Symbolic Exchange Theory And Its Theoretical Value In The Context Of The Experience Economy

The essay is based on the concept of Removal of Subjectivation. The concept is generalized on the important and common characteristic of exchange system in market economy. The characteristic is:economy exchange is not controlled by the exchange subjects’ emotion and is not directed by the value of the subject scope. Accordingly, the essay puts forward the concept of "subject mark" to describe the emotion character of the subjects in gift exchange."Subject mark" refers to the "symbolic value" attached to the medium of exchange, namely the gifts. Subject mark, which is looked as a kind of sign, needs to be observed by the instinct of experience. The same is true of the status code of goods brands, through which the exchangers observe the value of goods.Based on the concept of "subject mark", the essay points out that symbolic exchange refers to the independent exchange, which is conducted equally according to the value of the subjects and takes the medium of the subject mark as the exchange content. The term of symbolic exchange is influentially first used in the books Symbolic Critic of Politic Economics and Symbolic Exchange Theory and Death both written by Jean Baudrillard. However, Jean Baudrillard did not define the term clearly so that the readers could only understand it by reading the whole passage. It is known that Baudrillard used the term in much broader context, for example, the term exchange in anagramme and the death exchange between generations. The concept of "symbolic exchange" in the essay and of Baudrillard is corresponding in deep connotation to a great extent, and the two terms are also distinct different.The comparative study between economy exchange and symbolic exchange is very interesting. It is the unlimited extension of economy exchange that leads to dominant position of much economic value, the malady of homogenization and sense of isolation of modern society. Nevertheless, extension of symbolic exchange can deal with the malady of homogenization. Though the exchange skill is inefficient to economic value, the disadvantage of inefficiency becomes secondary in the material affluent postmodern society. Therefore, it can be imagined that there exists the possibility of return of symbolic exchange orders and coexistence between them and economy exchange orders. The essay explores thoroughly the popular concept of experience economy on account of the view of symbolic exchange. Furthermore, the essay also interprets some meaningful phenomena of "expressive dilemma" and "symbolic subjects" in the internet world.