Rational exchange presupposes detachment that impulsive minds cannot achieve

Evidence

The notion that every exchange must be preceded by a weighing of losses and gains and at least eventuate in an equilibrating of the two is one of those rationalistic axioms that are so utterly unpsychological. This would require an objectivity regarding one’s own desires which the kinds of psychic constitutions to which we have just alluded do not sustain. The undeveloped or prepossessed mind does not gain enough detachment from the momentary surging of his interest to make a comparison. At the moment he only wants the one thing; giving up something else therefore does not have the effect of being a detraction from the satisfaction he seeks. In other words, it does not count as a price. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 253

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the blasé attitude’s cognitive detachment — Simmel elsewhere, and here, ties valuation to psychological distance, paralleling urban sensory overload analysis. — connects to: Primitive aversion to exchange stems from fear of deception and self-loss. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 262; The exchange sphere masks exploitative production relations and produces the illusion of isolated individuals; Economic value emerges through the distance exchange creates between self and object — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 250 (+2 more)

Related

• Exchange stands as the purest form of human interaction and rationalizes daily life. (similarity 0.83)
• Primitive aversion to exchange stems from fear of deception and self-loss. (similarity 0.82)
• Exchange creates value as genuinely as production does. (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Economic value emerges through the distance exchange creates between self and object #expands (0.55) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 250
• Primitive aversion to exchange stems from fear of deception and self-loss. #qualifies (0.50) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 262
• Blasé attitude results from nerves exhausted by rapid contradictory stimuli #expands (0.45) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 752
• The exchange sphere masks exploitative production relations and produces the illusion of isolated individuals #complicates (0.40)
• Solitary instincts conflict with the gregarious self-interest required for society #exemplifies (0.40) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2471