Digital Space Reveals Commodification

I observed the Starbucks on Route 40 in Catonsville, to get a better understanding of how we have commodified technology. Although Starbucks is a coffee shop, it functions much like a computer work center. During the roughly 40 minutes I spent observing, almost everyone in the cafe was working on a laptop. I overheard only one or two conversations between customers. I primarily go to Starbucks to take advantage of the free WiFi. As a student who does a lot of work online, it is invaluable to find places to do homework that have consistent access to WiFi.

Commodification is a process by which items lose their specific value and become simple commodities in the eyes of consumers. Nicole Constable talks about this concept in relation to women when she discusses the idea that mail order brides are being “sold” and “bought” by agencies and Western men. Although it is disgusting to think about the commodification of human beings, technology is commodified all the time. Almost everyone in the Starbucks was using multiple devices and switching back and forth. For instance, a woman was using her laptop computer but would pause occasionally to text on her smartphone. Even though they can be expensive, smart phones and laptops are readily accessible to almost everyone. They have ceased to be luxury items and instead are seen as a necessary part of life.