commodity

coffee

trivia

is a very strange thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties.

A commodity appears at first sight an extremely obvious, trivial thing. But its analysis brings out that it is a very strange thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties.

is an external object, a thing that by its properties satisfies human wants of some sort or another.

a commodity is an external object, a thing that by its properties satisfies human wants of some sort or another. (Lemert, 2004, p49)

 is produced for exchange rather than something produced for immediate use or consumption by the producer.

A commodity is something that is produced for exchange rather than something produced for immediate use or consumption by the producer.

is a magical object which, at first blush, appears to be a simple embodiment of social relations.

In other words, when a Marxist encounters a bourgeois subject immersed in commodity fetishism, the Marxist's reproach to him is not 'The commodity may seem to you to be a magical object endowed with special powers, but it really is just a reified expression of relations between people' but rather, 'You may think that the commodity appears to you as a simple embodiment of social relations (that, for example, money is just a kind of voucher entitling you to a part of the social product), but this is not how things really seem to you. In your social reality, by means of your participation in social exchange, you bear witness to the uncanny fact that a commodity really appears to you as a magical object endowed with special powers.' (Zizek 'how to read lacan : 80)

has a value because it is a crystallization of social labor. The greatness of its value, or its relative value, depends upon the greater or less amount of that social substance contained in it... that is to say, on the relative mass of labor necessary for its production.

A commodity has a value because it is a crystallization of social labor. The greatness of its value, or its relative value, depends upon the greater or less amount of that social substance contained in it... that is to say, on the relative mass of labor necessary for its production. Karl Marx

1s 2irculation is the original precondition of the circulation of money.

The circulation of commodities is the original precondition of the circulation of money. Karl Marx

is the cornerstone of capitalism and commodity production is a key defining characteristic.

According to Karl Marx, the commodity is the cornerstone of capitalism and commodity production is a key defining characteristic . . .

is today, such that people recognize themselves in it... they find their soul in their automobile, hi-fi set, split-level home, kitchen equipment.

The people recognize themselves in their commodities... they find their soul in their automobile, hi-fi set, split-level home, kitchen equipment. Herbert Marcuse

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