theory of value - explain this video please

[Black Sheep]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhDckiAOXcI&feature=response_from_watch

The only way to measure value of labor is to find the common characteristics of every type of value: time & intensity

The value of a commodity is equal to the socially necessary labor time it takes to be produced.

etc

hard to get: is labor intensity an objective characteristic?

[Cult of Reason]

Why does "value" matter? It is nebulous. It is also irrelevant to how post-scarcity societies function, as there would be no exchange or payment.

[punisa]

It's a nice video, the guy did a smooth explanation of the Marx's theory.
As for your question, I'll throw in my personal observations. Yes - intensity is an objective characteristic. BUT it can only be applied to certain, limited, scope of professions.

A coal miner working harder will produce more value - more raw coal.
A web designer working all night on a problem relating to the MYSQL server may not be able to fix the problem - produced no value.

Although example 1 and 2 very working under increased intensity, their output value was not equally increased. Thus the the theory can not be applied universally, to the whole working class.
If it were not for all of these after-Marx professions, I'd say that the theory holds.

The bottom line why I really enjoyed the video is how clearly it explains the sick relationships we have. We rather spend our time with inanimate objects then with living people.

[punisa]

Why does "value" matter? It is nebulous. It is also irrelevant to how post-scarcity societies function, as there would be no exchange or payment.

In a post-scarcity society it would be meaningless, in current situation the actual value mentioned here is to represent the amount of money capitalists are gaining from "thin air", that is - by making profit. Adding an extra amount to the value - making the final products always more expensive then they really are.

On a side note, the value theory is also a great example when you need to explain to a still unaware worker how is he actually being exploited.
Its an easy concept that many understand, especially in the system in which we currently live.

[Black Sheep]

Yes - intensity is an objective characteristic. BUT it can only be applied to certain, limited, scope of professions.
Then it is not objective.FFS.

[Cult of Reason]

Surely more time should be spent explaining how great our proposed system is, rather than pointing out the obvious as regards Capitalism? The population will never go for Communism if they don't know what it is all about or how they will be fed.

[Klepto]

We rather spend our time with inanimate objects then with living people.
If you have a spare hour or two then the short story 'The Machine Stops' by E. M. Forster is worth a read, it predicted this phenomenon. I can't post proper links yet but you can find it at c-wd.net:80/machine/type/html (and elsewhere), you will need to add the 3 'w's to the start of that.

[punisa]

If you have a spare hour or two then the short story 'The Machine Stops' by E. M. Forster is worth a read, it predicted this phenomenon. I can't post proper links yet but you can find it at c-wd.net:80/machine/type/html (and elsewhere), you will need to add the 3 'w's to the start of that.

Thanks comrade, I'll snoop it out :)