Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
The New Discourses Podcast with James Lindsay, Ep. 192
What makes something valuable? How do we determine value? One hypothesis on value is famously forwarded and relied upon by the Marxists. It is called the "Labor Theory of Value," and it insists that labor is what transforms raw materials into something "humanized" and therefore of value. Therefore, in this theory, labor is what makes something valuable. Of course, this theory has not proved to be adequate for economic purposes, which is just another part of why Marxism is an abject failure even as an economic doctrine (aside from everything else). The question, however, remains. In this fun episode of the New Discourses Podcast, host James Lindsay takes a casual stab at a different answer: a problem-solving theory of value. This would be the idea that value is determined in relation to a good, commodity, or service's capacity to solve problems for people, particularly their consumers. Join him on this exploration to think about some things in a new, different way.
Latest from New Discourses Press! The Queering of the American Child: queeringbook.com
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Follow James Lindsay: https://linktr.ee/conceptualjames
© 2026 New Discourses. All rights reserved. #NewDiscourses #JamesLindsay #theory
The New Discourses Podcast with James Lindsay, Ep. 192
What makes something valuable? How do we determine value? One hypothesis on value is famously forwarded and relied upon by the Marxists. It is called the "Labor Theory of Value," and it insists that labor is what transforms raw materials into something "humanized" and therefore of value. Therefore, in this theory, labor is what makes something valuable. Of course, this theory has not proved to be adequate for economic purposes, which is just another part of why Marxism is an abject failure even as an economic doctrine (aside from everything else). The question, however, remains. In this fun episode of the New Discourses Podcast, host James Lindsay takes a casual stab at a different answer: a problem-solving theory of value. This would be the idea that value is determined in relation to a good, commodity, or service's capacity to solve problems for people, particularly their consumers. Join him on this exploration to think about some things in a new, different way.
Latest from New Discourses Press! The Queering of the American Child: queeringbook.com
Support New Discourses: newdiscourses.com/support
Follow New Discourses on other platforms: newdiscourses.com/subscribe
Follow James Lindsay: https://linktr.ee/conceptualjames
© 2026 New Discourses. All rights reserved. #NewDiscourses #JamesLindsay #theory
