Death by Degrees touched on Jean Baudrillard’s thought about one of Karl Marx’s theories.
He believed that exchange value exists. By definition, exchange value is the
quantitative aspect of value of a commodity. I believe that exchange value of a
commodity exists. Academic institutions are common goods that are valued and
useful. Students pay thousands of dollars for this commodity. In exchange, they
expect the use-value to be equivalent to what they pay for. Karl Marx had a
contrasting belief that only use-value existed. I believe in that idea too. The
use-value describes a good’s qualitative aspects—does it meet the needs of the
consumer? Referring back to academic institutions, they too have a use-value.
The institutions provide many services to their students as well as their
communities. Although Baudrillard did not believe in the idea of use-value, I
digress by restating that use-value does exist if the consumer takes advantage
of what the commodity has to offer.
The article goes on to insist that
higher education in the United States is a system of stratification. It shows
that there is separation among people based on income, race, sex, and in some
cases the intelligence quotient (IQ) of a person. Although an unfortunate
circumstance, it is a reality that some of us seem to abide by. Why do we seem
to abide by it? There’s this concept called Equality
of Opportunity. Taken from Dalton Conley’s, You May Ask Yourself, the idea expresses that although there is
inequality it is accepted because every person should or will start with at
least one equal opportunity. It is a concept that is difficult to digest
considering the history of how this country has had oppressed individuals
lacking opportunities from their suppressors. My thoughts on a system of
stratification is that it exploits the fact that there are only a select few
that can ride their way to the top of the social hierarchy while there are
those who will never meet the ideal requirements of an elitist.
Therefore, I am asked whether or not
I am being forced to have credentials? It is not a direct forcing considering
the fact that this is the path that I chose by my own free will. But I will
conclude by saying that the forcing is indirect because of the expectations set
by those who claim they know what is best for me and for others.
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