"Uncanny Valley": Representations of Corporate Communication in Contemporary Memoirs, Novels and Movies

This thesis explores how contemporary capitalism uses narrative strategies to discipline and create consensus in the workplace, masking this with the rhetoric of coherence and inclusiveness. It discusses how corporate communication has moved from the overt managerial practice of Taylorism and Fordism to more subtle techniques emblematic of the new spirit of capitalism through the analysis of memoirs, novels, and movies. These narratives, often portraying companies as families or communities, mask the structures of exploitation and reinforce hierarchical power dynamics. This thesis critiques how these stories of belonging just create an illusion of it while, in reality, employees feel alienated and disconnected as never before. It also considers how stories of corporate narratives uniquely affect women and minorities. The comprehensive examination reveals how tales of empowerment, for the most part, serve to empower privileged white women while alienating and marginalizing other women, thus perpetuating systemic inequities even further. Finally, this thesis reflects on how artificial intelligence is influencing these dynamics. Automation and amplification of corporate narratives through AI-driven communication deepen mechanisms of control and exploitation. This has critical implications for the future of labor in increasingly digital environments. What this thesis engages with is the uncanny interplay of control, cohesion, and alienation within contemporary capitalism through a variety of memoirs, novels, and movies and thus offers a critical perspective on the stories that shape our working life.