The System of Objects by Jean Baudrillard

But this oppression is of a new kind it is stronger but more subtle. Man, because his concerns do not involve the political, could easily be manipulated and oppressed in this postmodern society. The technological advances that threaten to overthrow reality contribute to this change of focus. But this paper also argues that despite the radical change of focus-from the modern society’s concern for freedom and political change to the blurred postmodern distinction between real and unreal-there is an underlying political concern that must be addressed by the postmodern man. This fixation on objects has caused us to lose sight of what really matters in life.This paper is about the numbing of man’s critical impulse brought about by consumer society, a society obsessed with speed, and is characterized by a constant consumption of products-of good things turning into goods, of culture with price tags, and of the generation of the unreal to cover up the loss of the real. These objects are simply interchangeable commodities that we use to define our status in society. In his book “The System of Objects,” Jean Baudrillard examines how the proliferation of mass-produced commodities has led to a loss of meaning in our lives. This fixation on objects has caused us to lose sight of what really matters in life.

Our status in society is determined not by our character or our actions, but by the brands that we wear and the cars that we drive. We no longer interact with others as individuals instead, we relate to them through the things that we own. This lack of differentiation is what allows these objects to be bought and sold so easily they are interchangeable commodities.īaudrillard argues that this commodification of objects has led to a commodification of human relationships as well. In contrast, mass-produced objects are exactly alike there is no differences between one instance of the object and another. For example, a sword might be passed down from generation to generation as a family heirloom. He observes that prior to the Industrial Revolution, most objects were handmade and unique they served a specific purpose and were imbued with symbolic value. This commodity fetishism, as Marx called it, is at the root of much of the alienation and anonymous social interactions that characterize modern life.īaudrillard begins by examining the history of objects. These objects no longer serve any real purpose other than to be bought and sold they are simply commodities that we exchange with one another. In particular, Baudrillard argues that the proliferation of mass-produced objects has led to a loss of meaning in our lives. In his book “The System of Objects,” French philosopher and sociologist Jean Baudrillard explores the concept of consumerism and how it has changed our perception of objects.

The System of Objects by Jean Baudrillard