24/7

A more philosophical book than those I usually pick up, Crary’s 24/7 is a truly introspective look into the nature of capitalism. Its nature is philosophical and incredibly thought provoking, which makes the essay a bit of a slow and difficult read. However, once you grasp the true boundaries of his thesis, the essay can be quite life changing.

At its heart, 24/7 deals with how the soul of our society these days rests purely in capitalism. Our every thought and action throughout each day is driven by a need for production and consumption; above all a strict adherence to the capitalistic realm of thought. Sleep is one of the only things left that does not result in productivity or capitalistic gain, and so drives the need to eradicate the concept entirely. Every year, it seems average time spent asleep for a working American decreases as we constantly push ourselves to increase productivity and consumption.

I can only say that though this essay is a rather difficult read, it is incredibly astute and highlights the dangerous nature of a future in which human individuals refuse to see value in anything that does not immediately produce capitalistic gain.