At the start of the 21st century the self is just another commodity

At the start of the 21st century the self is just another commodity
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Jean Baudrillard and Christopher Lasch are guests on The Trend, on Channel 99. Host Shelly Norris has invited the two leading thinkers to address the issue of the increasing dissatisfaction of the American people despite the economic growth that Americans have witnessed over the years.
Shelly: Good morning and welcome to our show today. In the studio, I have amazing guests, who have often been described as leading thinkers. Jean Baudrillard is a sociologist, philosopher, and cultural theorist who has been instrumental in the analysis of the media, contemporary culture, and technological communication. He has written on diverse subjects and has leading works being studied all over the world. Baudrillard’s work has been associated with post-structuralism. On the other end, we have Christopher Lasch, a historian, moralist, and social critic. Lasch often uses history to awaken American society on the contribution of major institutions in eroding the independence of families and communities. He believes that through his efforts, Americans would become aware of the adverse effects society has experienced as a result of rampant materialism and proletarianization. Gentlemen welcome to the show.
Baudrillard: Thank you Shelly for having me.
Lasch: I am grateful for the invitation. I know we are going to have an informative session today.
Shelly: Today we shall be considering an issue that has
Shelly: Let me start with you, Baudrillard. What is your view on consumption, in the context of American society and the developed world in general?
Baudrillard: Well Shelly, much can be said of the way Americans have embraced the culture of consumerism. Allow me to bring to your attention that of the idea that everything in the world is a simulation of reality (Baudrillard, 1981a). The simulation is completed through the production as well as consumption of products. As we produce and consume goods, all the processes involved constitute our language. In other words, consumption is such that what we purchase is not merely a product, rather a piece of language that creates a sense of who we are (Baudrillard, 1983). What we purchase reflects who we are, and ultimately our inner desires.
Shelly: So do you support Marx in the definition of an object?
Baudrillard: Not at all. My view of an object is quite different from that of Marx. Marx sees an object as having a natural use-value. Such an object has exchanges value and it is capable of being exchanged for money. However, Marx fails to consider the symbolic and semiotic aspects of an object. My approach considers an object from both perspectives. In this regard, I consider the semiotic aspect of an object, i.e. the meaning of an object. I, therefore, look at an object as having a sign-value. In other words, while Marx looks at objects in terms of utility and value, I consider objects to have a value that originates from sign or simulation (Baudrillard, 1988).
Shelly: For the sake of a layperson in this area, kindly simplify the concept of use-value and sign-value and how they relate to consumerism.
Baudrillard: The use-value signifies that consumers acquire a product because they need to use it for a particular purpose. Marx attempts to show that consumers get commodities because of their use. However, looking at modern society, I propose that consumers take objects as signifying more than a commodity (Baudrillard, 1988). I do not deny that an object possesses Use-value. However, objects act as a sign of the prestige and social standing of a consumer. The purchase of an item goes beyond its use. Instead, people get products to allow them to stand out among the members of society. For instance, if someone purchases a car, it could be said that the basic need is to move from one place to another conveniently. If we consider Marx’s view, then we shall say that person X bought a car for easing movement. However, an examination of the same person indicates that easing movement was just one of the main motivations for the purchase. Instead, in a society where purchasing a car is expensive, then such an individual was looking for more than facilitating movement. After all, such a person could still rely on public transport and will still move around. However, getting a car will set such an individual apart from the members of the community. In this regard, the car will not just be a natural need, rather an opportunity to signify that he belongs to a higher social rank.
Shelly: Lasch, give us your view on the culture of consumption.
Lasch: You cannot talk about the current culture of consumption without considering its historical background. Now, consider the early capitalists, who viewed the worker as a mere producer. The capitalists would pay the worker meager wages to maximize profits. To the capitalists, the worker was an object for exploitation. However, this approach changed immediately after World War I. The capitalist saw that the worker may be more useful, not as a producer, but also as a consumer. The advertisements focused more on fulfillment via consumption. For individuals who consider their job “meaningless and feel empty,” then consumption promises to “fulfill the aching void.” (Lasch, 1979 pg. 72).
Shelly: And Lasch, allow me to interrupt you, is this not a good thing since the worker acquires something that fulfills him or her?
Lasch: Well, having something that fulfills the void left due to capitalism seems like an excellent thing. However, the motive of the capitalists has not been any good. Firstly, the culture of consumption encourages the tired worker to despair of the possibility of changing the work conditions. Instead of seeking better terms of engagement with the capitalist employer, the worker gets renewal from the consumption of the newest products and services in the market. Secondly, the consumption culture alienates the worker into a commodity. While addressing to the “spiritual desolation of modern life,” consumption proposes itself as the most appropriate cure (Lasch, 1979 pg. 73). Instead of solving the issues at hand, the culture of consumption creates new forms of unhappiness like insecurity at a personal level, anxiety in parents due to their inability to satisfy their children among other effects.
Shelly: Does consumption account for the rise in industries focused on consumer products?
Lasch:, in the early stages of industrialization, the provision of necessities like railroads, textiles, machine shops, and others was the absorption of the nation. These industries ranked among the leading industries at the time, due to the emphasis on the provision of goods perceived as necessities. However, the narrative changed with a shift from heavy industries to an industry driven by consumer products (Lasch, 1993). Industries making automobiles, household appliances, prepared food, and the likes. Today, industries focused on consumption have increased due to the large market available for their products. The mass production of consumer products has succeeded in manufacturing large quantities and selling dissatisfaction among consumers as a means to expand the market.
Shelly: Baudrillard, you have done extensive studies on the impact of the mass media on society. Kindly tell us about the contribution of the media towards the commodification of the self.
Baudrillard: It is interesting Shelly to note that the media has been critical in glorifying consumerism, which has ultimately led to taking self as any other commodity. I understand that the media has remained critical in transforming society. It is through mass media that people receive the information they need to achieve their objectives. Without the media, the information will not reach the audience as expected. A society that is not informed is weak and cannot empower people. However, I have noticed a trend in mass media that propagates self as a commodity. The mass media creates demands and seductions of objects (Baudrillard, 1986). This is meant to make a powerful consumer society. When a consumer acquires an object, it signifies something more than just a commodity. In other words, products have turned out to be signs of consumer’s prestige, rank, and social understanding.
Shelly: Does this imply that we purchase products to differentiate ourselves from the rest of the members of society?
Baudrillard: That’s true Shelly. Consider members of a tribal culture, where differences are brought about by the use of particular tattoos and feathers. However, in the postmodern society, the consumer is interested in displaying what he/she has purchased. This is critical because it distinguishes him/her from the rest of society members(Baudrillard, 1981b). The need for a particular commodity is insign...