,*APT] #b 
,! ,COMMODITY AS ,SPECTACLE 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,GUY ,DEBORD 

,TEXT 3 

,*APT] #b3 ,! ,COMMODITY AS ,SPECTACLE 

  
  

0,! COMMODITY CAN BE UND]/OOD 9 ITS UNDI/ORT$ ESS5CE ONLY :5 IT BECOMES ! UNIV]SAL CATEGORY ( SOCIETY AS A :OLE4 ,ONLY 9 ?IS CONTEXT DOES ! REIFICATION PRODUC$ BY COMMODITY RELATIONS ASSUME DECISIVE IMPORTANCE BO? = ! OBJECTIVE EVOLUTION ( SOCIETY & = ! ATTITUDES ?AT PEOPLE ADOPT T[>D IT1 AS IT SUBJUGATES !IR CONSCI\SNESS TO ! =MS 9 :I* ?IS REIFICATION F9DS EXPRESSION444 ,AS LABOR IS 9CREAS+LY RATIONALIZ$ & ME*ANIZ$1 ?IS SUBJUGATION IS RE9=C$ BY ! FACT ?AT PEOPLE'S ACTIVITY BECOMES LESS & LESS ACTIVE & MORE & MORE CONTEMPLATIVE40  
  
  

,LUKACS1 ,HI/ORY & ,CLASS ,CONSCI\SNESS   

#ce 

  

,9 ! SPECTACLE'S BASIC PRACTICE ( 9CORPORAT+ 9TO ITSELF ALL ! FLUID ASPECTS ( HUMAN ACTIVITY SO AS TO POSSESS !M 9 A CONGEAL$ =M1 & ( 9V]T+ LIV+ VALUES 9TO PURELY AB/RACT VALUES1 WE RECOGNIZE \R OLD 5EMY ! COMMODITY1 :I* SEEMS AT FIR/ GLANCE SO TRIVIAL & OBVI\S1 YET :I* IS ACTUALLY SO COMPLEX & FULL ( METAPHYSICAL SUBTLETIES4 

#cf 

  

,! FETI%ISM ( ! COMMODITY -- ! DOM9ATION ( SOCIETY BY 09TANGIBLE AS WELL AS TANGIBLE ?+S0 -- ATTA9S ITS ULTIMATE FULFILLM5T 9 ! SPECTACLE1 :]E ! REAL WORLD IS REPLAC$ BY A SELECTION ( IMAGES :I* >E PROJECT$ ABOVE IT1 YET :I* AT ! SAME TIME SUCCE$ 9 MAK+ !MSELVES REG>D$ AS ! EPITOME ( REALITY4 

#cg 

  

,! WORLD AT ONCE PRES5T & ABS5T ?AT ! SPECTACLE HOLDS UP TO VIEW IS ! WORLD ( ! COMMODITY DOM9AT+ ALL LIV+ EXP]I5CE4 ,! WORLD ( ! COMMODITY IS ?US %[N = :AT IT IS1 BECAUSE ITS DEVELOPM5T IS ID5TICAL TO PEOPLE'S E/RANGEM5T FROM EA* O!R & FROM EV]Y?+ !Y PRODUCE4 

#* 

  

,! LOSS ( QUALITY ?AT IS SO EVID5T AT EV]Y LEVEL ( SPECTACUL> LANGUAGE1 FROM ! OBJECTS IT GLORIFIES TO ! BEHAVIOR IT REGULATES1 /EMS FROM ! BASIC NATURE ( A PRODUCTION SY/EM ?AT %UNS REALITY4 ,! COMMODITY =M R$UCES EV]Y?+ TO QUANTITATIVE EQUIVAL5CE4 ,! QUANTITATIVE IS :AT IT DEVELOPS1 & IT CAN DEVELOP ONLY )9 ! QUANTITATIVE4 

#ci 

  

,DESPITE ! FACT ?AT ?IS DEVELOPM5T EXCLUDES ! QUALITATIVE1 IT IS ITSELF SUBJECT TO QUALITATIVE *ANGE4 ,! SPECTACLE REFLECTS ! FACT ?AT ?IS DEVELOPM5T HAS CROSS$ ! ?RE%OLD ( ITS [N ABUNDANCE4 ,AL?\< ?IS QUALITATIVE *ANGE HAS AS YET TAK5 PLACE ONLY P>TIALLY 9 A FEW LOCAL >EAS1 IT IS ALREADY IMPLICIT AT ! UNIV]SAL LEVEL ?AT WAS ! COMMODITY'S ORIG9AL /&>D -- A /&>D ?AT ! COMMODITY HAS LIV$ UP TO BY TURN+ ! :OLE PLANET 9TO A S+LE WORLD M>KET4 

#d 

  

,! DEVELOPM5T ( PRODUCTIVE =CES IS ! UNCONSCI\S HI/ORY ?AT HAS ACTUALLY CREAT$ & ALT]$ ! LIV+ CONDITIONS ( HUMAN GR\PS -- ! CONDITIONS 5ABL+ !M TO SURVIVE & ! EXPANSION ( ?OSE CONDITIONS4 ,IT HAS BE5 ! ECONOMIC BASIS ( ALL HUMAN UND]TAK+S4 ,)9 NATURAL ECONOMIES1 ! EM]G5CE ( A COMMODITY SECTOR REPRES5T$ A SURPLUS SURVIVAL4 ,COMMODITY PRODUCTION1 :I* IMPLIES ! EX*ANGE ( V>I$ PRODUCTS BETWE5 9DEP5D5T PRODUC]S1 T5D$ = A LONG TIME TO RETA9 ITS SMALL-SCALE CRAFT ASPECTS1 RELEGAT$ AS IT WAS TO A M>G9AL ECONOMIC ROLE :]E ITS QUANTITATIVE REALITY WAS /ILL HIDD54 ,BUT :5EV] IT 5C\NT]$ ! SOCIAL CONDITIONS ( L>GE-SCALE COMM]CE & CAPITAL ACCUMULATION1 IT TOOK TOTAL CONTROL ( ! ECONOMY4 ,! 5TIRE ECONOMY !N BECAME :AT ! COMMODITY HAD ALREADY %[N ITSELF TO BE 9 ! C\RSE ( ?IS CONQUE/3 A PROCESS ( QUANTITATIVE DEVELOPM5T4 ,?IS CON/ANT EXPANSION ( ECONOMIC P[] 9 ! =M ( COMMODITIES TRANS=M$ HUMAN LABOR ITSELF 9TO A COMMODITY1 9TO WAGE LABOR1 & ULTIMATELY PRODUC$ A LEVEL ( ABUNDANCE SUFFICI5T TO SOLVE ! 9ITIAL PROBLEM ( SURVIVAL -- BUT ONLY 9 SU* A WAY ?AT ! SAME PROBLEM IS CONT9UALLY BE+ REG5]AT$ AT A HI<] LEVEL4 ,ECONOMIC GR[? HAS LIB]AT$ SOCIETIES FROM ! NATURAL PRESSURES ?AT =C$ !M 9TO AN IMM$IATE /RUGGLE = SURVIVAL2 BUT !Y HAVE NOT YET BE5 LIB]AT$ FROM !IR LIB]ATOR4 ,! COMMODITY'S 9DEP5D5CE HAS SPREAD TO ! 5TIRE ECONOMY IT N[ DOM9ATES4 ,?IS ECONOMY HAS TRANS=M$ ! WORLD1 BUT IT HAS M]ELY TRANS=M$ IT 9TO A WORLD DOM9AT$ BY ! ECONOMY4 ,! PSEUDONATURE )9 :I* HUMAN LABOR HAS BECOME ALI5AT$ DEM&S ?AT SU* LABOR REMA9 =EV] 9 ITS S]VICE2 & S9CE ?IS DEM& IS =MULAT$ BY & ANSW]ABLE ONLY TO ITSELF1 IT 9 FACT 5DS UP *ANNEL+ ALL SOCIALLY P]MITT$ PROJECTS & 5DEAVORS 9TO ITS [N RE9=CEM5T4 ,! ABUNDANCE ( COMMODITIES -- ?AT IS1 ! ABUNDANCE ( COMMODITY RELATIONS -- AM\NTS TO NO?+ MORE ?AN AN AUGM5T$ SURVIVAL4 

#da 

  

,AS LONG AS ! ECONOMY'S ROLE AS MAT]IAL BASIS ( SOCIAL LIFE WAS NEI!R NOTIC$ NOR UND]/OOD 7REMA9+ UNKN[N PRECISELY BECAUSE IT WAS SO FAMILI>71 ! COMMODITY'S DOM9ION OV] ! ECONOMY WAS EX]T$ 9 A COV]T MANN]4 ,9 SOCIETIES :]E ACTUAL COMMODITIES W]E FEW & F> BETWE51 MONEY WAS ! APP>5T MA/]1 S]V+ AS PL5IPOT5TI>Y REPRES5TATIVE ( ! GREAT] P[] ?AT REMA9$ UNKN[N4 ,) ! ,9DU/RIAL ,REVOLUTION'S MANUFACTURAL DIVISION ( LABOR & MASS PRODUCTION = A GLOBAL M>KET1 ! COMMODITY F9ALLY BECAME FULLY VISIBLE AS A P[] ?AT WAS COLONIZ+ ALL SOCIAL LIFE4 ,IT WAS AT ?AT PO9T ?AT POLITICAL ECONOMY E/ABLI%$ ITSELF AS ! DOM9ANT SCI5CE1 & AS ! SCI5CE ( DOM9ATION4 

#db 

  

,! SPECTACLE IS ! /AGE AT :I* ! COMMODITY HAS SUCCE$$ 9 TOTALLY COLONIZ+ SOCIAL LIFE4 ,COMMODIFICATION IS NOT ONLY VISIBLE1 WE NO LONG] SEE ANY?+ ELSE2 ! WORLD WE SEE IS ! WORLD ( ! COMMODITY4 ,MOD]N ECONOMIC PRODUCTION EXT5DS ITS DICTATOR%IP BO? EXT5SIVELY & 9T5SIVELY4 ,9 ! LESS 9DU/RIALIZ$ REGIONS1 ITS REIGN IS ALREADY MANIFE/$ BY ! PRES5CE ( A FEW /> COMMODITIES & BY ! IMP]IALI/ DOM9ATION IMPOS$ BY ! MORE 9DU/RIALLY ADVANC$ REGIONS4 ,9 ! LATT]1 SOCIAL SPACE IS BLANKET$ ) EV]-NEW LAY]S ( COMMODITIES4 ,) ! 0SECOND 9DU/RIAL REVOLUTION10 ALI5AT$ CONSUMPTION HAS BECOME JU/ AS MU* A DUTY = ! MASSES AS ALI5AT$ PRODUCTION4 ,! SOCIETY'S 5TIRE SOLD LABOR HAS BECOME A TOTAL COMMODITY :OSE CON/ANT TURNOV] MU/ BE MA9TA9$ AT ALL CO/4 ,TO ACCOMPLI% ?IS1 ?IS TOTAL COMMODITY HAS TO BE RETURN$ 9 FRAGM5T$ =M TO FRAGM5T$ 9DIVIDUALS :O >E COMPLETELY CUT (F FROM ! OV]ALL OP]ATION ( ! PRODUCTIVE =CES4 ,TO ?IS 5D ! SPECIALIZ$ SCI5CE ( DOM9ATION IS BROK5 D[N 9TO FUR!R SPECIALTIES SU* AS SOCIOLOGY1 APPLI$ PSY*OLOGY1 CYB]NETICS1 & SEMIOLOGY1 :I* OV]SEE ! SELF-REGULATION ( EV]Y PHASE ( ! PROCESS4 

#dc 

  

,:]EAS DUR+ ! PRIMITIVE /AGE ( CAPITALI/ ACCUMULATION 0POLITICAL ECONOMY CONSID]S ! PROLET>IAN ONLY AS A WORK]10 :O ONLY NE$S TO BE ALLOTT$ ! 9DISP5SABLE M9IMUM = MA9TA9+ HIS LABOR P[]1 & NEV] CONSID]S HIM 09 HIS LEISURE & HUMANITY10 ?IS RUL+-CLASS P]SPECTIVE IS REVIS$ AS SOON AS COMMODITY ABUNDANCE REA*ES A LEVEL ?AT REQUIRES AN ADDITIONAL COLLABORATION FROM HIM4 ,ONCE HIS WORKDAY IS OV]1 ! WORK] IS SUDD5LY R$EEM$ FROM ! TOTAL CONTEMPT T[>D HIM ?AT IS SO CLE>LY IMPLI$ BY EV]Y ASPECT ( ! ORGANIZATION & SURVEILLANCE ( PRODUCTION1 & F9DS HIMSELF SEEM+LY TREAT$ LIKE A GR[NUP1 ) A GREAT %[ ( POLIT5ESS1 9 HIS NEW ROLE AS A CONSUM]4 ,AT ?IS PO9T ! HUMANISM ( ! COMMODITY TAKES *>GE ( ! WORK]'S 0LEISURE & HUMANITY0 SIMPLY BECAUSE POLITICAL ECONOMY N[ CAN & MU/ DOM9ATE ?OSE SPH]ES AS POLITICAL ECONOMY4 ,! 0P]FECT$ D5IAL ( MAN0 HAS ?US TAK5 *>GE ( ALL HUMAN EXI/5CE4 

#dd 

  

,! SPECTACLE IS A P]MAN5T OPIUM W> DESIGN$ TO =CE PEOPLE TO EQUATE GOODS ) COMMODITIES & TO EQUATE SATISFACTION ) A SURVIVAL ?AT EXP&S ACCORD+ TO ITS [N LAWS4 ,CONSUMABLE SURVIVAL MU/ CON/ANTLY EXP& BECAUSE IT NEV] CEASES TO 9CLUDE PRIVATION4 ,IF AUGM5T$ SURVIVAL NEV] COMES TO A RESOLUTION1 IF !RE IS NO PO9T :]E IT MI<T /OP EXP&+1 ?IS IS BECAUSE IT IS ITSELF /UCK 9 ! REALM ( PRIVATION4 ,IT MAY GILD POV]TY1 BUT IT CANNOT TRANSC5D IT4 

#de 

  

,AUTOMATION1 :I* IS BO? ! MO/ ADVANC$ SECTOR ( MOD]N 9DU/RY & ! EPITOME ( ITS PRACTICE1 OBLIGES ! COMMODITY SY/EM TO RESOLVE ! FOLL[+ CONTRADICTION3 ,! TE*NOLOGICAL DEVELOPM5TS ?AT OBJECTIVELY T5D TO ELIM9ATE WORK MU/ AT ! SAME TIME PRES]VE LABOR AS A COMMODITY1 BECAUSE LABOR IS ! ONLY CREATOR ( COMMODITIES4 ,! ONLY WAY TO PREV5T AUTOMATION 7OR ANY O!R LESS EXTREME ME?OD ( 9CREAS+ LABOR PRODUCTIVITY7 FROM R$UC+ SOCIETY'S TOTAL NECESS>Y LABOR TIME IS TO CREATE NEW JOBS4 ,TO ?IS 5D ! RES]VE >MY ( ! UNEMPLOY$ IS 5LI/$ 9TO ! T]TI>Y OR 0S]VICE0 SECTOR1 RE9=C+ ! TROOPS RESPONSIBLE = DI/RIBUT+ & GLORIFY+ ! LATE/ COMMODITIES2 & 9 ?IS IT IS S]V+ A REAL NE$1 9 ! S5SE ?AT 9CREAS+LY EXT5SIVE CAMPAIGNS >E NECESS>Y TO CONV9CE PEOPLE TO BUY 9CREAS+LY UNNECESS>Y COMMODITIES4 

#df 

  

,EX*ANGE VALUE C\LD >ISE ONLY AS A REPRES5TATIVE ( USE VALUE1 BUT ! VICTORY IT EV5TUALLY WON ) ITS [N WEAPONS CREAT$ ! CONDITIONS = ITS [N AUTONOM\S P[]4 ,BY MOBILIZ+ ALL HUMAN USE VALUE & MONOPOLIZ+ ITS FULFILLM5T1 EX*ANGE VALUE ULTIMATELY SUCCE$$ 9 CONTROLL+ USE4 ,USEFULNESS HAS COME TO BE SE5 PURELY 9 T]MS ( EX*ANGE VALUE1 & IS N[ COMPLETELY AT ITS M]CY4 ,/>T+ \T LIKE A CONDOTTI]E 9 ! S]VICE ( USE VALUE1 EX*ANGE VALUE HAS 5D$ UP WAG+ ! W> = ITS [N SAKE4 

#dg 

  

,! CON/ANT DECL9E ( USE VALUE ?AT HAS ALWAYS *>ACT]IZ$ ! CAPITALI/ ECONOMY HAS GIV5 RISE TO A NEW =M ( POV]TY )9 ! REALM ( AUGM5T$ SURVIVAL -- ALONGSIDE ! OLD POV]TY :I* /ILL P]SI/S1 S9CE ! VA/ MAJORITY ( PEOPLE >E /ILL =C$ TO TAKE P>T AS WAGE WORK]S 9 ! UN5D+ PURSUIT ( ! SY/EM'S 5DS & EA* ( !M KN[S ?AT HE MU/ SUBMIT OR DIE4 ,! REALITY ( ?IS BLACKMAIL -- ! FACT ?AT EV5 9 ITS MO/ IMPOV]I%$ =MS 7FOOD1 %ELT]7 USE VALUE N[ HAS NO EXI/5CE \TSIDE ! ILLUSORY RI*ES ( AUGM5T$ SURVIVAL -- ACC\NTS = ! G5]AL ACCEPTANCE ( ! ILLUSIONS ( MOD]N COMMODITY CONSUMPTION4 ,! REAL CONSUM] HAS BECOME A CONSUM] ( ILLUSIONS4 ,! COMMODITY IS ?IS MAT]IALIZ$ ILLUSION1 & ! SPECTACLE IS ITS G5]AL EXPRESSION4 

#dh 

  

,USE VALUE WAS =M]LY UND]/OOD AS AN IMPLICIT ASPECT ( EX*ANGE VALUE4 ,N[1 H[EV]1 )9 ! UPSIDE-D[N WORLD ( ! SPECTACLE1 IT MU/ BE EXPLICITLY PROCLAIM$1 BO? BECAUSE ITS ACTUAL REALITY HAS BE5 ]OD$ BY ! OV]DEVELOP$ COMMODITY ECONOMY & BECAUSE IT S]VES AS A NECESS>Y PSEUDO-JU/IFICATION = A C\NT]FEIT LIFE4 

#di 

  

,! SPECTACLE IS ! FLIP SIDE ( MONEY4 ,IT1 TOO1 IS AN AB/RACT G5]AL EQUIVAL5T ( ALL COMMODITIES4 ,BUT :]EAS MONEY HAS DOM9AT$ SOCIETY AS ! REPRES5TATION ( UNIV]SAL EQUIVAL5CE -- ! EX*ANGEABILITY ( DIFF]5T GOODS :OSE USES REMA9 UNCOMP>ABLE -- ! SPECTACLE IS ! MOD]N COMPLEM5T ( MONEY3 A REPRES5TATION ( ! COMMODITY WORLD AS A :OLE :I* S]VES AS A G5]AL EQUIVAL5T = :AT ! 5TIRE SOCIETY CAN BE & CAN DO4 ,! SPECTACLE IS MONEY ONE CAN ONLY LOOK AT1 BECAUSE 9 IT ALL USE HAS ALREADY BE5 EX*ANG$ = ! TOTALITY ( AB/RACT REPRES5TATION4 ,! SPECTACLE IS NOT JU/ A S]VANT ( PSEUDO-USE1 IT IS ALREADY 9 ITSELF A PSEUDO-USE ( LIFE4 

#e 

  

,) ! A*IEVEM5T ( ECONOMIC ABUNDANCE1 ! CONC5TRAT$ RESULT ( SOCIAL LABOR BECOMES VISIBLE1 SUBJECT+ ALL REALITY TO ! APPE>ANCES ?AT >E N[ ?AT LABOR'S PRIM>Y PRODUCT4 ,CAPITAL IS NO LONG] ! 9VISIBLE C5T] GOV]N+ ! PRODUCTION PROCESS2 AS IT ACCUMULATES1 IT SPREADS TO ! 5DS ( ! E>? 9 ! =M ( TANGIBLE OBJECTS4 ,! 5TIRE EXPANSE ( SOCIETY IS ITS PORTRAIT4 

#ea 

  

,! ECONOMY'S TRIUMPH AS AN 9DEP5D5T P[] AT ! SAME TIME SPELLS ITS [N DOOM1 BECAUSE ! =CES IT HAS UNLEA%$ HAVE ELIM9AT$ ! ECONOMIC NECESSITY ?AT WAS ! UN*ANG+ BASIS ( E>LI] SOCIETIES4 ,REPLAC+ ?AT NECESSITY ) A NECESSITY = B\NDLESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPM5T CAN ONLY MEAN REPLAC+ ! SATISFACTION ( PRIM>Y HUMAN NE$S 7N[ SC>CELY MET7 ) AN 9CESSANT FABRICATION ( PSEUDONE$S1 ALL ( :I* ULTIMATELY COME D[N TO ! S+LE PSEUDONE$ ( MA9TA9+ ! REIGN ( ! AUTONOM\S ECONOMY4 ,BUT ?AT ECONOMY LOSES ALL CONNECTION ) AU!NTIC NE$S 9S(> AS IT EM]GES FROM ! SOCIAL UNCONSCI\S ?AT UNKN[+LY DEP5D$ ON IT4 0,:ATEV] IS CONSCI\S WE>S \T4 ,:AT IS UNCONSCI\S REMA9S UNALT]ABLE4 ,BUT ONCE IT IS FRE$1 IT TOO FALLS TO RU90 7,FREUD74 

#eb 

  

,ONCE SOCIETY DISCOV]S ?AT IT DEP5DS ON ! ECONOMY1 ! ECONOMY 9 FACT DEP5DS ON ! SOCIETY4 ,:5 ! SUBT]RANEAN P[] ( ! ECONOMY GREW TO ! PO9T ( VISIBLE DOM9ATION1 IT LO/ ITS P[]4 ,! ECONOMIC ,ID MU/ BE REPLAC$ BY ! ,I4 ,?IS SUBJECT CAN ONLY >ISE \T ( SOCIETY1 ?AT IS1 \T ( ! /RUGGLE )9 SOCIETY4 ,ITS EXI/5CE DEP5DS ON ! \TCOME ( ! CLASS /RUGGLE ?AT IS BO? PRODUCT & PRODUC] ( ! ECONOMIC F\NDATION ( HI/ORY4 

#ec 

  

,CONSCI\SNESS ( DESIRE & DESIRE = CONSCI\SNESS >E ! SAME PROJECT1 ! PROJECT ?AT 9 ITS NEGATIVE =M SEEKS ! ABOLITION ( CLASSES & ?US ! WORK]S' DIRECT POSSESSION ( EV]Y ASPECT ( !IR ACTIVITY4 ,! OPPOSITE ( ?IS PROJECT IS ! SOCIETY ( ! SPECTACLE1 :]E ! COMMODITY CONTEMPLATES ITSELF 9 A WORLD ( ITS [N MAK+4 

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