Quote by Mary McCarthy
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
Twentieth Century
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