The cynical condition in contemporary market society

Mattias Hjelm

My PhD project revolves around the oft-cited observation that it is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism. In my research, I propose that one way to make sense of this is to view contemporary market society as embedded in a condition of diffuse collective cynicism. The purpose of the dissertation is (1) to demonstrate how some of the more destructive and depressive tendencies in market society can be understood as indicative of this state of cynicism, and (2) develop a deeper understanding of the consequences of cynicism for attempts at understanding, critiquing, and improving market society. Grounded in an interpretive approach and an interest in art, my research draws from poetry, literature, drama, painting, and pop culture, analyzed with theoretical inspiration from critical theory and psychoanalysis.

The project has been supported by the Torsten Söderberg foundation (grant number: E33/21).

Publications:

Södergren, J., Ahlberg, O., Hjelm, M. (2024). Marketing and the theatre of the absurd. Marketing Theory. Online ahead of print.

Södergren, J., Hjelm, M., Ahlberg, O. (Forthcoming). Every consumer researcher dies alone. Journal of Customer Behavior.