| This question <74|79> overall <77|79> Fritz: <71|93>. |
| Question 60: Labor power creates products. The value of the products comes from the value of labor power, and the use value from the use value of labor power. Is this a correct rendering of Marx's theory? |
| [78] Fritz: oh Ja, ich liebe die Stones TOAD [74] provides a proper reference 136:2, but is confusing different definitions which contain the word value. |
| For example, use-value, value, and exchange value. |
| When Marx writes 136:2, “Why is there this difference in value?” He is not referring to use-value but value. |
| I will try to define Marx's definition and use of use-value. |
| use-value |
| Marx writes 126:1: “the usefulness of a thing makes it a use-value.” |
| So what is meant by “usefulness”? Well, Marx provides a footnote in the sentence above in which he makes reference to a quote by John Locke: “The natural worth/(use-value) of anything consists in its fitness to supply the necessities, or serve the conveniences of human life.” |
| I read this to mean: anything which brings an individual utility/satisfaction is a use-value. |
| Examples might include: food a visit to the Million Dollar Saloon enjoying the sunset over the Great Salt Lake |
| If you say that sunsets and nudie bars are not necessities of life, I will ask to see Marx's definition of “necessity.” |
| If you said: |
| “I get twice as much use-value from listening to a CD of Skinny Puppy than a CD of Rolling Stones.” |
| I would shrug and say “o.k.” |
| Marx writes 127:4--128:1, “As use-values, commodities differ above all in quality...” |
| If we put headphones on Marx and forced him to listen to a CD of Puppy and then a CD of Stones, the first words out of his mouth would be: |
| “oh Ja, der music of die Stones ist sehr qualitatively different than die music of die Puppies.” |
| His next sentence might be: |
| “oh Ja, ich liebe diese CD of die Stones 2X as much as die Puppy.” |
| All of this to say that Marx would not take issue with a quantitative measurements of use-value -- except to point out that the principal difference is qualitative. |
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