New York City is one of the most expensive cities in the world, so this is a pretty common experience where I live. However, I think this tweet also captures a shared frustration. Soaring prices for COVID tests, high electric bills, the coming commoditization of water: all of these are issues brought about by capitalism. It’s possibly a tired joke to say we’re living in the worst version of a 1950s science fiction novel, but that’s how it feels sometimes. NYC: that’ll be $35 — Tim Smith (@Timmsmiff) December 3, 2021 Understanding the history of capitalism and debunking it is a necessary process. We should not expect to be perfect in pursuit of conscious capitalism or even anti-capitalism. We live in such a heavily monetized world that it is impossible to completely divorce oneself from the money system. Even if you wanted to live in a cabin in the woods on your own grown food, you might have to spend money at some point to buy materials to build. If you were able to do it through reclaiming items that were thrown away unnecessarily, that would be great. It would just be incredibly difficult and you would probably be fined for siphoning water or other natural resources that have been monetized. Participating in society does not mean we can’t critique it. The thinkers in this list of books about capitalism see criticism and resistance as a necessary part of living in the world today.
Reading Through Books On Capitalism
Knowledge is Power
Reading books on capitalism is a good place to start for questioning what we’ve taken for granted in the past. Calls for nationalized healthcare and better childcare support have become more widespread throughout the pandemic because the costs have become so debilitating. Even if you support capitalism and believe it can lead to a better world, understanding the unbearable problems it creates for much of the population is vital for improving society somewhat. Also, I would like to thank my thought partner Kit (an academic and the editor of Mouse Magazine among many other accomplishments) for her advice on this article. If you want to dig deeper into some of the issues that intersect with capitalism, try delving into books about antiracism, climate change, fiction about capitalism, and general world history.
