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Location: Lecture 7: Economic Organization and Exchange
Discussion: Hxaro
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michh. |
Hxaro
Oct 8 2008, 11:28 PM EDT
I think Lee's confusion regarding Hxaro was pretty understandable given Western ideas of wealth/ wealth accumulation and goods exchange.Hxaro exchange, far from being a mere bartering of goods, is a means of social exchange wherein interaction and the cementing of interpersonal relationships are valued more highly than the goods in circulation. Unlike barter trade, wherein benefits largely accrue to the individual, the benefits of Hxaro are shared among its participants as it also functions as a means of leveling wealth differences as well as maintaining good social relations and alleviating conflict. Lee’s initial lack of understanding stemmed from his inability to comprehend that the value of goods were incidental (though not entirely unimportant) in Hxaro- the value of items often being played down in the process of exchange. Rather than creating material wealth, Hxaro represents a person’s wealth (measured by his number of friends), which waxes or wanes depending on his will to maintain the relationship through exchange.
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Nisa_kosa |
1. RE: Hxaro
Oct 13 2008, 12:15 PM EDT
I feel that we cant entirely blame Lee. Some of us would also have the same difficulty as Lee initially. We have been brought up and taught in a system where the price of one should match with the price of another that we intent to exchange since young. Thus i feel that it has be planted into us that that is how things works and that is what we call "fair". Plus, the place we like in do not allow us to see that when we exchange goods, we are indeed building up and sustaining relationship. The dominant activity that takes place is exchange of goods with equivalent value of money without much interaction. Thus when exposed to Hxaro, it is hard to accept until we realise that it does happen in our life in small bits and pieces.
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jacabx |
2. RE: Hxaro
Oct 14 2008, 3:26 AM EDT
Hxaro is a form of exchanging from the heart where thoughts and relationship counts in the process and not the value of the goods exchanged. However is there such a thing as Hxaro exchange in today context? Due to globalisation, individual markets are opened such that it merges to for a global market and the main form of exchange is paper(money) and good. As generation passes, i feel that Hxaro exchange is vanishing from the world because current generations are exposed to money being the main form of exchange and the main way to get the goods that one wants. And it is rare to see any relationships formed during this exchange as money overpowers relationship building. Therefore i feel that Hxaro exchange has almost vanished from our current context.
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michh. |
3. RE: Hxaro
Oct 15 2008, 11:54 AM EDT
I totally agree! Hxaro-esque exchange which focuses largely on the social rather than the economic is profoundly lacking in society today. I think a lot of it is due to commodity fetishism and how material objects have seemingly replaced social relations. As opposed to hxaro or barter trade which promotes interaction, present forms of exchange allow us to be completely divorced from the production process and hence the people involved. Do you find this valuable? |
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Posted Anonymously |
4. RE: Hxaro
Oct 16 2008, 2:15 PM EDT
I was discussing with my group mates for another module about exchange practices in our society today, and I feel that there is Hxaro-esque exchange practices in our society. An example, would be the exchange of red and green packets for Chinese New Year and Hari Raya respectively. The exchange itself has many unsaid rules, and the exchange is more or less obligatory. It is "compulsory" and only polite to exchange red packets with another family when you meet them during Chinese New Year etc. And the value isn't supposed to matter(ideally of course, but is there a changing trend in that??). It is the exchange of money, but yet, the value itself is not as significant as the act of exchanging red packets itself. Same for christmas presents, valentine's day gifts etc. Of course it is on a different scale altogether, but the exchange does focus on the social relationships that are created, so much more than the economic aspect of it don't you think?
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eeudaimonia |
5. RE: Hxaro (oops. that was me. HAHA.)
Oct 16 2008, 2:16 PM EDT
I was discussing with my group mates for another module about exchange practices in our society today, and I feel that there is Hxaro-esque exchange practices in our society. An example, would be the exchange of red and green packets for Chinese New Year and Hari Raya respectively. The exchange itself has many unsaid rules, and the exchange is more or less obligatory. It is "compulsory" and only polite to exchange red packets with another family when you meet them during Chinese New Year etc. And the value isn't supposed to matter(ideally of course, but is there a changing trend in that??). It is the exchange of money, but yet, the value itself is not as significant as the act of exchanging red packets itself. Same for christmas presents, valentine's day gifts etc. Of course it is on a different scale altogether, but the exchange does focus on the social relationships that are created, so much more than the economic aspect of it don't you think?Do you find this valuable? |
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Nisa_kosa |
6. RE: Hxaro
Oct 17 2008, 9:14 AM EDT
I agree with you, eeudaimonia. I feel that one good example is exchanging of birthday presents among good friends. It is a way to establish a stringer friendship. Even if we have gone separate ways after secondary school or JC etc, good friends usually make a point to meet up when it is ones birthday to exchange gifts and catch up. Then the person who received would usually do the same. The value of the gift may not be the same and this process usually last for more than a year if its among really good friends. Thus maintaining the friendship. So i think it does exist in today society.
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dirtysockpile |
7. RE: Hxaro
Oct 18 2008, 10:58 AM EDT
I think the Exchange tutorial tried to illustrate this point. By first giving us a choice in how many beads to give the other person, i had thoughts like "Is he going to short-change me" or "She has so little beads left, poor thing. Let me give her 2" going through my head. However the tutorial also highlighted the consequences of a person's past exchanges. If she was a miser before the tornado or something, she had to give away her beads to the people she short-changed. Does this link to the Hxaro's basis of trading with people? Though it was supposed to be non-equivalent exchange, i guess the poor recepient can 'get back' at the giver?
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Posted Anonymously |
8. RE: Hxaro
Oct 18 2008, 11:43 AM EDT
yeah i agree, so the entire significance of the exchange was to build up social relationships that would support them in times of crisis, and the lack of social relationships (by being a miser) would surely mean that they'll be left alone and defenceless!
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eeudaimonia |
9. RE: Hxaro (i'm sorry, that was me again! /: )
Oct 18 2008, 11:44 AM EDT
yeah i agree, so the entire significance of the exchange was to build up social relationships that would support them in times of crisis, and the lack of social relationships (by being a miser) would surely mean that they'll be left alone and defenceless!
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Nisa_kosa |
10. RE: Hxaro
Oct 20 2008, 9:12 AM EDT
I feel that the tutorial showed the significance of building up the social relationship during exchange. Somehow i think that sometimes we are so money minded (counting what is actually visible) that we forget that the "invisible" aspect of it. I think that the tutorial activity was an eye opener for me about what actually happens behind some exchange.
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