Aftertastes

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Slavoj Zizek on the Hypocrisy of Conscious Consumerism

Do you buy organic apples because you think they taste better or because you’re trying to buy redemption for your own participation in a pernicious capitalist system? In this lecture, compellingly illustrated by the RSA Animate crew, the philosopher Slavoj Zizek criticizes charity and what he calls “cultural capitalism”—think TOMS shoes or Fair Trade coffee—as palliatives that only perpetuate an immoral economic system.

WATCH THIS

‘He is reparing with his left hand what he ruined with his right’

Intriguing, especially in light of areas of “charity” where governments have fundamentally abdicated their responsibilities. Obviously, as a founder of a social enterprise, myself, I think there’s a huge opportunity to profit by alleviating inefficiencies caused by—and causing further—inequities. Also, his view of charity, as a blind hand-out, is … well … impoverished. Donors (and socially-responsible investors) are increasingly looking to long-term metrics to evaluate interventions.

Also, the art is quite cute.