Abstract
This article examines the promotion of corporate oxymorons that conceal the harm caused by corporations to people and environments. They are part of a larger set of strategies used by corporations to manage or neutralize critique. They often pair a desirable cover term such as safe or sustainable with a description of their product, for example cigarettes or mining. Repetition of the resulting contradictions—safe cigarettes or sustainable mining—renders the terms familiar and seemingly plausible. We suggest that the analysis of corporate oxymorons provides a valuable entry into the anthropology of capitalism.
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Benson, P., Kirsch, S. Corporate oxymorons. Dialect Anthropol 34, 45–48 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10624-009-9112-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10624-009-9112-y