▁that ▁value ▁becomes ▁something ▁of ▁a ▁mystery , ▁and ▁that ▁how ▁the ▁att ribution ▁of ▁value ▁really ▁occurs ▁is ▁no ▁longer ▁clear . ▁The ▁three ▁relationships ▁mentioned ▁become ▁mixed ▁up , ▁and ▁are ▁confused ▁with ▁each ▁other , ▁in ▁commercial ▁and ▁economic ▁disc ourse , ▁and ▁it ▁appears ▁that ▁things ▁and ▁assets ▁ac quire ▁an ▁independent ▁power ▁to ▁create ▁value , ▁even ▁although ▁value ▁is ▁a ▁human ▁att ribution . ▁Marx ▁refers ▁to ▁this ▁as ▁comm od ity ▁fet ish ism ▁or ▁thing ification ▁( V erd ing lich ung ▁or ▁re ification ) ▁which ▁cul min ates ▁in ▁what ▁he ▁calls ▁fict it ious ▁capital . ▁Value ▁then ▁seems ▁to ▁appear ▁sp ont ane ously ▁out ▁of ▁trad ing ▁activity . ▁He ▁regards ▁this ▁per ception ▁as ▁an ▁in ev itable ▁effect ▁of ▁commercial ▁practice , ▁since ▁it ▁involves ▁the ▁circumst ance ▁that ▁objects ▁ac quire ▁a ▁value ▁which ▁exists ▁independently ▁of ▁the ▁val uer , ▁a ▁value ▁" set ▁by ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁the ▁market " ▁which ▁individuals ▁normally ▁cannot ▁change ▁and ▁must ▁adjust ▁to . ▁The ▁end ▁result ▁is ▁that ▁value ▁theory ▁is ▁ban ished ▁from ▁econom ics ▁as ▁a ▁useless ▁met aph ys ics , ▁surv iving ▁only ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁assumptions ▁made ▁about ▁price ▁behaviour . ▁Because ▁money - pr ices ▁offer ▁convenient ▁quant ifiable ▁and ▁generally ▁applicable ▁units ▁of ▁economic ▁value , ▁no ▁further ▁inqu iry ▁into ▁value ▁is ▁de emed ▁necessary . ▁ ▁To ▁solve ▁the ▁r iddle ▁of ▁economic ▁value , ▁Marx ▁arg ues