It is commonly assumed that capitalism has created an a-emotional world dominated by bureaucratic rationality; that economic behavior conflicts with intimate, authentic relationships; that the public and private spheres are irremediably opposed to each other; and that true love is opposed to calculation and self-interest. Eva Illouz rejects these conventional ideas and argues that the culture of capitalism has fostered an intensely emotional culture in the workplace, in the family, and in our own relationship to ourselves. She argues that economic relations have become deeply emotional, while close, intimate relationships have become increasingly defined by economic and political models of bargaining, exchange, and equity. This dual process by which emotional and economic relationships come to define and shape each other is called emotional capitalism. Illouz finds evidence of this process of emotional capitalism in various social sites: self-help literature, women's magazines, talk shows, support groups, and the Internet dating sites. How did this happen? What are the social consequences of the current preoccupation with emotions? How did the public sphere become saturated with the exposure of private life? Why does suffering occupy a central place in contemporary identity? How has emotional capitalism transformed our romantic choices and experiences? Building on and revising the intellectual legacy of critical theory, this book addresses these questions and offers a new interpretation of the reasons why the public and the private, the economic and the emotional spheres have become inextricably intertwined.

It is commonly assumed that capitalism has created an a-emotionalworld dominated by bureaucratic rationality; that economic behaviorconflicts with intimate, authentic relationships; that the publicand private spheres are irremediably opposed to each other; andthat true love is opposed to calculation and self-interest.Eva Illouz rejects these conventional ideas and argues that theculture of capitalism has fostered an intensely emotional culturein the workplace, in the family, and in our own relationship toourselves. She argues that economic relations have become deeplyemotional, while close, intimate relationships have becomeincreasingly defined by economic and political models ofbargaining, exchange, and equity. This dual process by whichemotional and economic relationships come to define and shape eachother is called emotional capitalism. Illouz finds evidence of thisprocess of emotional capitalism in various social sites: self-helpliterature, women's magazines, talk shows, support groups, and theInternet dating sites. How did this happen? What are the socialconsequences of the current preoccupation with emotions? How didthe public sphere become saturated with the exposure of privatelife? Why does suffering occupy a central place in contemporaryidentity? How has emotional capitalism transformed our romanticchoices and experiences? Building on and revising the intellectuallegacy of critical theory, this book addresses these questions andoffers a new interpretation of the reasons why the public and theprivate, the economic and the emotional spheres have becomeinextricably intertwined.

Acknowledgments vi1 The Rise of Homo Sentimentalis 1Freud and the Clark lectures 5A new emotional style 16The communicative ethic as the spirit of the corporation 18The roses and thorns of the modern family 24Conclusion 362 Suffering, Emotional Fields, and Emotional Capital 40Introduction 40The self-realization narrative 43Emotional fields, emotional habitus 62The pragmatics of psychology 67Conclusion 713 Romantic Webs 74Romancing the Internet 75Virtual meetings 76Ontological self-presentation 79Fantasy and disappointment 95Conclusion: A new Machiavellian move 108Notes 115Index 130