CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES DISSERTATION PROPOSAL

ONLINE GREENLIGHT REVIEW

By Karolina Urlikyte
 DISSERTATION ENQUIRY

Critique on Capitalism and Consumerism as exemplified in ‘Fight Club’

 DISSERTATION SYNOPSIS

As for my dissertation, I wanted to discuss the concept and theories of capitalism and consumerism and
how this idea is received by visual artists exemplified by the film ‘Fight Club’. My dissertation will start off
with an introduction and further explanation of the two terms capitalism and consumerism due to the
wrongly assumed equality of the meaning in the common tongue. I will be then further discussing the
interrelationship between those two major forces. Furthermore, I will be discussing how visual artists
picked up on capitalism and consumerism and their artistic reaction towards them. With the introduction
of Karl Marx and his theories I will be explaining his view on the debate. My dissertation will then link all
of my research onto the film ‘Fight Club’ as an example. I will analyse the film and use portions of it to
further discuss the topic, supporting or contradicting findings on the matter up until now.
 CHAPTER 1

In the first chapter I will be introducing the terms capitalism and consumerism. I will define these terms
and explain the basic concepts and ideas behind them. Furthermore, I will be discussing the problems that
arise from systems based on those ideas such as wealth inequality shown in films and its influence on the
viewers.
 CHAPTER 2

In the second chapter I will be focusing on the critiques of capitalism and how famous theorists see this
concept such as Karl Marx. With the introduction of Karl Marx and the raising popularity of his book
“Das Kapital” people started to question the concept of capitalism and consumerism. Basically he spread
the idea of his ideology Marxism to the public and raised awareness towards the flaws of capitalism. I will
be discussing how visual artists have explored the issue with their art works, bringing art examples such
as “I shop therefore I am” to further discuss the topic. From simple art works I will be slowly
transitioning towards films discussing the topic of capitalism and consumerism.
 CHAPTER 3

In the final chapter I will be bringing ‘Fight Club’ as an example of visual artist showing capitalism and
consumerism in a film. I will be analysing ‘Fight Club’ on those two major topics and picking key scenes
for further discussion.
 RESEARCH PROFORMA

 Author: Nigel Thrift  Author: Victor D. Lippit

 Title: Knowing Capitalism  Title: Capitalism

 Date: 2008  Date: 2005

 Publisher: SAGE Publications  Publisher: Taylor and Francis

 Chapter: 1 Adventures of Capitalism  Document Type: Book

 Document Type: Book  Use:

 Use: Another book analyzing the social status of capitalism,

This book provides some useful historic background
towards capitalism. It analyzes how capitalism impacts
society and the author views capitalism himself with a
critical eye.
explaining how the system works in easily understandable
language. The analysis consists of the interrelationship
between capitalism and economy, capitalism and class,
capitalism and environment. The author also tries to
predict the future of capitalism at the end of this book.
 RESEARCH PROFORMA
 Author: H. Chang
 Title: 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism
 Date: 2010
 Publisher: Penguin Books
 Document Type: Book
 Use:
This book defines capitalism through several chapters
with detail, views it with a critical eye and provides
information worth thinking about. Not only it explains
the term capitalism it also has other uses as well, states
at the very start of the book: “7 Ways to Read 23 Things
They Don’t Tell you About Capitalism’ including several
topics related to capitalism.
 Author: J. Fulcher
 Title: Capitalism: A Very Short Introduction
 Date: 2004
 Publisher: Oxford University Press
 Document Type: Book
 Use:
Providing historic background for better understanding of
the term capitalism this book gives a short, but informative
definition of the term capitalism. I will use this book for
the first chapter explaining capitalism and its historic
backgrounds.
 RESEARCH PROFORMA
 Author: K. Marx
 Title: Das Kapital: A Critique of Political Economy
 Date: 1887
 Publisher: Progress Publishers, Moscow, USSR
 Volume: 1
 Document Type: Book
 Use:
Many parts of the second chapter in my dissertation will
be based on Karl Marx’ book ‘Das Kapital’. Karl Marx
explains in this book his view on capitalism, how he sees
it as a foredoomed system, how he would solve this
issue and provides an idealized alternative.
 Author: P. Chakraborty
 Title: Difference Between Capitalism and Consumerism
by
 Date: 2015
 Document Type: Website Article
 At:http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/pol
itics/ideology-politics/difference-between-capitalism-
and-consumerism/
 Use:
The author gives a sufficient analysis on the topic
‘Differences and Interrelationship between Capitalism and
Consumerism’ proving it to be very useful for the
discussion in the first chapter of my dissertation.
 RESEARCH PROFORMA

 Author: M.Varul
 Title: Towards a consumerist critique of capitalism ´: A
socialist defence of consumer culture
 Date: 2015
 Document Type: Website Article
 At:
http://www.ephemerajournal.org/contribution/towards-
consumerist-critique-capitalism-socialist-defence-
consumer-culture
 Use:
With the critical view of a consumerist on the subject of
capitalism this article proves to be a good source material
for my discussion about the interrelationship between
capitalism and consumerism in chapter one in my
dissertation.