Ringtones, or the auditory logic of globalization
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v10i12.1295Abstract
This essay attempts to provide a description of the global ringtone industry, to determine and assess the numerous cultural consequences of the ringtone’s appearance and development, and to situate the ringtone within the context of contemporary capitalism. At its broadest, my assertion is that the development of the ringtone is a powerful lens through which we might clearly view some of the dynamics of present day (or “late”) capitalist cultural production, including the development of new rentier economies within oligopolistic sectors of production and consumption, and a long–term shift in global productive dominance from North America to the Pacific Rim. The ringtone is also a remarkable cultural phenomenon that is demonstrating a high degree of popularity and is undergoing rapid transformation; therefore, its short, continuing lifetime already needs to be assessed historically.Downloads
Published
2005-12-05
How to Cite
Gopinath, S. (2005). Ringtones, or the auditory logic of globalization. First Monday, 10(12). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v10i12.1295
Issue
Section
Articles
License
Authors retain copyright to their work published in First Monday. Please see the footer of each article for details.