Objectifying

A good example of what objectifying can be seen in the example of gambling. Here the gambler converts actual cash into plastic chips. Thus, an important connection is lost between the chips and their cash value. The gambler tosses money around like it has no meaning because, after all, the money is only plastic chips. The same occurs when using a credit card. Some of the value is lost and a person's impulse to buy overcomes them because the cash value of the purchase is objectified.

In business a business owner objectify's the transaction and tosses their clients around like they have little human value. The customer is no longer a person, as for example, they might be viewed as "a woman," "a crazy person," "a leftist," "gay," "black," "uneducated," and the like. This is all ethically questionable behavior, if not outright discrimination. At the very least it is unprofessional behavior. Here, the businessperson certainly profits with little repercussion to their reputation, but it brings up the question of one's social responsibility. Some business people find it very profitable to be insensitive and abusive. And, they can be very self-righteous people thinking they are moral and ethical people because their objectification is tricking their mind to believe so.