EVA ILLOUZ Does Capitalism Erode Democracy?

"Does Capitalism erode Democracy? "The Israeli sociologist Eva Illouz, who became famous with her books on love in consumer capitalism, in the lecture and conversation with Johannes Kaup.

In her books "Why Love Hurts" and "Why Love Ends" Eva Illouz shows how self-optimization, the commercialization of intimate life and digital communication deeply disturbs the emotional life. In her latest book, "The Dictatorship and How It Controls Our Life," the sociologist criticizes the booming capitalist happiness industry, which wants to make us believe that we can only be happy if we block our negative feelings and optimize ourselves.

Following her presentation, Johannes Kaup talks to Eva Illouz about the factors that lead to alienation between the individual, society and politics, and what the role neo-liberal capitalist ideology plays in this, as well as the possibilities of resilience and resistance given these developments.