It has to be acknowledged that in capitalist society, with its herds of hippies, originality has become a sort of fringe benefit, a mere convention, accepted obsolescence, the Beatnik model being turned in for the Hippie model, as though strangely obedient to capitalist laws of marketing.

Summary

This quote suggests that in a capitalist society, originality has lost its true value and has instead become a superficial aspect. The reference to hippies and their transition from the Beatnik movement exemplify how even countercultural ideas are eventually co-opted and commodified by capitalism. The quote implies that capitalism, with its focus on mass consumption and profit, reduces originality to a mere convention or marketing tactic. Despite the intent of countercultural movements to challenge the status quo, they seem to conform to capitalist laws and lose their subversive nature.

Topics