• Steve
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    8 months ago

    And I think that’s our primary point of disagreement. I don’t care how scarce something is.

    In fact not quite 30min ago, I flushed something unique down the toilet because it was worthless to me. While the toilet I flush it with, is worth quite a lot to me, even though it’s very common and and found everywhere in my country. In fact if it was scarce, even unique, it might be entirely worthless.

    • MotoAsh@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      You can disagree all you want but value is absolutely and always associated with (at least perceived) scarcity.

      • Steve
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        8 months ago

        Only sometimes. Not always. The value of many things comes with commonality. Social media for example would be worthless for only one person.

      • southsamurai@sh.itjust.works
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        8 months ago

        I think this is a matter of terminology.

        You’re talking monetary value/worth only. They’re talking about value and worth in a broader sense.

        • MotoAsh@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          Even there, something gets MORE worth when it’s used again, even to sit on a shelf and look pretty.

          • southsamurai@sh.itjust.works
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            8 months ago

            That, my homie, is a matter of perspective. Things can have value/worth without that as well. It ascribes value a weight based on usage rather than money. Which is fine! Value is relatively relative ;)

            Things can have value/worth without a connection to a human’s perception of that thing. It gets pretty nebulous and woo-woo, but the principle is valid.

            I guess what I’m also saying is that utilitarian thinking isn’t the only way to approach the discussion. But I’m also saying that utilitarian thinking is a valid part of the discussion. But when it comes down to utilitarian versus non utilitarian, it isn’t a discussion, it’s an argument about being right. Which is what the thread turned into towards the end.