Defying Predatory Capital: Embracing Beauty, Resisting Ugliness, and Striving for Freedom

Abstract

Research has explored the role of capitalist markets in the configuration of society and as social determinants. However, some niche markets have been taken by a form of capital, conceptualized as “predatory”, that has sought maximum benefit without caring for the social consequences of their activity on beauty, ugliness, freedom, and the overcoming of gender violence. This study addresses this gap by examining how “predatory capital” exploits various aspects of human life, including relationships, art, and music, by promoting ugliness over beauty. Through historical examples such as the tobacco industry's manipulation of women's liberation to promote smoking, this article reveals the detrimental tactics employed by predatory capital. It explores how the nightlife industry coerces youth into harmful behaviors through coercive dominant discourse, perpetuating toxic relationship dynamics and limiting individual freedom. Additionally, the study presents how the music industry reinforces harmful stereotypes and behaviors. Finally, it exposes how pseudo-theories, like those promoted by Foucault, are utilized to justify and perpetuate sexual violence, hindering progress towards freedom, gender equality, and social justice. This interdisciplinary analysis sheds light on the negative impact of predatory capital on human relationships, culture, and society, emphasizing the importance of critical awareness and resistance against its exploitative practices.