Lu Cinda
consumption
The Commodity Fetishism
“A commodity appears, at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is, in reality, a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties. So far as it is a value in use, there is nothing mysterious about it, whether we consider it from the point of view that by its properties it is capable of satisfying human wants, or from the point that those properties are the product of human labour” (Marx, 1887:41)
Marx argued that commodity fetishism reduces social relations between people to human – object relations; consumer – producer relationship is being concealed. Producer only identifies himself with the object he produces, forgetting about the people who will use his product in the future. Similarly, customer only pays attention to his relationship with the object, forgetting completely about the people who produced it. Consequently neither customers nor producers are fully conscious of social positions they occupy. Marx objection was to make people aware of social relations that are hidden behind relations among objects. Also, to reveal human creativity hidden behind the object one produced.
My image – The Commodity Fetishism - has been made using non camera technique. I have placed my objects on the scanner, covered it up with dark material and scanned them into the computer. The image represents power of relationship that people acquired to material things. Two hands holding tightly some leather goods and fancy jewellery. I want the viewer to image the owner of those hands - a woman, as it is a common knowledge that woman are considered to 'loose their heads' for this kind of goods more that the man do - with some animal instinct treasuring the goods, making sure no one will take them off her. She found them, they belong to her now, she will wear them with proud and believe that they will bring her up on the social class ladder. She does not think about the people who made the jewellery, nor does she consider the animals that had to die in order for the leather bag or wallet to be produced. Her only objective is 'to have' in order 'to be'; to be considered a woman with style and high social and material status.
People crave for what is considered fashionable in this particular time, and what other people with high social status wear in order to be to be part of the world they live in. They do not want to be left out so they consume in order to 'BE'. Advertisement companies manipulates buyers in order to sell them habits of consumption; Adds sell us not only commodities but also a lifestyle image, this notion is closely related to commodity fetish. The sad true is that they do not make people aware of the effort that had to be put into the whole process that was made in order to transform the raw material into the final product.
consumption
The Commodity Fetishism
“A commodity appears, at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is, in reality, a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties. So far as it is a value in use, there is nothing mysterious about it, whether we consider it from the point of view that by its properties it is capable of satisfying human wants, or from the point that those properties are the product of human labour” (Marx, 1887:41)
Marx argued that commodity fetishism reduces social relations between people to human – object relations; consumer – producer relationship is being concealed. Producer only identifies himself with the object he produces, forgetting about the people who will use his product in the future. Similarly, customer only pays attention to his relationship with the object, forgetting completely about the people who produced it. Consequently neither customers nor producers are fully conscious of social positions they occupy. Marx objection was to make people aware of social relations that are hidden behind relations among objects. Also, to reveal human creativity hidden behind the object one produced.
My image – The Commodity Fetishism - has been made using non camera technique. I have placed my objects on the scanner, covered it up with dark material and scanned them into the computer. The image represents power of relationship that people acquired to material things. Two hands holding tightly some leather goods and fancy jewellery. I want the viewer to image the owner of those hands - a woman, as it is a common knowledge that woman are considered to 'loose their heads' for this kind of goods more that the man do - with some animal instinct treasuring the goods, making sure no one will take them off her. She found them, they belong to her now, she will wear them with proud and believe that they will bring her up on the social class ladder. She does not think about the people who made the jewellery, nor does she consider the animals that had to die in order for the leather bag or wallet to be produced. Her only objective is 'to have' in order 'to be'; to be considered a woman with style and high social and material status.
People crave for what is considered fashionable in this particular time, and what other people with high social status wear in order to be to be part of the world they live in. They do not want to be left out so they consume in order to 'BE'. Advertisement companies manipulates buyers in order to sell them habits of consumption; Adds sell us not only commodities but also a lifestyle image, this notion is closely related to commodity fetish. The sad true is that they do not make people aware of the effort that had to be put into the whole process that was made in order to transform the raw material into the final product.