Capitalism Quote by Rebecca Solnit
““It is difficult, sometimes even impossible, to value what cannot be named or described, and so the task of naming and describing is an essential one in any revolt against the status quo of capitalism and consumerism.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Men, Women, and Chainaws, 1992
The quote argues that without language to identify oppression, it remains invisible and hard to challenge, making naming essential for resistance.
In simple terms: Naming oppression makes it visible and fightable.
Key Takeaway
Name and describe injustices to resist them.
Themes
resistance
language
capitalism
consumerism
social change
Mood
defiant
critical
urgent
Type
political
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- activist organizing
- media critique
- academic research
- community workshops
Key Concepts
critical theory
semiotics
political activism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does naming empower resistance?
- What limits exist in naming oppression?
A Different Perspective
Naming alone does not change structures; action must follow.
![“I begin with the renaming of the system. It used to be capitalism. But that evokes [Karl] Marx and [John] Rockefeller. So now we speak of the market system. That is a nice bland expression, which forgets those off-color references.” quote by John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7e1/john-kenneth-galbraith-643_bland_i-begin-with-the-renaming-of-the-system_2827375.jpg)
![“[In mountaineering, if] we look for private experience rather than public history, even getting to the top becomes an optional narrative rather than the main point, and those who only wander in high places become part of the story.” quote by Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1e6/rebecca-solnit-569_high-places_in-mountaineering-if-we-look-for-private_78831.jpg)
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
