Fundamentals of Marx: Commodity Fetishism

This is the second video in the Fundamentals of Marx series. In this video, we explore the concept of commodity fetishism as Marx outlined it.

[asmasamano]

I became so involved in only buying commodities that have transparent manufacturing practices. One time I bought a cotton shirt from one of these ethically sustainable small independent shop. When they shipped my shirt, they also sent the cotton farmers and the person who made my shirt pictures and names, I actually for the first time knew the identity of the people who made my shirt. the entire experience felt very real and authentic, but I still questioned the ethical part of it. I questioned the fact that I had the means/money to buy that shirt.. while the farmer and the person who made my shirt were only able to make them. It just something is extremely disturbing about capitalism. I couldn't help it but to think that the U.S. with it's imperialist/capitalist practices enforced that dynamic on the world. Thank you for this video, its very informative.

[jessicacabanilla]

you've saved me from failing an essay

[ghostfire]

Holy shit YouTube algorithms actually recommend a leftist i wasn't already subscribed to. We did it comrades, we seized the algorithm!

[theodorobretas]

great video! i've found my previous conception of commodity fetishism was wrong. thanks for clearing that up!

[felipesantell]

I've got a couple of questions here because this one is one of the most difficult things about Marx and yet one of the most used and famous concepts: 1) Were pre-capitalists societies based on people relations and not through things? In other words what's the difference between a pre-capitalist society and a capitalist one? 2) What if we know what's 'behind' that t-shirt -you already know it in the video-, the exploitation, the people, names, etc.-. Does it make a difference in relation with the fetish qualities of the t-shirt? And related to the first question: Did people in the past know everything behind the commodities they exchanged?

[gonzogil]

I think another interesting example is found when Marx talks about money. During a period of economic growth, money is considered just something that facilitates exchange, but during a crisis, it is seen as the end, all, and be all "nothing can be done, nor moved without an influx of money" so everyone stops satisfying their needs for longs periods of time even though they have not forgotten how to work nor the machinery has been destroyed. But everyone will be paralyzed. their lives at risk, until money "knights" their labor into permission, into action. It is not until this inorganic piece of paper "knights" you into permission that you may continue to work to satisfy your need. It is irrelevant if your life is at risk everything stops until money is allowed to be given this "extra" power over your existence. That is another interesting way in which fetishism appears. Another way in which it appears is when, for example, the workers that build luxury apartments are not as valuable as the apt itself. That is to say as another commodity purchased in the market, as a thing that you purchase, people are worth less than that which they create. And, clearly, we are forced to accept this. This kind of magical thinking (to act on it on a daily basis) is enforced as a must for economic growth. The belief in the price system as being correct when it signals back to us "you guys must always be less valuable than the wealth you produce. It will rule over you. It is more valuable than yourself" when our standards of living are reduced in wages, and benefits etc.

[roytheparadox]

I just wanted to say, thank you so much for these videos and your playlist The Fundamentals of Marxism. I've been looking for/ watching Theory videos for awhile now and all of the Content Creators and videos that I've found, as amazing as they are, are predicated off of the assumption that you know the basics/ fundamentals of Marxism. But since I'm broke because I make just enough to take care of my needs, so i can't really afford to purchase any books. This was perfect for me. Now i can watch these and go back to Yugopnik, Second Thought, Hakim, The Deprogram, etc with the fundamentals I've learned from you and finally have a greater understanding of their content on theory.

[lmbrd]

Really enjoyed the video! Huge help to clearing up the theory. Good work!

[the_local_bigamist]

These videos are great. There are certain topics in Marx's original work that are hard to grasp simply because of words like "fetishism", and a short video like this is a great companion piece to reading the chapter on Commodity Fetishism in Capital, from which Lukacs largely drew on in developing his work on Reification as I understand. This is brilliant stuff.

Cheers comrades.

[hitashasharma]

I enjoyed this video and your replies to comments. It's amazing to have found this channel. I have just begun to delve into Marxism and you seem to be such a great help! Subscribing right away!

[fotppd]

I used to have that question in my mind in the past "what is this items story?".
Its nice to see I'm not the only one.

[MM-vwck]

Thanks for the quick vid explaining the topic.

[missZoey]

thank you for making these videos. I am currently reading Capital for the first time and need the supplementary content as aid.

[aungphyoezin]

Such a worthwhile 5 mins to have understood the mysterious way commodities operate at the level it conceals every truth about the social relations...

[aniruddhtripathi]

I was reading George Ritzer, got stuck on this lucid explanation

[swordofdoom]

Still a fairly complex thing to understand, thanks for the explanation tho :)

[abdullaheldali]

Beautiful explanation of such complex concept.

[michaelkaplan]

love all your content, man. just discovered this channel, this wealth of information. thanks for doing the work you do, comrade. much appreciated

[SofiaMeirelles]

I'm glad to find this channel, thanks for the video! Waiting for more :)

About the "stay radical", although it's a little radical (hur dur), that's fine, I didn't feel coerced.

[iaminvincible]

Thank you for this video! I've been reading a book and didn't really understand what commodity fetishism means, but now i do!