Work and Consumption in Digital Capitalism: From Commodity Abstraction to 'Eidetisation'

The digital sphere can be studied as one of the most mature materialisations of the process of abstraction that accompanies capitalism. It is also a framework where subjectivity internalises the abstract form of commodities even further. In this sense, the Internet is the home of an abstract nature...

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Main Author: Xavi Cava
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Paderborn University: Media Systems and Media Organisation Research Group 2018-05-01
Series:tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/916
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author Xavi Cava
author_facet Xavi Cava
author_sort Xavi Cava
collection DOAJ
description The digital sphere can be studied as one of the most mature materialisations of the process of abstraction that accompanies capitalism. It is also a framework where subjectivity internalises the abstract form of commodities even further. In this sense, the Internet is the home of an abstract nature that is linked to a particular reification process that characterises post-Fordist production and consumption. This process can be named “eidetisation”. My basic assumption is that the process of reification is being intensified with the digitalisation of the capitalist system. I will begin discussing the concept of reification as a specific form of alienation, stressing that the reification of society changes and intensifies in as much as capitalist production and consumption evolve. Then I will consider the process of abstraction as one of the main elements of reification. Finally, I will try to identify some distinctive traits within the process of “eidetisation”.
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publisher Paderborn University: Media Systems and Media Organisation Research Group
record_format Article
series tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique
spelling doaj-art-1563cb273c494161b4023b4e0efb3be62025-08-20T03:38:55ZengPaderborn University: Media Systems and Media Organisation Research GrouptripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique1726-670X2018-05-0116210.31269/triplec.v16i2.916916Work and Consumption in Digital Capitalism: From Commodity Abstraction to 'Eidetisation'Xavi Cava The digital sphere can be studied as one of the most mature materialisations of the process of abstraction that accompanies capitalism. It is also a framework where subjectivity internalises the abstract form of commodities even further. In this sense, the Internet is the home of an abstract nature that is linked to a particular reification process that characterises post-Fordist production and consumption. This process can be named “eidetisation”. My basic assumption is that the process of reification is being intensified with the digitalisation of the capitalist system. I will begin discussing the concept of reification as a specific form of alienation, stressing that the reification of society changes and intensifies in as much as capitalist production and consumption evolve. Then I will consider the process of abstraction as one of the main elements of reification. Finally, I will try to identify some distinctive traits within the process of “eidetisation”. https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/916Commodityreal abstractiondigital spherereificationeidetisationsubjectivity
spellingShingle Xavi Cava
Work and Consumption in Digital Capitalism: From Commodity Abstraction to 'Eidetisation'
tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique
Commodity
real abstraction
digital sphere
reification
eidetisation
subjectivity
title Work and Consumption in Digital Capitalism: From Commodity Abstraction to 'Eidetisation'
title_full Work and Consumption in Digital Capitalism: From Commodity Abstraction to 'Eidetisation'
title_fullStr Work and Consumption in Digital Capitalism: From Commodity Abstraction to 'Eidetisation'
title_full_unstemmed Work and Consumption in Digital Capitalism: From Commodity Abstraction to 'Eidetisation'
title_short Work and Consumption in Digital Capitalism: From Commodity Abstraction to 'Eidetisation'
title_sort work and consumption in digital capitalism from commodity abstraction to eidetisation
topic Commodity
real abstraction
digital sphere
reification
eidetisation
subjectivity
url https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/916
work_keys_str_mv AT xavicava workandconsumptionindigitalcapitalismfromcommodityabstractiontoeidetisation