Jonathan Crary’s 24/7: Late Capitalism and the Ends of Sleep critiques the pervasive demands of neoliberal capitalism, exploring how the 24/7 marketplace erodes sleep and personal autonomy.
Overview of the Book
24/7: Late Capitalism and the Ends of Sleep by Jonathan Crary is a concise yet incisive critique of the pervasive effects of neoliberal capitalism on human life. Published in 2013, the book examines how the 24/7 marketplace has infiltrated every aspect of existence, eroding sleep, personal time, and autonomy. Crary argues that capitalism’s relentless demand for productivity and connectivity has transformed human experience, reducing life to a state of constant availability. The book explores the historical and cultural shifts that have led to this condition, highlighting the role of technology in perpetuating a culture of wakefulness. By linking sleeplessness to broader societal changes, Crary offers a compelling analysis of the dehumanizing consequences of late capitalism. The text is both a warning and a call to reclaim time and agency in a world dominated by non-stop demands.
Key Themes and Arguments
Central to 24/7 is the idea that capitalism’s 24/7 operational logic has created a culture of perpetual wakefulness, eroding sleep and personal autonomy. Crary argues that this non-stop regime is not just economic but deeply cultural, reshaping human consciousness and social relations. He contends that sleep, as a biological necessity, resists capitalist commodification, making it a potential site of resistance. Crary also critiques how digital technologies enmesh individuals in constant connectivity, blurring work and leisure. He warns that this regime leads to cognitive and psychic deficits, undermining collective agency and political expression. Ultimately, Crary calls for reclaiming sleep as a disruptive act against the all-encompassing demands of late capitalism, advocating for a revaluation of time and life beyond market imperatives.
The Concept of 24/7 in Late Capitalism
Crary examines how late capitalism’s 24/7 operational logic permeates all aspects of life, creating a culture of constant availability, eroding personal autonomy, and normalizing sleeplessness.
The Expansion of the Marketplace into All Aspects of Life
Crary argues that late capitalism’s 24/7 marketplace has infiltrated every facet of human existence, turning life into a commodity. This relentless expansion transforms personal time, relationships, and even sleep into marketable resources. The boundaries between work, leisure, and private life dissolve, as capitalism demands constant productivity and consumption. Individuals are no longer just workers but perpetual consumers, ensnared in a system where every moment is an opportunity for profit. This pervasive commodification erodes traditional forms of community and personal autonomy, leaving individuals trapped in a cycle of endless activity and diminishing their capacity for genuine human connection and reflection.
The Obligation to Constant Activity and Productivity
Crary highlights how late capitalism imposes an unrelenting obligation to constant activity and productivity, reshaping human existence into a perpetual cycle of work and consumption. The 24/7 economy demands that individuals remain always “on,” sacrificing rest, leisure, and personal time to meet the market’s insatiable needs. This obligation is enforced through digital technologies that blur the lines between work and personal life, creating a culture of hyperavailability. The consequence is a society drained of its ability to pause, reflect, or disconnect, as even sleep becomes a luxury sacrificed for productivity. This relentless drive for efficiency and output dehumanizes individuals, reducing them to mere instruments of capitalist profit;
The Erosion of Sleep in Contemporary Society
Sleep has become a casualty of late capitalism’s relentless demands, as 24/7 productivity norms infiltrate all aspects of life, leading to widespread sleep deprivation and cognitive deficits.
Sleep as a Resistance to Capitalist Demands
Sleep emerges as a radical act of defiance against the relentless demands of late capitalism. In a world where productivity and consumption are non-stop, sleep disrupts the 24/7 cycle, reclaiming time for the individual. By prioritizing rest, people resist the commodification of their lives, challenging the notion that every moment must generate value. Sleep becomes a political act, refusing the logic of constant availability and efficiency. It creates a space for disconnection, fostering autonomy and introspection. Crary argues that sleep, in its refusal to conform to capitalist rhythms, offers a potential site of resistance, allowing individuals to reclaim agency over their time and bodies. This simple, natural act holds the power to subvert the all-encompassing grip of late capitalism.
The Cognitive and Psychic Deficits of Sleeplessness
Sleeplessness exacts a profound toll on cognitive and psychic well-being, impairing memory, attention, and decision-making abilities. Chronic sleep deprivation leads to reduced alertness, slowed reaction times, and diminished problem-solving skills. Crary highlights how the erosion of sleep under late capitalism fosters a state of mental fogginess, undermining creativity and critical thinking. The relentless demands of 24/7 capitalism create a culture of perpetual exhaustion, where individuals become increasingly dependent on stimulants and technology to cope. This cycle of sleeplessness not only degrades individual health but also perpetuates a society marked by disorientation, anxiety, and diminished capacity for introspection. The consequences of sleep deprivation, Crary argues, are not merely personal but collectively debilitating, eroding the foundation of meaningful human experience and political agency.
Digital Technology and the Cult of Connectivity
Digital technology fosters a cult of perpetual connectivity, binding individuals to constant availability, eroding boundaries between work and personal life, and deepening capitalist control.
The Role of New Media in Ensnaring Individuals
Jonathan Crary argues that new media has created a culture of perpetual connectivity, ensnaring individuals in a web of constant availability andattention. This digital landscape compels people to remain perpetually connected, blurring the boundaries between work, leisure, and personal time. The obligation to be “always on” fosters a sense of duty to capitalism, where individuals willingly submit to the demands of the marketplace. Crary contends that this relentless connectivity erodes autonomy, transforming people into agents of their own exploitation. The digital realm, far from liberating, becomes a tool of control, ensuring that individuals are perpetually accessible and productive, further entrenching the logic of 24/7 capitalism.
The Blurring of Boundaries Between Work and Leisure
Jonathan Crary examines how late capitalism erodes the distinction between work and leisure, creating a seamless continuum of productivity. Digital technologies enable constant connectivity, making it difficult to disengage from work-related tasks. This blurring fosters an “always-on” culture, where individuals are expected to be available and responsive at all times. Leisure time becomes colonized by capitalist imperatives, turning personal moments into opportunities for self-optimization or consumption. Crary argues that this dissolution of boundaries undermines traditional notions of personal autonomy, as individuals increasingly internalize the demands of the marketplace; The result is a society where work and life are indistinguishable, perpetuating the logic of 24/7 capitalism.
Capitalism’s Impact on Human Experience
Capitalism reshapes human experience by eroding sleep, demanding constant activity, and commodifying life, leading to a loss of autonomy and well-being in a 24/7 world.
The Commodification of Time and Life
In 24/7, Jonathan Crary argues that late capitalism has transformed time and life into commodities, subject to constant exploitation. Every moment is valued for its potential productivity, leaving no space for unproductive activities like sleep. This commodification erodes personal autonomy, as individuals are pressured to conform to the demands of a 24/7 economy. The marketplace infiltrates all aspects of existence, turning life into a resource for capitalist profit. Crary highlights how this relentless commodification dehumanizes individuals, reducing their worth to their ability to contribute to economic systems. The erosion of sleep exemplifies this process, as rest becomes a barrier to constant productivity and consumption.
The Damage to Community and Political Expression
Jonathan Crary argues that the 24/7 capitalist system erodes community and political expression by displacing shared experiences and collective agency. The relentless demands of productivity and connectivity fragment social bonds, reducing individuals to isolated consumers. This erosion undermines the possibility of meaningful political engagement, as people become disempowered and disconnected from broader social realities. The commodification of time leaves little room for reflection, dialogue, or collective action, fostering a culture of passivity and alienation. Crary contends that this degradation of communal life is a deliberate consequence of capitalism’s expansion, which seeks to eliminate any space for resistance or alternative forms of social organization. This damage threatens the foundation of democratic participation and critical consciousness.
Resistance and the Politics of Sleep
Sleep emerges as a radical act of resistance against the 24/7 capitalist regime, reclaiming time and agency from the relentless demands of productivity and connectivity.
Sleep as a Form of Disruption and Protest
Sleep acts as a radical disruption to the non-stop demands of late capitalism, offering a refusal to participate in the endless cycle of productivity and consumption. By withdrawing from the constant availability required by 24/7 capitalism, sleep becomes a form of passive resistance, challenging the system’s logic of perpetual activity. Crary argues that sleep’s unproductivity and inaccessibility to commodification make it a powerful act of defiance. It disrupts the seamless integration of life into the marketplace, reclaiming time and agency from the grip of capitalist control. This simple yet potent act holds the potential to unsettle the dominant order and spark broader resistance against the erosion of human autonomy. Sleep, in this sense, is not just a biological necessity but a political gesture with profound implications for collective liberation.
The Possibility of Reclaiming Time and Agency
Crary suggests that reclaiming time and agency is essential to counteracting the oppressive rhythms of late capitalism. By challenging the 24/7 regime, individuals can resist the erosion of their autonomy and the commodification of their lives. Sleep emerges as a critical tool in this struggle, offering a moment of disengagement and renewal. Crary emphasizes the importance of collective action, advocating for a reimagined relationship with time that prioritizes human needs over economic demands. This reclaiming of time could foster new forms of political expression and community, enabling individuals to break free from the suffocating grip of constant productivity and connectivity. Ultimately, reclaiming agency over one’s time becomes a vital step toward creating a more humane and equitable society, where life is not dictated by the dictates of the marketplace.
In 24/7: Late Capitalism and the Ends of Sleep, Crary underscores the urgency of reclaiming sleep as a radical act of resistance against the all-encompassing demands of late capitalism. The future of sleep hinges on challenging the normalization of perpetual productivity and connectivity. While the 24/7 regime appears inescapable, Crary suggests that sleep offers a potential site of disruption, allowing individuals to momentarily disengage from the capitalist machinery. By valuing sleep as a necessity for cognitive and psychic well-being, society can begin to reimagine a world where time is not entirely commodified. The future of sleep, therefore, lies in its ability to foster a collective rejection of the non-stop rhythms of capitalism, paving the way for a more humane and balanced existence.