Stoller: When I see prejudicial comments like that, I do not read the rest of the post.Stuart: Especially when you have no legitimate reply. Your labor theory of value has holes wide enough to drive a Mac truck through making it pretty tough to complete this thread.
No, I just wanted to impress upon you that you are a pretty unpleasant debating partner...
AND I had more interesting conversations with other people other than go over this one AGAIN AND AGAIN...
Your points:
: Newport Beach is on the beach. The desire to live on the beach enhances the property value for aesthetic reasons regardless of how much developement occurs in Hemet, CA.
As Marx pointed out in Capital volume 2, land is 'judged' by its use-value. Obviously beach front property has use-value---as scenic, relaxing property. It is also RARE. This rarity adds to the value because rarity adds to the labor cost of FINDING it.
Which brings us to...
Stuart:...a rookie card of Mickey Mantle?
How much time would it require to FIND one, and I don't mean in a catalog or a fair---someone ELSE has found it there. I mean: how much labor-time would it take for you to set out and uncover one (without a 'collector's price-tag' ALREADY hanging from it)?
: So a Ferrari at $150,000 has 150 times more labor in it than a Nissan?
AND parts, don't forget parts (which represent PAST labor).
: Would you pay more for a brain surgeon who was acclaimed as a talented practitioner of his art vs. one perceived as merley average? I would. Lots more!
And in order to DECIDE whether or not this brain surgeon was 'talented' or 'merely average,' you most likely would look to WHAT UNIVERSITY and WHAT hospital he / she was trained at / affiliated with. And THOSE determinations require labor-power within the university, within the hospital...
Or you could simply contract both surgeons to operate on your brain and THEN compare their work...
: Isn't this labor theory just another way of marginalizing talent and placing artificial constraints on progress of those who might benefit from the naturally occurring differences that occur in our species?
: Isn't your 'subjective theory of value' (i.e. people pay for their desires) a FAR MORE artificial method of judging value?
I mean, what if you were retarded and paid $100 for a candy-bar. Would that REALLY make that candy-bar 'worth' $100?
Stuart...high fashion?
Stoller:...Consider the LABOR going into advertising.
: I wonder if Levi Strauss advertises more than Armani. I think so.
Not so fast. Does Levi put on a lot of fancy fashion shows around the world at the most expensive venues?
: Are Beanie Babies really that much more labor intensive to manufacture than G.I. Joes?
Again, rarity and the cost of FINDING rare articles.
: So why should my labor, transformed into the means of production in my business, be given to my employees?
You're hopeless.
Do not 'your' employees do WORK for 'your' business? Have they not added value to 'your' business over the years?
: Do I not own my labor after I hire employees?
What about THEIR labor? You also own THEIR labor!
And that's human alienation.
