Summary
Welcome to the Sophie Kessner podcast, where we’re exploring the world of performative business and toxic capitalism. Join me as I break down the concept of performative business and how it has the potential to be problematic when used to sell luxury and personal empowerment. Discover the importance of understanding the core components of this marketing model to ensure it’s used ethically and equitably. Let’s also discuss the concept of living in abundance and the cost of maintaining this ideology, as well as examining how toxic capitalism can disorient and warp great ideas into questionable practices.
In this episode, we take a closer look at the toxicity of performative business and the consequences of toxic capitalism. Listen in as I explain how the instant success myth sets unrealistic expectations and how the hustle culture is disguised as feminine empowerment, luxury lifestyle, and ease and flow. Learn about the issue of paying and selling proximity to power, which can lead to high anxiety and dependency on external factors. Finally, let’s unpack the false idea that more is always the answer and discuss the consequences of this way of operating in the world. Don’t miss this insightful conversation on the impact of toxic capitalism in our lives.
Chapters & Key Points
Toxic Capitalism and Performative Business (21 Minutes)
I discuss performative business and toxic capitalism. I define performative business as a way to monetize and commodify our personal lives and create a personal brand that is selling a service or product online. I then unpack why this type of marketing and business has the potential to be problematic and how we can use it in an ethical and equitable way. I also provide insight into luxury lifestyle brands and personal brands that co-op movements of personal empowerment and the importance of recognizing that we are not demonizing or attacking anyone who uses these practices.
The Cost of Living in Abundance (6 Minutes)
We explore the idea of living in abundance and the cost of trying to maintain this ideology. We look at real numbers, like spending $5,000 a month on programs, on top of the basic cost of living. We also discuss how the hustle culture is disguised as feminine empowerment, luxury lifestyle, and ease and flow. Furthermore, we examine the issue of paying and selling proximity to power and how this leads to high anxiety and dependency on external factors.
Toxic Capitalism in Business (9 Minutes)
We examine the toxicity of performative business and toxic capitalism. We explain how this model can disorient and discombobulate people, how it has the potential to warp and use great pieces in questionable ways, and how it creates an isolated echo chamber that gaslights opposition. We also discuss how the merchant attention and merchant business model incentivize and reward this type of engagement, and how social media platforms amplify this to increase their reach and social engagement. Finally, we unpack how this model perpetuates the false idea that more is always the answer and the consequences of this way of operating in the world.
Episode Keywords:
Performative Business, Toxic Capitalism, Luxury Lifestyle Brands, Personal Empowerment, Hustle Culture, Abundance, Proximity to Power, Anxiety, Dependency, Merchant Attention, Merchant Business Model, Social Media Platforms, False Idea, More is Always the Answer, Consequences, Ethical, Equitable, Demonizing, Attacking, Disorient, Discombobulate, Warping, Isolated Echo Chamber, Gaslighting, Incentivize, Reward, Amplify, Reach, Social Engagement
