Commodified Chaos - How we package, sell and normalise disruption
Nikhil Thakkar
Brand Therapist | Helping brands find their voice, heal their identity, and connect deeply with consumers through trend insights and strategic market research.
In our modern world, chaos isn’t just something we fear; it has become something we package, brand, and sell. This phenomenon, which I call commodified chaos, reflects how we’ve normalized and monetized disruption across various domains. From digital vulnerabilities to cultural narratives, chaos isn’t an anomaly—it’s part of the system, designed for consumption. Here’s how commodified chaos manifests in different areas of life:
1. Technology: Ransomware and Cybersecurity
In the digital realm, chaos is industrialized. Take ransomware-as-a-service platforms, where prepackaged tools for cyber extortion are sold to attackers like a subscription model. This isn’t chaos in its raw form; it’s a calculated, commodified disruption that thrives within the very systems it exploits.
The cybersecurity industry itself also commodifies chaos. Annual reports on threats, alarming statistics, and zero-day vulnerabilities create a sense of perpetual crisis. Businesses profit by selling tools and solutions, reinforcing the very cycle they aim to end. The result? Chaos becomes a product that sustains an entire industry.
2. Media and Entertainment: Selling Sanitized Struggles
Hollywood and advertising excel at selling a sterilized version of chaos. Stories of success often follow predictable formulas: work hard, overcome internal demons, and achieve greatness. Films like Gully Boy or 12th Fail inspire audiences but present a simplified, commodified narrative of struggle—one that fits neatly into the "dream big" cultural ethos.
Even reality television thrives on commodified chaos. Shows like Survivor or Big Brother package conflict, unpredictability, and human drama into consumable, episodic formats. The chaos feels raw, but it’s orchestrated, edited, and framed for maximum profit.
3. Environmental Crisis: Greenwashed Nature
Advertising sells us nature as a curated, commodified experience. Pristine beaches, bottled water labeled "pure," and manicured gardens all represent a sanitized version of the natural world. The chaos of real ecosystems—their wild, untamed diversity—is replaced by "greenwashed" simulacra designed to soothe and sell.
Even the climate crisis itself is commodified. Carbon credits, eco-tourism, and "sustainable" products are marketed as solutions while often perpetuating the very systems of consumption that caused the crisis. Nature’s chaos is rebranded as a marketable asset.
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4. Economy: Financialized Chaos
The financial industry thrives on controlled chaos. Volatility in markets, speculative trading, and complex financial instruments like derivatives turn economic unpredictability into opportunities for profit. Chaos becomes a commodity to be traded, manipulated, and profited from.
Cryptocurrency is another example. Billed as a decentralized, disruptive force, it’s often marked by wild price swings and speculative bubbles. Yet this very instability is its appeal, drawing investors who seek to capitalize on the chaos.
5. Social and Political Disruption: Outrage as a Product
Social media platforms commodify outrage and conflict. Algorithms amplify divisive content because it drives engagement. Chaos in the form of viral misinformation, polarizing debates, and cultural clashes is monetized through ad revenue and user attention.
Even political movements aren’t immune. Protests and upheavals often become branded moments, with slogans, hashtags, and merchandise. The raw chaos of dissent is quickly packaged and commercialized, sometimes diluting its original intent.
The Consequences of Commodified Chaos
When chaos becomes a commodity, its original meaning is distorted. Instead of being a force for change, it’s often neutralized and made profitable within the very systems it should disrupt. This raises critical questions:
Conclusion: Beyond the Commodity
Chaos is inherent to life, systems, and progress. But when it’s commodified, it loses its raw, transformative potential and becomes another tool for profit. To move beyond commodified chaos, we must look deeper at the systems that produce and sustain it. Whether in technology, media, or the environment, the challenge is to recognize when chaos is being packaged for consumption and to push back against its sterilization.
True chaos—wild, untamed, and unpredictable—is not a product. It’s a force that demands reflection, adaptation, and change. Perhaps it’s time to embrace it for what it truly is.