E SYSTEM OF OBJECTS Jean Baudrillard ‘Translated by James BenedictIntroduction (Gould we clasify the nuran growth oF objects as we doa flora fr fauna, complece with tropical and glial species, siden Inutatons, and varicie threstened by exincsion? Oue urban Glistion is witnes oan everaerelerting prnceson of ge fone of product aplianos snd gages by comparzon wide Which mankind eppesr 1» be + remsiably sable species This PR etof jects nocier when we rect thinkabutit than that oe observed in eels natural species Species which tan has succefllr inventoried. And in the pesod when he bran co do thie syatmaccaly he was aso able wo dia up in the Engel an exhaustive catalogue of che practical and technical objects that suttounded him. Since den, however, that balance Tas en lose: everday objects (ve are not concer herewith Imachines)proievace, needs mull. producion speeds up the Hespan of such objocs~ yer we lack the wncbulary to name then all Hew cin we hope to eleafy » word of objets that hanges before our epee and serve at an alequte sistem of Aesipsion? There are almost ar many citer of das Bs thet are objects theirs: the cox ofthe cbjec is dee of Funcionslicy (ve. the objocts relationship wo is own obi fnction); the gears associated with i (te they rich oF im povershed eraonal or sot is frm is duration the time of ay x which ie appears (more or ls incertae presnes, and Hoe concious oe ot; te mater hat it wasters (obvious inthe ese of coffer inde, les so in those ofa miot ara, ‘4 cat though vey object ransfos something: the degree ofThe Sytem of Obs xclusivenss or sociability aendan apon its ue (si For pate Feil, public orgenesl ue); nd 0 on, Indeed all uch means of categoraton may seam ~ when they are applied wo an ensemble Sch asthe st of obj thas andergoingconnual muation and expansion barely les soning tha the oder ofthe ewer, Of the alphabe, The catalogue of the Manufsciure dAres de Sue Ercane proposes, i 0 suuctues, then at leas sui Sions bu i takes ino account ony objees dened according 0 Funesion: exch objet comesponds t an operation, ofen 2 tiny or hotsolte operation, bur nowhere is any gem of meanings even Touched upon.” Aea much higher evel, he simultane formal, funcional and srucrial ana whic Siepied Giedion er kindof pic harory ofthe technical object note the changes in socal sete acincated wath technic development, but scatey address nich questions at how objects ae experienced, vnhae needs otter than funcional ones they anever what mena Sirverre are ingrwover with and conte ~ their hnctozal Servenre, oF wha cultura, infacutual ot wanscultal item taideppins cr dicey experienc exerdayneas,Thete ae the ‘question we shall be asking here. We shall aoe, there, be Cncetuing cunselves wth objects as define by dee functions ot by the categorie into which chy might be subulvided fr anayic pupases, but instead with the process whereby: people rite to them and with the ayseme oF aman behavior and relationships thar oul sherry, The sy ofthis 'spoken’ system of cjecs = eats, dhe stndy ofthe more or lve consizene item of meanings that objec inate abvaye presupposes plan dnint tom chi ‘spoken! thi a boomin yA eee eee ere ten SE ti come pr Ya Iatrodction 1 more sre sisesred plane, seuetural plane was pipe coral cus. Thi pate oe pal one Mie technologie plane ian abscason: in ordinary be we are ly uneonsccus ofthe techonlogical reality of ebjecs. Yee Absizaction ts profoundly reli what govenns al rail rmaons of our envionment Trieeven~ andl donot mean ny paxil sense the mortconcretespect ofthe ober, Tecnologia! development ie gmonymous wth objective ste Jeoltion, ks da sitst ene what happens ro the abject in technological pects cena! whereaswhac happens inthe oli or sociological spre of needs and practices i "The dscoune of psychology oxsocologycontneall ses o the object a apprehended ata more consent lye, evel ated eo any incvkual or collective dicourse, namely the pose level oF troll Bangge, Ie i staring frm this ig; ftom this constancy ofthe technical model thar We Tointetch an undestanding of what happen e objects by viewe oF Wii being produced and consumed, posesed and personalize. Tnisimpersire, eheelne, ro ge clea pieute fom the outset the monalsy ofthe object a clear picture, tha is oF the ibjecive technalogial eicrre involved. Take, for example, Gilbert Simordon's account ofthe petal engine Tn today’s eagines cach importane pin so doselyasciated id dots by rexiproal exchanges of nergy that teannce Uindego any endl variation whatever.» The form of the lingered, ce mea of which ics wana, orks in combination with ll the other cements of the cyl to Produce 2 paciear senpenicue in the elerodes af the parkng-plogy thi wempesnre in tm afc the chat ites oF the pion ad of the cy a 2 whole ‘Modern engines ate cores, whetess exit ones were abject, Inthe cet vetion, each componeat inevened at fhpesc stage of the oye and was hen supposed te havenThe Sem of Obj farter impact on che othens motor parts were rather Uke ewe, cach doing thet jb withou eer geting aeqainad tlh thei co-workers. --- The zcncl abject may thas be Sid co fue primi oem, an alstat frm a wih ach ‘horse and tral uit eaed aan abst acing © besecup asa closed system ics w function prop. Sacha Stanton presents staf problems of integration dc have to bereohied. The isthe poin st which specie sscares mee which, rave to ech component one nigh el dace meshaniam for insane the oflinder Nea of he intemabcombustion hat engine sare to hrs wih cooling, Fins These were a Be simply an xceacous dament 261 ‘ners addd wo the cylinder and the ender hed far he sole purpose of cooing In mere rece engin, however, these Bins Tee come eo play » mechanical cle ua well by providing 4 ‘bing chat cert iakibiche dstorton of he elnder ead tinder the pesure of es. Now the we finction te 20 Tenge dings unique sracaue har shu evo, one ‘which snot ccimpromie but a concomiancs convergence The ribbed epinder feud may now be mae thinner, which lows fo fisterooliag. The bialenc n suctre here Falls che two formery spare Fancons by means of 4 Spies at theres move stsfctony a bh cases ‘Cangas the twp functions and tancends them... We ‘maya then, har the new rte more concrete an the Gi ad chai represenes + genie advance forthe techie bje for the tse echnological problem isthe need foe convergence of fnsiont within single scr, ne the nea for «compeive betwen caficingrquireren Unicel, this propesion fom atic co concrete meane ahacthe webct will end ona the sae of asym {har iscomprecyinealy onsseneand comple ened? 4, Gir Siondon, Du made cite de ait sles Ca Aabier 1958 9p 3-8 Inertia apayssisinvalabl, bec ic supplies us with he cements coherent sytem that ix never divcly expedenced, never ned a te practical level. Technology pes 3 gous fel objects which functional antagonims are alec salve ino larger sitctuces Every ration om assem Whe beter negated sat, every commutation withinan cuted aytan, every Fintona syhess, press fmergence of 4 miining, an objective pertinence that is dent of the indvdals who are destined to puri ito lon we ae inex atthe eel of language here, ans by ‘with linguistic phenomena, these simple ech ele- i fferent from real objects ~ upon whose inverplay legal evo i Fouad might well be dubbed ted Heme Tis quite poosble to envision a science ofsracural xchsology ig at thi level that would study the organizaon of such ehenes into more complex technica objec, This scence ld be sly spied, howreve, only 19 2 Gimited number of eis angie fom ibotaory research 4 the massive technolo Prvlits of dhe scronsitie, ateonausics, shipbuilding pvehide ox heaw-atachinery induc These are precisely the sess where eiical presures mainize sect con “ints, where te collective aed impesomal narue ofthe product Feduces the effceoffuhion co sinimam. Wheeas eat makers “must continnly explore every conceivable vation in thefermot heir produce, wile meeting a very few basic technological fequtemens (ete cooling, cylinder based engine. ei), alriaft Janufcrres ae oblige to produce concrete technical objects folly on the base of tape fncionalimperives (fey spec, cen, and soon). Here technological development follows an flinose pore couse So, fe an 1 account for the system oF fieyiley objets, « cuca technological analysis ib clearly fnadecuse ‘We say dics of anving at an exhaustive description of Wchuemee and cheir semantic waions thar would ever cheTe Sper of Obj aire world ofr objects bus thie muse inevitably remain just ‘far =adream, lis thetefneempting to del wits ecnemes just 1s lao would aye us dea, as tte aonomers ath the eas TF Wwe mien, then, co cum the souls naive Intelligence tot proper lle by a genuine scudy of azonomy, we akall proceed ss we do in feomeny, by means of problems, and lave the say evens one. Uforanately cis impulse immediacy nurs inc. he Hier experienced pychologcl and sociological reality of ob jects a realty which, over and above objec’ peroepble mater ty, constitutes such a egcane hody- of contin tat the incegey ofthe technological sce i contncaly Being xodied and distdied by at It is tht dirbance, and ehe way the Tavinalsy of objec comes gp wih the iatiorality of ‘eed and the way the conadicton giver Hse to 2 sstem of rennin tae sscks to resol ie ei these dings eat We ae Ginccined with here, nor tecnologia! model, cten if the ‘seal uh ofthese model provides the ground from which four diet experience of objec is continually emerging. ‘Each uf our practical objets rebate to one or move sual ements, bur atthe siete the ate alla perpesl ight fom technical state towards cir secondary meanings, fom the technologie system towards a cultural system. The everday ‘ovitonment temne 0-4 vey gest extent an astra? tem oral thir nullity, jon ae generally lst 28 tei Fusion, and ice the user who fe rsponsibie ar hi needs dicate, for ther cueitence in notional conten, in atom which rot yey econo not very consistent and indeadescalbles the archaic seucture of carly peol engines in tha ie comprises an "sioner of paral Functions that re often ielevane oF ania faite to one another. The caren tend, moreoves, is by no tits co sect thin inconsintency but, aches, © meet succes cede by introducing now objets The wes is cht each cbject 4, The Ree of Plat wane EM. Como (New Var a Lando: (aed Uden Pes 1995 [19], Book Il pp 2889. Inoeduction Adel nthe su of cbjes may be adequate oi own fancon bres spans ewe ven hppen shit a ew oj will Besdequae is fection whic atthe ame Te woking opt Fanermos inucnuch 220 objet formal and echnical enero ie sed toa fncsoalncahernce, Rise whale fem of mech tcalud or uncomcins cll r pi— Fron «wi nec yey dic experienced which fing ecko whe ener eel onder and trees the Bere a ofthe bj el Tr ean cpl she move veal ad wre specs fa afte mi and hence he mone ont baie ings Above arc the cece ota, te Ceci fuasbel by de company, and the le goveming the produaion and Ferwommaton of ney, wat &aledy les jet, becwe Trdepends on spans pro's ce, de mals cul oes fitting fancies what mor sve in he sige. and Fcc tteneo i wheter ki geen ond etnglrorinksnd toi A ng usc he secre oworamaybeembodiok fptvatere pect uncon aston dierensnn us Mies conser day event linge Ghee nclsenc ote complanty als objector ae). fing incon aan cer ray in tn become seit Meet fons bch binge inc threo pesonion Hon of formal conntaons wet the fncwendel als wy Tht che churn of the indi bjs which doin Bisbee fom the caches ain i omer tenes Fenn longo the who of nidul demand and ean- se bor mcend picked op and yeti by the prod: Hin proces hich tay defines ns by reference whats {pendrin he Eh mn pe i hye ey onthe cnet in er heh ct Hts copa ch ch aur ws ces bee and hc Pec ns pri as Gorton of ug sd obo belo aThe Spee of Obes ‘nesentil (nd by reference tothe univers combina tem of fshion* This ineaicable comply hac makes forthe fc cha the conditions under whish 4 eehnoiglal sphere may become tonomens ae esfre dhe possibly ofa srt anais Jade rem of objects, ae nat comparable to the sition vith Trea wo lnguage Apert Rom pute ecical bject. with which mubjec we never eve anything do, we shall se that she 0 few of objective denowaon and of connotation (vier the (Get i eahected, comimercialned and personalized whereby ic ‘Sess usity and caters ito a cultural system) are not under ad's contions of production aad consumption, separable in ‘he wy shat he levels of languge (langue an spec (ol are pani ia ingusies The echnological level simpy does not Tele the src of sruccural atenoasy that would pert as ay shins equialen of speech 25, namely che speaking! object po moe anporcne in an analysis oF objects than speech ats are it th unsinelingssce phenomena. Whereas told rin contast to a oval 7 changes noting so Far a the lingusic system is ‘enostted nother wor the consoted meaning has abvoltely fo eetacve elect on the denoted steaceres~ the connotation ‘fan object may for is pare bring gyeat weight xo bear upon fechaiel ssuctucs and alter them signin, Foc eehoology, tile language doc ot consieae a sable stm. Unlike tmonemes and phones, echnemes are continually evlsing Now, the fcr fat the eechnological system is s0 os impli {heed by season offs ste of peanenc revolution, the very tne of he prota objects tha Speake (much de sane tse fBrlasuage bur io 2 vastly esr degre: he face hts ystems avarice ustery of she word and che sation of pends Simm. tha sco ay. which are more concrete and les aly 6 Te mala of aio om onic nent eh oa Shoiroremnycenn: Tacoma anne Bisel el relapses oo bran Wel anon Fpl Gee Mice nd Seve tel % Irradution Moc om prs dun connie, which the aim of Hepa ys the fica hag depends yon Trance under vbich ceiolagea cach x cared MRS iter on ta bal ris of rofcion and sos Wicca cen hich 90 ey appl hagenge— Mr ee dare jen of eee ne he Doge Mh, Coc be deer nally sits eed the Phe vol of the conta nesion of x aye of Hd ino Simen of chugs Te Shan ox conic Mic snctres bt ahs she we inochi erie at mnr caiy th wy in which chines ae By pate = thc nun era hee In su, the Hecigtay bitte yzem vf ebjee enor be divorced om 3 Tree fat pants pace esky At the echagal Tout jee no conrad tho merely iene, Ba + Hea ice oun be a sien bork af tenon a of ses counters tar inn, How me chat 2 content eigen dcr a an shane prt Ma low te langage ef ces yoken” By wha means Bees ee ue rth em which il women fees langage and speech) oxen the lings system? And Tirly, ht the locaton, noe oF the abst consintency ofthe Gh of objes bat, acer, fis dey eapecenced ona disions 4, On te of hs dnc, rs never: pombe pot cle ay Wenn a afin ond and ee Bay een Jag) oe te oer Ts wha fer tothe fe Fe orem) afte seg tom omalopal fin of Eb of depe Th ere p ofthe vrei in econ af unt a phones Fre lg alee vat nr rel im a aber in Fea (Sar mg dey donot bec penis as Ieee eg he san we ean sf of ec, fuletaska ohich lb babel y eli thin che Se srae al pdfs vnuarstEle peters oy dT Seeks me op te dena il ae caled orl ced