After rereading Marx’s article “A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy,” I started making some technological comparisons to today’s world; rather, I saw some connections to a largely used obsession. I may have read this article entirely wrong, but either way, it seems to fit within the descriptions given. “In the social production of their existence, men inevitably enter into definite relations, which are independent of their will, namely relations of production appropriate to a given stage in the development of their material forces of production” (73). In today’s society, a major element of our “social production” is facebook or other social networking sites. On these sites, we enter into various “definite relations,” and if we are to break these relations, it will greatly affect our social standing. By that I mean, if we were to delete a bunch of our “friends” on facebook, they will probably get a bit pissed (if they even realize). In addition, if I were to ignore my e-mail all of next week, I would create some problems for myself. This is partly because our society today relies so heavily on technology, but also because technological interfaces (facebook, email, etc) have replaced face-to-face and even voice (telephone) conversation. If I ignore e-mails, or just refuse to check them, people will be insulted. It is expected that I be very attentive to my e-mail. Part of this passage particularly caught my attention, “which are independent of their will.” It’s interesting that Marx made this statement because sometimes I feel chained to technology of sorts but especially facebook and e-mail. Networking online is essential in becoming who we are today. Whether it is facebook, email, aim, or texting, such networking and socializing is crucial to “the experience” of today’s youth/teens. Arguably, these relationships and the method in which they are carried out form who we are. “The totality of these relations of production constitutes the economic structure of society, the real foundations, on which arises a legal and political superstructure and to which correspond definite forms of social consciousness” (73). These social relationships (that all have some purpose or end which we strive for) compose/construct society as it stands today.
“It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but their social existence that determines their consciousness” (74). If you ever take the time to peruse facebook you will see how true this statement is. Rather than our profiles being a reflection of who we are, we use them to construct our identity. What information we place online, it is believed, becomes us. In an age where youth are going through some testy teenage angst, internet personalities is the best form of expression. Within thirty minutes, a person’s identity can be changed. Have you ever found yourself thinking about yourself in regard to what your “status” might be on facebook? Perhaps you feel that every change you make on your profile, be it your status, profile pictures, or information, will be noticed by ALL of your friends. Facebook gives us consciousness in the sense that it makes us feel like the entire world revolves around us. Furthermore, there is this illusion that we are in control, and more importantly that we matter. Facebook also validates your every whim. Want to feel like a social butterfly? Check your wall…no comments? Write on someone else’s wall (write something that warrants a response, such as a compliment). Surely, within minutes, you’ll have a response. Want to play a board game? No one around? Hit up one of the applications like scrabble. Feeling shitty? Check your horoscope. Want to feel beautiful? Browse through your pictures and the comments people have left you…or even better, browse through everyone else’s arguably ugly ones…that’ll do the trick. You can also leave someone a comment on one of their pictures, and then they will surely respond to you. Hungry? Play food frenzy and save some cash. Horny? Message that hook up from last weekend…flirt with a hottie who you met yesterday (she just accepted your friend request…obviously she likes you…I mean you’re the best of friends now right?)You’re the best of friends…because you went one second from seeing just her picture (hoping you remembered the right name when you friend requested her) to now knowing various pieces of information ranging from what high school she attended to what her favorite musician is. Such information…once upon a time…was what you figured out when you really invested time in people…invested time to get to know them. Our generation is quite a lazy one. Prime example: not only do we have cell phones (rather than rotary or land lines) we have voice dial. Rather than spending time to get to know the intricate details of someone’s life…you have your work cut out for you. Memorize their profile…and hope it was real…better yet…hope that they’re really who they claim to be in that profile.
“At a certain stage of development, the material productive forces of society come into conflict with the existing relations of production” (74). I wonder if this will actually be the case in the near future as we finish college. Will such social networking sites have less of an impact? Will we “grow out” of the facebook stage and resort to more meaningful social interactions? Personally, when I got sick of myspace, I moved onto facebook. “No social order is ever destroyed before all the productive forces for which it is sufficient have been developed, and new superior relations of production never replace older ones before the material conditions for their existence have matured within the framework of the old society” (74). So facebook replaced Friendster and myspace, and arguably facebook is constantly revamping the interface and its capabilities. (Or rather its creators and moderators are constantly changing things around). Nothing is obsolete until it has sufficed to the utmost its capabilities/influence. Nothing is “razed to the ground” until something newer and better can take its place. What will be the facebook equivalent in years to come? It seems, at least where fashion is concerned, that we are resorting to a modernized version of vintage clothing from years past. Will we, as a society, revert to old forms of socialization and communication?
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