Lyev
31st August 2011, 17:27
So I am writing an essay at the moment for college, and I want to stress that Marx often discussed the "deceptive nature of external appearances under capitalism" (those are the words I use; might sound a little simplistic, but in the context of the essay it's ok).
Anyway, I am looking for perhaps a brief quote that will demonstrate this. Not exactly a specific quote, but I know that this is a recurring theme for Marx and I want to demonstrate it (the way Marx treats ideology, reification, the commodity etc.). I was originally going to cite something from the passage in vol I of Capital that discusses commodity fetishism, but I couldn't find anything decent enough.
Does any know of any easily available quotes that highlight this theme? Perhaps this request is too non-specific, but if anyone has any ideas, that would be great. Also, I was not sure if there was a better place to ask this; it can be moved to non-political or wherever, since I am asking for something related to work at college (not a directly political question). Thanks a lot
EDIT: Upon discussing this pyscho on whether we should move it, I've decided to post a little more context. (I think it should now be in literature & film.) Anyway, I am writing this essay for film studies class. The topic is a discussion of how Jean-Luc Godard applies Brechtian techniques in 3 of his films. This article helps explain (http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC27folder/EpicThCounterCinema.html):
Contemporary radical filmmakers and theorists have constructed a political aesthetic out of their response to the work (plays, films, theoretical and critical writings) of Bertolt Brecht and Jean-Luc Godard. This aesthetic identifies art as a form of ideology whose principal function is to make the capitalist social formation seem natural. The convention of Realism is the main instrument for performing this function. As part of its struggle against the naturalization effect, Marxist art has to oppose Realism. To do so it needs to produce an art that is self-reflexive and foregrounds form. Such an art demands active and critical audiences, not the passive ones demanded by Realism.The way that "Brechtian" techniques hope to challenge the dominant ideology is through distanciation. That is, instead of film or theatre being a kind of escapism for its viewer where they identify and are engrossed by the plot and and characters, they are forced to distance/estrange themselves from the content of the movie/play and so be in a better position to deal with the social issues contained therein. Does that make sense? Now, at the moment, I am trying to discuss how Godard holds a kind of distrust for fiction and illusion in film. I have seen realism equated with "illusionism", and Godard seems to break with realism around about 1968; Weekend is one of the first of his films to directly grapple with this (http://www.filmreference.com/Films-Vi-Wi/Le-Weekend.html). I thought it might be interesting/useful etc. for the essay to also comment briefly on Marx's commentary on the "deceptive nature of external appearances under capitalism" -- I'm fairly sure this is a recurring theme throughout his work -- but I cannot find a quote or source that will nicely back this up. Perhaps my starting point, that little bit I quote from my essay, is too vague and imprecise to begin with. And this question is a bit strange in that it is political (asking for non-specific quote from Marx), but it also is about film because it helps to know a little about the essay topic on Brecht and Godard.
Anyway, I am looking for perhaps a brief quote that will demonstrate this. Not exactly a specific quote, but I know that this is a recurring theme for Marx and I want to demonstrate it (the way Marx treats ideology, reification, the commodity etc.). I was originally going to cite something from the passage in vol I of Capital that discusses commodity fetishism, but I couldn't find anything decent enough.
Does any know of any easily available quotes that highlight this theme? Perhaps this request is too non-specific, but if anyone has any ideas, that would be great. Also, I was not sure if there was a better place to ask this; it can be moved to non-political or wherever, since I am asking for something related to work at college (not a directly political question). Thanks a lot
EDIT: Upon discussing this pyscho on whether we should move it, I've decided to post a little more context. (I think it should now be in literature & film.) Anyway, I am writing this essay for film studies class. The topic is a discussion of how Jean-Luc Godard applies Brechtian techniques in 3 of his films. This article helps explain (http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC27folder/EpicThCounterCinema.html):
Contemporary radical filmmakers and theorists have constructed a political aesthetic out of their response to the work (plays, films, theoretical and critical writings) of Bertolt Brecht and Jean-Luc Godard. This aesthetic identifies art as a form of ideology whose principal function is to make the capitalist social formation seem natural. The convention of Realism is the main instrument for performing this function. As part of its struggle against the naturalization effect, Marxist art has to oppose Realism. To do so it needs to produce an art that is self-reflexive and foregrounds form. Such an art demands active and critical audiences, not the passive ones demanded by Realism.The way that "Brechtian" techniques hope to challenge the dominant ideology is through distanciation. That is, instead of film or theatre being a kind of escapism for its viewer where they identify and are engrossed by the plot and and characters, they are forced to distance/estrange themselves from the content of the movie/play and so be in a better position to deal with the social issues contained therein. Does that make sense? Now, at the moment, I am trying to discuss how Godard holds a kind of distrust for fiction and illusion in film. I have seen realism equated with "illusionism", and Godard seems to break with realism around about 1968; Weekend is one of the first of his films to directly grapple with this (http://www.filmreference.com/Films-Vi-Wi/Le-Weekend.html). I thought it might be interesting/useful etc. for the essay to also comment briefly on Marx's commentary on the "deceptive nature of external appearances under capitalism" -- I'm fairly sure this is a recurring theme throughout his work -- but I cannot find a quote or source that will nicely back this up. Perhaps my starting point, that little bit I quote from my essay, is too vague and imprecise to begin with. And this question is a bit strange in that it is political (asking for non-specific quote from Marx), but it also is about film because it helps to know a little about the essay topic on Brecht and Godard.