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Abstract

We call the processes that increase the value of objects “enrichment.” Any object can be enriched, and the enrichment can be physical or cultural – through the use of a narrative device that highlights certain qualities of the object. The price of “standard objects” generated by mass production decline over time, while the price of “enriched objects” tends to increase over time. We analyze the specific way of generating a profit in this kind of economy by using the distinction introduced by Fernand Braudel in his history of capitalism, between surplus value based on work and surplus value based on trade. This distinction capitalizes on the displacement of commodities or consumers between places or between classifications.