The Power of Cute

The Power of Cute
Author :
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Total Pages : 257
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780691185712
ISBN-13 : 0691185719
Rating : 4/5 (719 Downloads)

Book Synopsis The Power of Cute by : Simon May

Download or read book The Power of Cute written by Simon May and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2019-03-19 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An exploration of cuteness and its immense hold on us, from emojis and fluffy puppies to its more uncanny, subversive expressions Cuteness has taken the planet by storm. Global sensations Hello Kitty and Pokémon, the works of artists Takashi Murakami and Jeff Koons, Heidi the cross-eyed opossum and E.T.—all reflect its gathering power. But what does “cute” mean, as a sensibility and style? Why is it so pervasive? Is it all infantile fluff, or is there something more uncanny and even menacing going on—in a lighthearted way? In The Power of Cute, Simon May provides nuanced and surprising answers. We usually see the cute as merely diminutive, harmless, and helpless. May challenges this prevailing perspective, investigating everything from Mickey Mouse to Kim Jong-il to argue that cuteness is not restricted to such sweet qualities but also beguiles us by transforming or distorting them into something of playfully indeterminate power, gender, age, morality, and even species. May grapples with cuteness’s dark and unpindownable side—unnerving, artful, knowing, apprehensive—elements that have fascinated since ancient times through mythical figures, especially hybrids like the hermaphrodite and the sphinx. He argues that cuteness is an addictive antidote to today’s pressured expectations of knowing our purpose, being in charge, and appearing predictable, transparent, and sincere. Instead, it frivolously expresses the uncertainty that these norms deny: the ineliminable uncertainty of who we are; of how much we can control and know; of who, in our relations with others, really has power; indeed, of the very value and purpose of power. The Power of Cute delves into a phenomenon that speaks with strange force to our age.


The Power of Cute Related Books

The Power of Cute
Language: en
Pages: 257
Authors: Simon May
Categories: Philosophy
Type: BOOK - Published: 2019-03-19 - Publisher: Princeton University Press

GET EBOOK

An exploration of cuteness and its immense hold on us, from emojis and fluffy puppies to its more uncanny, subversive expressions Cuteness has taken the planet
The Power of Cute
Language: en
Pages: 28
Authors: Charise Mericle Harper
Categories: Juvenile Fiction
Type: BOOK - Published: 2011 - Publisher: Robin Corey Books

GET EBOOK

The Power of Cute features lift-the-flaps, pull-tabs, and simple pop-ups and is told in a young graphic novel style. A hilariously dressed monster confronts a s
The Aesthetics and Affects of Cuteness
Language: en
Pages: 486
Authors: Joshua Paul Dale
Categories: Social Science
Type: BOOK - Published: 2016-12-08 - Publisher: Routledge

GET EBOOK

Cuteness is one of the most culturally pervasive aesthetics of the new millennium and its rapid social proliferation suggests that the affective responses it pr
F U, Penguin
Language: en
Pages: 242
Authors: Matthew Gasteier
Categories: Humor
Type: BOOK - Published: 2009-08-25 - Publisher: Villard

GET EBOOK

Perfect for the Scrooge in your life—a profane, hilarious takedown of all things cute and cuddly, by the author of the blog sensation of (almost) the same nam
Extremely Cute Animals Operating Heavy Machinery
Language: en
Pages: 48
Authors: David Gordon
Categories: Juvenile Fiction
Type: BOOK - Published: 2016-05-17 - Publisher: Simon and Schuster

GET EBOOK

"When bullies try to stop the extremely cute animals from building their sand castle they band together to build something bigger and better"--