As the World Burns

𝗛𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆. It's an old idea. It basically says that there are some ideas, concepts or understandings that are so basic that they are never discussed. They are foundational and assumed to be true without any thought at all. No one thinks about hegemonic concepts, except when they change in some way from era to era.

We're not talking about common sense here. Common sense is more superstructural. It is the myth that arises from hegemonic thinking. It is 'delivered' by the hegemony that lurks in the back of one's mind.

Why did I suddenly start thinking about this? Well, I was experiencing (but not watching) the TV show 'Dragon's Den' tonight, and I realised that the functions of advanced capitalism are hegemonic. The more I thought about it, the more plain that idea became. 'The Apprentice', 'Home Under the Hammer', 'Antiques Roadshow', etc. – all rest on one idea: that we are all capitalist through and through. That there's nothing wrong with being so.

As the world burns.