Commodification

The word commodification brings to mind a number of connotations related to buying and selling of goods, products, and services. It seems that an entrepreneur with the right angle could create a commodity out of almost anything. Even human potential has become a product to be bought and sold. Along the way, the commodities sometimes lose value, and I would argue, often lose meaning.

Under normal circumstances, I would not immediately associate commodification with the educational system. Though, in light of our recent class discussions and readings, I’m beginning to see a larger picture develop. Not only are the commercial allegiances (even the taste buds!) of our children being surreptitiously bought and sold in schools, the business world is carefully integrating itself even into the administrative systems of education. On the surface, this may not seem like a dangerous shift, but its effect on the underlying educational values could be a concern.