Joel Bakan Boeken

From the author of The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power comes a compelling examination of how corporations have rebranded themselves as socially conscious entities addressing societal issues, even as CEO compensation rises, income inequality reaches unprecedented levels, and democracy faces challenges. Over the past fifteen years, business leaders and elites have advocated for a new capitalism, recognizing that soaring inequality, stagnant wages, and climate crises make it untenable to prioritize shareholder value over social responsibility. They argue that corporations are uniquely positioned to tackle major societal problems. However, this approach has a significant flaw: corporations remain primarily accountable to their shareholders, prioritizing profit over genuine social good. Joel Bakan's argument is clear and engaging, revealing a range of unethical corporate behaviors and the manipulation of social initiatives for power. He emphasizes the urgency of addressing the corporatization of society and highlights grassroots efforts to combat these trends, showcasing how individuals are making meaningful progress against corporate dominance.

A heavily researched profile of the modern corporation theorizes that businesses are essentially pathological in nature and place profits above accountability, citing the flaws of such practices as deregulation and privatization while outlining a program of democratic control and social responsibility. 35,000 first printing.

“Bakan offers passionate argument and copious research in this compelling call for parents to stand up for their children” ( Booklist ). Now in paperback, from the author of the internationally bestselling The Corporation , this vital call to arms has been praised by leading experts on children’s lives as “an essential read for anyone who works for or cares about children” (Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queenbees and Wannabees) and “engaging, carefully researched, and important” (Mary Pipher, author of The Shelter of Each Other and Seeking Peace). Corporations have found a new resource to be mined for profit: our children. In this shocking and indelible behind-the-scenes journey, Joel Bakan, acclaimed author and award-winning maker of the renowned film and international bestselling book The Corporation, uncovers the astonishing degree to which companies exploit the special vulnerabilities of children, manipulate parents’ fears, and operate with callous disregard for children’s health and well-being. The problem today, Bakan reveals, is that business interests have made protecting children extremely difficult. Corporations pump billions into rendering parents and governments powerless to shield children from an unrelenting commercial assault, with the result that after a century of progress, during which protective laws and regulations were widely promulgated, children are once again exposed to substantial harms at the hands of economic actors. Childhood Under Siege leaves no room for doubt that this assault on childhood is a major crisis of our time. A powerful manifesto for urgent change, it empowers us to shield our own children while offering concrete and realistic proposals for legal reforms that would protect all children from these predatory practices.

Velké firmy si našly nový zdroj zisku: naše děti. Joel Bakan odhaluje, do jaké míry tyto firmy zneužívají zranitelnost a ovlivnitelnost dětí, jak manipulují se strachem jejich rodičů a jednají bez ohledu na zájmy a zdraví dětí. Počet dětí užívajících psychofarmaka prudce stoupl poté, co výrobci farmak začali používat zákeřné a často i nelegální praktiky, aby zajistili, že u dětí budou mnohem častěji než dříve diagnostikovány duševní poruchy, a aby přesvědčili rodiče, že jejich potomci nutně musí užívat léky. Důmyslný marketing vyvíjí čím dál rafinovanější a účinnější taktiky, které hrají na strunu dětských tužeb a emocí a vábí do sítí nutkavého konzumerismu. Tvůrci počítačových her předkládají dětem hry plné sexu a násilí a majitelé sociálních médií infiltrují do společenského a citového světa dětí, kde je ovlivňují tak, aby trávily stále více času online. A chronické zdravotní potíže dětí, od astmatu po rakovinu, autismus a vrozené vady, jsou čím dᬬ¬l závažnějším problémem, protože naše okolí a životní prostředí jsou zamořovány tisíci průmyslových chemikálií. Kniha je manifestem volajícím po bezodkladné změně. Snad v sobě najdeme sílu bránit vlastní děti před predátorskými praktikami velkého byznysu.