We’re All Just Commodities In the Modern Economy

A thought occurred to me as I scrolled my Twitter feed, then clicked on the Candy Crush knock-off game I play too much, and then on a YouTube video. While I may feel like a living sentient being with human feelings, in a very real way to the modern economy I am treated first and foremost as a commodity.

This is hardly an original thought. Satires and critiques of consumer culture have permeated the culture for years. (White Noise by Don DeLillo, which I just finished does it deliciously). But the difference between previous iterations of capitalism and today’s iteration is that so much of today’s economy depends on capturing our attention.

Or to put it bluntly, modern economics sees us less as individuals but as economic agents. And the more we pay attention to a certain app or social media, the more we’re maximizing profits for some gigantic corporation. So the key to keeping the profits high is to keep us hooked on our screens.

This not only goes for attention but also how we monetize ourselves as brands. To a certain extent, we all have to do this, especially those in the media world. I wish I could tell you that I’m writing right now out of purely altruistic intentions, that I only write to touch a few readers and get them to really think about who they are.