| This question <77|75> overall <73|75> Maverick: <401|138-10>. |
| Question 166: How does Marx's use of the term “fetishism” compare with its modern dictionary definition? |
| [74] Maverick: Fetishism The dictionary defines fetishism as an unreasoning and blind devotion to any object. In Capitalism, this definition implies that a consumer would give up unreasonable amounts of something such as time, energy or thoughts for the purpose of acquiring a good. While it is apparent that this occurs frequently in capitalism, it is difficult to understand why. |
| On page 63 of our text, Hans refers to Marx's interpretation of fetishism as a form of false consciousness. Capitalist consumers see the commodity as an object possessing distinguishable features. What the consumer fails to notice in the commodity is the social distinguishable traits of the producer's labour. In 1.4 page 164, Marx refers to this occurence as the mysterious character of the commodity-form. The commodity somehow reflects the subjective qualities of man's labour as the objective qualities of the good. The consumer fails to recognize that he is indirectly linked to the producer of the good through their separate forms of human labour. |
| Furthermore, social contact between individual producers and the sum total of producers is limited to the exchange of their products of labour. Hans states in [70], “that the relationship between money and commodities makes up for the lack of a direct human relation between the members of society.” This lack of direct human relation creates a void that consumers unsuccessfully attempt to fill by purchasing goods that they really don't need. It is now more obvious from where our blind devotion to any good originates. |
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