Commodity fetishism

Midterm: Part One Karl Marx is known for his work on commodity fetishism. A commodity is an object considered to be merchandise or a possession. Marx referred to a commodity as having its’ exchange value determined by how much labor and time was put into producing that certain object or desired item. The fetishism part of a commodity is defined as the habitual act of characterizing commodities with possessing qualities that are human-like or larger than life. Marx sees commodity fetishism as people defining themselves by the things they own. These commodities can include luxury cars, large houses, jewelry, etc. Karl Marx thought this idea of being defined by our possessions was contemptible. Marx also thought it was trivial to have things people…

adhere to norms in order to fit in with the rest, thus these norms essentially hold power over individuals and the population. Furthermore, power has a significant role in both creating norms and controlling behavior because people tend to yield to power and conform to a system that the power figure establishes. In his writings on commodity fetishism, German philosopher and revolutionary socialist Karl Marx, well-known for his 1848 pamphlet The Communist Manifesto, argues that in commodities,…

sign is because it reminded me of Karl Marx and his theory of capitalism, or to be more specific, commodity fetishism. Although society today is past the times of the industrial revolution, capitalism is still extremely prevalent in today’s society. Capitalism can be defined as “an economic system characterized by private ownership of property or capital (as opposed to state ownership), sale of commodities on the open market, the purchase of labour for wages, and the impetus to generate…

Marx studied that we still see in modern capitalism is commodity Fetishism. A commodity according to Marx is a mysterious thing. It is an item that society gives meaning and value. Marx writes that a commodity is “ a very queer thing abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties”. When we begin to give these commodities “magical powers” they become a fetish to us. Fetishism of commodities when items appear before our eyes with no history , or no relation to the labor of the…

furthered to develop an emotional and spiritual connotation. Through modernized contextual behaviour associated with such material, the use of the function became conceptualized to influence greater than the being of the physical world. Emotional relationships developed with the material is reflected on other individuals in their efforts of communication. Social relationships were then established to be based on material wealth, in the act of conspicuous consumption followed by commodity…

Aguilar, Kimberly English 28 Professor Aksoy Commodity Fetishism Draft Commodity Fetishism is everywhere we go. Its on magazines, billboards and even on T.V. A simple plain T-shirt can cost up to ten dollars but once a a company labels it with their logo, the shirt can cost up to three times the original amount. Its not just on clothes but on electronics, accessories and beverages. Many people will buy things just because of the brand. The company will advertise it in a way to get the…

Regarding the influence of each society, the prevalence of capitalism also plays a major role in shaping rituals. Just as in Michael Taussig’s The Devil and Commodity Fetishism in South America, the Harijan caste is in a precapitalist state as the people still see essences of people in products, separate from capitalist societies like America in which products are viewed as lifeforms themselves. This is especially apparent in the practice of bringing rice to oracles, which is said to contain the…

Both texts, set in Dystopian and Utopian futures, present the Marxist ideas of commodity fetishism, alienation and modernity as it relates to the human need for happiness, security and spirituality and/or religiosity. The futuristic worlds that both authors set up in their short stories deal with the ramifications of modernity in societies; in both worlds the threat against individual and collective life of humans is what drives them into developing values that keep such threats at bay.…

For example, a handle on a mug allows you to hold the mug without burning your hand. In the case of this record, the principle of affordance is somewhat diminished in a physical sense. I could play any record from my collection in the circumstances. However, it depends upon the end I am attempting to facilitate. I could play a faster, more hard-edged piece of music and afford a differing reaction from a crowd. Yet, when endeavouring to convey a particular emotion or mood, I opt for Acamar. Music…

In today’s western capitalist societies individuals are consciously and subconsciously immersed into the constantly growing world of technology, with the internet, social media and global connectivity. This emergence of new media and technology has profound effects on society and individuals. Thus, bringing forth the theory of ‘the Culture Industry’ and its relevance today. The culture industry argument was developed by Adorno and Horkheimer and focuses on the effects of capitalist mass media…