Keywords : the new language of capitalism

Keywords: The New Language of Capitalism chronicles the rise of a new vocabulary in the twenty-first century. 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 innovators and entrepreneurs , to be curators of an ever-expanding roster of competencies , and to become resilient and flexible 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 marketplace to every sphere of life. What's more, by celebrating the values of grit , creativity , and passion at school and at work, they assure us that economic success is nothing less than a moral virtue. Organized alphabetically as a lexicon, Keywords... Keywords: The NewLanguage of Capitalismchronicles the rise of a new vocabulary in thetwenty-first century. From Silicon Valley to theWhite House, from kindergarten to college, and from the factory floor to the church pulpit, weare all called to beinnovatorsandentrepreneurs, to becuratorsof an ever-expanding roster ofcompetencies, and to becomeresilient and flexible 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 marketplace to every sphere of life. What's more, by celebrating thevalues ofgrit, creativity, andpassion at school and at work, they assure us that economic success is nothing less than a moral virtue. Organized alphabetically as alexicon, Keywordsexplores the history and common usage of major terms in the everyday language of capitalism. Because the words in this book have successfully infiltrated everyday lifein the English-speaking world, their meanings often seem self-evident, even benign. Who could be against empowerment, after all' Keywords uncovers the unexpectedhistories of words like innovation, which was oncesynonymous with "false prophecy" before it became the prevailing faith of Silicon Valley. Other words, likebest practices and human capital, arerelatively newcoinages that promise us a kind of freedom within a marketplace extending its reach across the public sector and into our private lives. The new language of capitalism burnishes hierarchy, competition, and exploitation as leadership, collaboration, and sharing, modeling for us the habits of the economically successful person: be visionary, be self-reliant, and never, ever stop working “A clever, even witty examination of the manipulation of language in these days of neoliberal or late stage capitalism” ( Counterpunch ). 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 innovators and entrepreneurs , to be curators of an ever-expanding roster of competencies , and to become resilient and flexible 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 marketplace to every sphere of life. What’s more, by celebrating the values of grit , creativity , and passion at school and at work, they assure us that economic success is nothing less than a moral virtue. Organized alphabetically as a lexicon, Keywords 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 empowerment , after all? Keywords uncovers the histories of words like innovation , which was once synonymous with “false prophecy” before it became the prevailing faith of Silicon Valley. Other words, like best practices and human capital , 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 leadership , collaboration , and sharing , modeling for us the habits of the economically successful person: be visionary, be self-reliant—and never, ever stop working.

• Ina series of short essays on thecontemporary politics and surprising historicalmeanings of key terms from mainstream journalism and the corporate world, Keywords for theAge of Austerity is an accessible guide to the ideology of contemporary capitalism.
• The book skewers the conventional free-market wisdom of the country’s political and business elite, from Silicon Valley to the Rust Belt and the Ivy League.
• Organized alphabetically by term, each entry offers an in-depth but never dry introduction to the ideology of neoliberalism.
• In its alphabetical organization and short, acerbic style, Keywords for the Age of Austerity is designed to be relevant to students of income inequality, management theory, urban studies, linguistics, and new media, making it viable as a teaching text for university syllabi.
• But it also addresses anyone exhausted by the triumph of neoliberal common sense in politics, education, and cultural life.
• It is also a critique of the politics of new media and the web, joining other critics turning their attention to the unregulated influence of Silicon Valley over our economies, cities, and private lives.

"In Keywords: The New Language of Capitalism, John Patrick Leary chronicles the rise of a new vocabulary in the twenty-first century. From Silicon Valley to the White House, from primary school to higher education, and from the factory floor to the church pulpit, we are all called to be innovators and entrepreneurs, to be curators of an ever-expanding roster of competencies. In a series of short essays on terms like 'entrepreneur, ' 'sustainability, ' 'artisanal' and 'synergy, ' Keywords uses the vocabulary of neoliberalism to discover the contemporary spirit of capitalism. Each entry chronicles the penetration of market logic into nearly every aspect of our everyday branded lives -- even realms like church and summer camp that were once secure from the rat-race of market-driven competition. Each entry explores a popular term that displays an affinity for hierarchy, competition, 'the marketplace' and the virtual technologies of our time. The keywords all share a celebration of decisive 'leadership, ' dreamy artistry, prophetic 'vision' and an inexhaustible commitment to work: the pillars of an ideal innovative self."-- Provided by publisher Keywords: The New Language Of Capitalism Chronicles The Rise Of A New Vocabulary In The Twenty-first Century. 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 Innovators And Entrepreneurs, To Be Curators Of An Ever-expanding Roster Of Competencies, And To Become Resilient And Flexible In The Face Of The Insults And Injuries We Confront At Work. Keywords Is A Lexicon That Explores The History And Common Usage Of Major Terms In The Everyday Language Of Capitalism And Reveals The Deep Affinity For Hierarchy, Competition, And Exploitation Beneath The Benign Gloss Of Words Like Grit, Creativity, Passion, And A Host Of Others.--back Cover. John Patrick Leary. Includes Bibliographical References. A lexicon of the contemporary age of inequality, which decodes the new vocabulary of capitalism for a broad readership.