Commodity Fetishism and Its Impact on Contemporary Society...

What is commodity fetishism as defined by cultural and media theorists? Identify and analyse three images that demonstrate the way commodity fetishism is impacting on contemporary society and culture. â€Å"Commodities are defined as things that are bought and sold in a social system of exchange.† (Sturken Cartwright, 2009, p. 279 )†The concept of commodity culture is intricately allied with the idea that we construct our identities through the consumer products that inhabit our lives† (Sturken Cartwright 2009, p. 279) The idea of a commodity culture has been described by media theorist Stuart Ewen as a commodity self. He believes that we are constructed through our relationship with and use of commodities in our everyday lives. Karl Marx†¦show more content†¦Not only does it allow the development of a broader social context of devaluing labour, making it hard for workers to take pride in their work but it also allows consumers to remain ignorant of working conditions.† (Sturken Cartwright 2009, p. 280) This image is an example of commodity fetishism because it is â€Å"essentially a process of mystification that not only empties commodities o f the meaning of their production but also fills them with new, appealing meaning.† (Sturken Cartwright 2009, p. 279) The process of making something seem more appealing is used to promote and sell the product. Consumers purchase Calvin Klein jeans because they are a designer label and are promoted as being fashionable and worn by celebrities. Consumers are not purchasing the Calvin Klein jeans because they were mass produced in a different country or because of the people who produced them. This example relates back to the Frankfurt school theory that â€Å"commodities are hollowed out objects that propagated a loss of identity and erode our sense of history.† (Kaplan 2006, p. 105) Image two is the front cover of a book. It shows chocolate and has been chosen as an example of commodity fetishism. Chocolate is associated with desire and is a form of pleasure in people’s lives. Chocolate is also a popular gift to give loved ones for birthdays and special occasions. Chocolate is a symbol of love and comes in many shapes and forms which can suit a variety of occasions. It isShow MoreRelatedThe Consumer Society Essay3590 Words   |  15 Pages â€Å"People recognise themselves in their commodities; they find their soul in their automobiles, hi-fi sets, split level homes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦social control is anchored in the new needs which the consumer society has produced. (Marcuse,1968:24)To what extent are we controlled by the consumer society we live in? 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The problem for consciousness is not only its displaced relationship with its surroundings but also its displacement from its own mechanisms. Marx, in the famous arguments about the commodity fetishism in the Capital, compares the way in which we take the product of human labour and turn it into a commodity by saying that it has objective value – in and of itself. He extends his argument to religion by illustrating that God is a product of human labour and was brought into meaning the way objectsRead MoreLiberal Pluralism Vs. Modern Society Essay1628 Words   |  7 Pagesengaging with the examples is is necessary to outline the characteristics of the two political economy paradigms. Liberal-Pluralism is relatively optimistic in its perspectives of capitalist society. 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The Death Of Andrea Yates Essay - 1532 Words

A Texas mother named Andrea Yates was freed from prison for the violent murder of her five small children including an infant by reason of insanity. She suffered from severe postpartum psychosis. This form of psychosis can affect mothers after childbirth especially if they already are predisposed to mental illness or depression. During this time a mother can loose her ability to make rational reality based decisions. This is what happened to Andrea Yates and so many other mothers. How can one be accused of a crime when their sanity is in question? Poor mother. If Andrea Yates can be forgiven for her insanity of brutally killing her children, then can t Alison Quets be forgiven for only wanting to love her children? Who is Alison Quets? She is a 49-year-old single woman from Florida. Ms. Quets said she always dreamed of being a mother even as she worked as an engineer. She underwent invitro fertilization and gave birth to twins, a boy and girl. After the birth of her children she st ated she was in a lot of pain from the surgery. Sleep deprived throughout the pregnancy, as well as from handling premature babies alone. As a mother I know how tired you can become from the care of a newborn infant. I couldn t imagine being single with newborn twins. After stating her body began to give out on her, the inability to heal from the surgery, unable to eat, and sleep, she began to consider adoption. In spite of her dream of mothering, she made the decision to give her twins up forShow MoreRelatedAndrea Yates Essay968 Words   |  4 PagesAndrea Yates Arguement Last June in 2001, a 37-year-old lady by the name of Andrea Yates, was arrested for killing her five children. Most people like me would agree that she was sane, and the death penalty would have been the right punishment for Mrs. Andrea Yates. The punishment in the State of Texas for committing two capital crimes is life in jail or the death penalty. Andrea’s lawyer tried to show her innocence by protesting that she was insane at the time of the killingsRead MoreEssay about CJA 314 biological criminal behavior1492 Words   |  6 PagesBiological Criminal Behavior CJA/314 â€Æ' Biological Criminal Behavior Andrea Yates had battled with postpartum depression for years and on June 20, 2001, she drowned all five children in the bathtub of her home. Ultimately the underlining cause of her actions was caused by postpartum psychosis that was triggered by Andrea’s improper use of her medication, failure to adhere to her doctor’s advice after treatment, and her lack of knowledge of coping techniques commonly used by women who sufferRead MoreAndrea Yates Paper1203 Words   |  5 PagesAndrea Yates Paper Linda J. Hernandez PSY 303: Abnormal Psychology Professor Lisa Prince Rutsky August 21, 2011 Andrea Yates Paper In 2001, Andrea Yates drowned her five children in a bathtub in her home. This was very disturbing news. I am a native Houstonian. I was at home that day. The television was on and will never forget the news breaking announcements that broke the story of a homicide in Clear Lake. All the information the reporters had was a mother killed all her childrenRead MoreDid Andrea Yates Have Schizophrenia?878 Words   |  4 PagesDid Andrea Yates have schizophrenia? On July 30, 2001, Andrea was indicted on two counts of capital murder for the deaths of Noah (seven), John (five), and Mary (six months),but not for the deaths of her other two children, Luke (three) and Paul (two). In this paper we will discuss Andrea Yates behaviors, treatments and court case where she was found not guilty by reason of insanity. After Andreas first pregnancy, in 1994, she started experiencing postpartum depression. She experienced hallucinationsRead MoreCase Analysis of Andrea Yates Essay1372 Words   |  6 Pages XXJUN2012 PS208 Case Analysis of Andrea Yates After close review and careful analysis of the case of Andrea Yates and the circumstances which led to the drowning death and murder of her five children, I first would like to state my personal opinion on the conclusion of the case which was the majority consensus at the time of her trial and sentencingRead MoreCase Analysis : Andrea Yates Trial1061 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract On June 20, 2001, Andrea Yates committed one of the evil act in society. She drowned her five children after claiming that a voice told her to do it. Andrea Yates defense attorney enters a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. The conviction in 2001 was overturned on appeal. First Court of Appeals reverses Yates capital murder conviction and remands it to trial court and found her guilty by reason of insanity in 2006. 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Jurors found Andrea guilty and sentenced her to life in prison despite the fact that there was an abundance of evidence to suggest that Andrea was legally insane at the time of the killings. In fact, 63% of the American public wanted her to receive the death penalty ()Read More Postpartum Depression and Crime: The Case of Andrea Yates Essay692 Words   |  3 Pages2006, the New York Times published an article on the findings of the retrial of Andrea Yates and her not guilty due to insanity over the drowning deaths of her five children. (Woman Not Guilty, 2006). The court decided to commit her to a state mental hospital until medical experts decide she is not a threat to herself or anyone else. In 2002, an earlier jury rejected her claims she was psychotic and found her guilty. Yates alleged by murdering her children she actually saved them. (Woman Not GuiltyRead MoreThe Case Study of Andrea Yates Essay893 Words   |  4 Pages Andrea Yates long history of mental illness did impact what she did to her children as well as an outside influence of Michael and Rachel Woroniecki. In 1993 Rusty and Andrea married and a year later they had their first child a son named Noah. They planned on having many children whatever God intended for them. Their five children were all named after figures from the Bible. After Andrea’s first child Noah was born she began to have violent visions and felt that Satan was speaking to her. Andrea

Organisational Behaviour for Humanities and Social Sciences

Question: Discuss about theOrganisational Behaviour for Humanities and Social Sciences. Answer: Susans engagement with law has taught her the basic morality that helped her in returning to the mainstream. Therefore, it is very natural that there will be a huge difference between the perspectives of the other employees and her. To Susan, Jack belongs to the same background as her and urges for a second chance to return to normal life. Just as Henry Clarkston believed her and assisted her to heal the past wounds, she also wanted to help Jack Reed in same way. Therefore, she does not give much importance to Jacks culmination when an employee blamed him for theft. She was relieved finding Jacks innocence. After the second case of theft, the real tension begins when other employees became sure about the thief and wanted Jacks dismissal. Now, as an executive, she employed Jack because she had trust on him but she can neither oppose nor ignore the employees demands (Lord-Kambitsch, 2014). Beside this, the actual records about Jack have been disclosed to the workers. In this situation she is in a dicey position whether she should dismiss Jack or listen to her intuition. The employees of an organisation try to work in a comfortable and secured ambience. At first they had no negative feeling about Jack Reed and made a friendly relationship without any knowledge about his past. Their concerns were aroused when they started suspecting Jack for theft. After they came across his past records they started to feel insecure. It is very natural that they are concerned about their own possessions as well as the security of the workplace environment. Therefore, they demanded Jacks dismissal to the manager (Wood et al., 2016). Susan Harrington is the distribution manager in Clarkston Industries and has been serving her post for almost twenty years. Due to her past experience she recognises the value of ethics, as well as labour. She empathises with Jacks misfortune and provides needed help to Jack for correcting his life (Van Loon, 2016). Susan is an empathetic leader therefore, understands the employees feelings, motives and situation. Jack urgency moves her and leads her to put trust on a convict. On the other hand, the employees demand for security concerns Susan. She is not an autocrat therefore; she cannot act according to her instinct but rethinks before making any decision. Jack had come in a conflict with law few months ago and now he wants a new start. He urges for second chance and wins the hearts of the executive as well as his co-workers. In spite of getting a very low job profile he accepts and tries to do his work attentively. He conceals his past records as that may create problem to start afresh. After few days he was accused of stealing but asserts his innocence to the manager. He is defensive when interrogated and convolutes his answers. Susan fears to lose trust and questioned by the employees for her real intension but as an executive she cannot just judge and fire an employee because of others demand (Wray?Bliss, 2013). Jack might be a pilferer but none has seen him to steal. Therefore, without any clear evidence she cannot fire Jack only depending on rumours. References: Lord-Kambitsch, E. (2014). Introduction to empathy: activation, definition, construct.Think Pieces: A Journal of the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences,1(1), 1-8. Van Loon, R. (2016). The secret of being a leader. Searching the essence. Wood, J. M., Zeffane, R. M., Fromholtz, M., Wiesner, R., Morrison, R., Factor, A., ... Osborn, R. N. (2016).Organisational behaviour: Core concepts and applications. John Wiley Sons Australia, Ltd. Wray?Bliss, E. (2013). A crisis of leadership: towards an anti?sovereign ethics of organisation.Business Ethics: A European Review,22(1), 86-101.