has become intertwined with the commodification of desire in contemporary society. In a world marked by ongoing austerity and hardship, he poses a critical question: why does capitalism appear so unassailable and difficult to transcend?

Roberts argues that our affection for the self, as fostered by capitalism, paradoxically leads to anxiety and self-examination. The capitalist framework, particularly through commodities and digital platforms, shapes our identities and influences how we perceive self-love as mere self-pleasure. This entanglement makes it challenging to envision a life beyond the confines of capitalism, where our sense of self is not defined by consumerism.

However, Capitalism and the Limits of Desire offers a glimmer of hope. Roberts posits that it is indeed possible to disentangle our identities from the clutches of capitalism. By critically examining the pervasive nature of capitalist ideology, particularly in relation to our deepest pleasures, individuals can begin to forge a new understanding of self and desire. Drawing on the works of early and late Marx, along with Lacan’s distinctions, he provides a roadmap for reclaiming autonomy from the oppressive demands of platform capitalism.