| This question <162|191> overall <189|191> Hans: <189|191>. |
| Question 116: Give everyday examples of “material relations of persons” and “social relations of things.” |
| [190] Hans: Car dealers are for whimps All submissions to 116 were a little weak on discussing social relations of things. Pikk, however, gave an inadvertent example in his attack against Rollingrock, which I do not approve of. Here is his full [146], with my comments: |
| Rollingrock writes of the material relationship between he and his car dealership. Marx writes that the commodity represents the sum total of labor of private individuals who work independently of each other which form the aggregate labor in society. Since all the different people who worked on the car do not come into social contact, the social characteristics only apply within the exchange between Rollingrock and the car dealership. It is really within the exchange between all the various private producers of the car that a material relation of persons exist and there is a social relation between things. |
| Good point: we are in material relations of persons not only with the seller of the commodities we use but with all the producers. There is no interaction involved other than that with the seller, but this does not negate the fact that there is a relationship. |
| Marx also writes that all the producers (in the car), the social relations between the private labors appear as what they are or the labors do not appear “as direct social relations between persons in their work but rather as material relations between persons and social relations between things.” |
| I guess I am somewhat confused by how Rollingrock goes back to Marx talking about society and how he must work when really the relationship of material relations of persons and the social relation of things has not adequately been addressed. He talks of the car as being the only thing that controls him when in fact he is controlled by the car dealership itself. In fact, he doesn't have to go back to car dealership for repairs and parts. One of my favorite repair shops happens to be Mr. Muffler. The fact that he is controlled by the car dealership makes him a whimp. Also, he is controlled by himself instead of society. He makes the choice to go to school, wake up early, buy beer, and go to that car dealership. |
| Your statement that customers of car dealerships are whimpier than those of Mr. Muffler is a wonderful inadvertent example of social relations of things (if you count a car repair service as a “thing” comparable to the shoes one wears etc). |
| On the other hand, this was an attack against Rollingrock and not a fair criticism. Pikk, why are you upset at Rollingrock? This attack against one of your peers comes together with an attempt on your part to deny the very real constraints we all are placed under. Is there a connection? What do others in class think about Pikk's name calling? If you want to submit additional comments for Question 116, I told my computer to accept those and give you credit for those. You may also submit them as ungraded contributions if you do not want to get a grade for your response. This class is not easy, also emotionally, and I think this is an incident which we should discuss. |
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