The Culture of the New Capitalism

Sennett presents a passionate analysis of the latest developments of our working conditions and how these affect our feelings of inadequacy and frustration as workers/employees, etc. Contextualized in a diachronic explanation of the business practices, his essays are mainly centered around the bureaucratic (dis)function of corporations and on the way workers and employees react to the latest logic of capital, which is presented as a moving target of uncertain consequences. Although his reflection is at times too quick--to the point of falling into some stylistic mishaps--the reader has a better understanding regarding the whys and hows of the frenzied realities associated with consumption and desire. Sennett does a great job of integrating into his interpretation different philosophical and theoretical approaches, using good analogies and concise language. However, as I was reading his intelligent dissection of the "the specter of uselessness," particularly in relation to the lack of recognition for a "job well done", I was surprised that the author did not make a connection with the traditional Marxist concept of alienation. Similarly, I would have liked to see Lacan's ideas of desire when Sennett elaborated on consumption. I recommend this book to anyone interested in having a clearer image of the dynamic nature of late capitalism and its impact on the quality of our lives.