The System of Objects

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The System of Objects is a theoretical exploration from 1968 that encapsulates the vibrant ideas of its time. Utilizing Freudian and Saussurean frameworks within a Marxist lens, it critiques the role of commodities in consumer society. Baudrillard categorizes everyday objects of the "new technical order" into functional, nonfunctional, and metafunctional types. He distinguishes between "modern" and "traditional" functional items, applying a semiological analysis to home furnishings and interior design. His examination of nonfunctional or "marginal" objects highlights antiques and the psychology of collecting, while the metafunctional category encompasses the useless, aberrant, and "schizofunctional." Additionally, Baudrillard delves into the effects of credit and advertising on the commodification of daily life. This work showcases the early Baudrillard's materialist semiotics and reflects a confluence of contemporary ideas, drawing from thinkers like Bataille, Mauss, Reisman, Ellul, Barthes, Lefebvre, and Debord. The System of Objects stands as a significant intellectual contribution, engaging with the complexities of consumer culture and the social dynamics of objects.