Kelsey Blackman

Previously in Marketing re:Marx, we explored Karl Marx’s concept of commodity fetishism . In particular, we dissected Marx’s formulation of the idea, the nature of its existence, and how the current trend of corporate social responsibility may eventually provide a means to its end. This time, we’re dealing with a whole other topic: Planned obsolescence. Although not an explicitly Marxist concept, planned obsolescence is certainly worthy of discussion in a Marxist light. Not only does it relate to online marketing and the sharing economy, it’s also something that Marx would have probably had a lot to say about – were he grumbling around, scratching his beard in today’s capitalist society.

Most people immediately associate the name ‘Karl Marx’ with socialism, communism and the failed economic policies of the USSR. Although the USSR was founded on Marxist principles, Karl Marx wasn’t just some wacky socialist revolutionary. For those unfamiliar with his work, Marx was a prolific philosopher, economist and social scientist — and it’s tragically narrow-minded to dismiss discussion of his theories simply because they challenge capitalist principles. In fact, exploring capitalistic topics (such as marketing) through a Marxist lens can lead to novel perspectives, new ideas, and a more robust understanding of our capitalist society in general . Because let’s face it: While the treasures of capitalism have proven plentiful, there is always room for improvement.  In the end, improvements come from challenges to the status quo, and exploring historically prominent ideas of sociology and commerce up against competing philosophies is a perfectly valid way to bring such improvements to light.