Capitalism vs. Creativity

In this frivolous new world, everything must be pleasing and inoffensive. Everything and everybody gets marketed like an exciting new product—even old, creepy politicians, or ancient film actors, or 80-year-old rock stars.

They all get repackaged and rebranded—thank the digital gods for those apps that make old stuff look new! Everything is now eas... See more

HOW MUCH TO BUY YOU? I play an imaginary game with my students called, "How Much to Lick It?" I present them with various situations like "How much to lick the railing at DIA?" or "The floor of the bathroom at Crimson and Gold?" or "A bathroom floor at the Mumbai airport?" They give me various price points. The Mumbai airport usually comes in aroun... See more

“Brands as Libraries” proposes that brands should think like cultural institutions in order to deepen their connection to the public – and create their own. Often lofty and frequently loved, these cultural institutions offer a new approach for how brands can interact with their audiences: by stepping back, providing space and facilitating the cultu... See more

Some people say that if you do what you love at work, you never work a day in your life. I would argue that, at least under a capitalist system, if you do what you love at work, what you love could eventually become what you hate. That is why capitalism kills creativity.