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Karl marx theory of social structure
Outline and discuss Marx’s theory of alienation
Outline marxs theory of alienation
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Alienation can be described as a condition where a person becomes foreign to the world it lives in, or not feeling a part of a group or society (isolation). However, alienation can also be understood as a condition when the mind is isolated from its surroundings. According to Marx, alienation is “the process whereby the worker is made to feel foreign to the products of his/her own labor” (Marx), in other words; the lack of identity with the products of their labor and a sense of being controlled. Marx describes four types of alienation; alienation from the product of labor, alienation from the act of producing itself, alienation from his or her "essence as a species", and alienation of the worker from other workers.
The theme of alienation has been depicted by two different characters in a resembling series of events. The two protagonists were alienated by their peers, inflicting negative consequences they must undergo. Both characters are finally pushed to alienating themselves rather than being alienated. In conclusion, the struggles both characters undergo are practically identical to one another. They have experienced alienation in such similar ways that you must ask yourself: are all those who suffer from alienation alike in more ways than one?
Feeling alone or isolated is not only a common theme is all kinds of literature, but something that many people face in life. Alienation is the perception of estrangement or dissatisfaction with one’s life. This means you feel like you don’t fit or connect, whether it’s from society, family, or a physical object. These feelings can be due to a lack of deep connections, not believing the same ideals as your society, and many other things. In Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, he discusses a man who goes against governmental rule and reads. EA Robinson portrays a man everyone inspires to be, but in the end he isn’t happy and kills himself. Lastly, WH Auden accounts of an “unknown citizen” who also has a picture perfect life, but in the end
Alienation in All Quiet on the Western Front According to the Webster's New World College Dictionary, alienation is 1. Separation, aversion, aberration. 2. Estrangement or detachment. 3.
Alienation is feelings of powerlessness, meaninglessness, and social isolation associated with certain social relationships. For example, in the grocery store, which were owned by white people. The white cashier refused to touch the black peoples’ hands. When handing them their brought items, he would let it hit the counter instead of handing it to them. The same thing occurred when the cashier went to hand them their change. The white cashier treated the black customers as meaningless and powerless. But, Dr. Vernon Johns said that the black people in their community are not business oriented therefore, they have no choice but to shop at the white businesses. Black people need to own more business which would lead to power and meaning for black
Alienation is important because it is the result of capitalism. In capitalist society the capitalist class benefits most; for an example; those who own and control the means of production receive a disproportionate share of wealth, power, privileges and status. In the movie, everything is owned by the Lord Bussines and he is the one who controls all the coffee shops, stocks, media, surveillance cameras, etc. The president is making a profit from every business while the citizens work hard to and follow the President's instructions. The film deals directly with the idea of Marx's theory of Alienation, the people living in this society are given instructions and are expected to follow those only excluding any room for independent thought and creativity. The movie shows that the citizens are expected to only make decisions and do things based on leadership expectations, and never to do anything by their own choice or imagination. For an example, in the movie when Emmet leaves the city he says “what am I supposed to do without any instruction”. His whole life he was taught to follow the instructions but when he had nothing to follow he was lost and confused. Because he had no instructions to follow he was able to show his creativity in unique ways. When Emmet finds out that he is not the “Special one” that no one is he
Camus and Daoud use similar words to describe alienation. One example was when both Meursault and Hauraun were imprisoned and lost their sense of romantic love. Both of them missed their partner’s presence as well as physically touching them. They wanted companionship but could not have it because they were imprisoned and isolated from the world. In The Meursault Investigation, Harun describes the following about his alienation to love:
...ory of alienation are of course present in the film Norma Mae. The characters in the film are shown to be working in a loud, fast paced environment, performing repetitive tasks in a factory. The tasks they perform are for the creation of factory products, which does not belong to them. The film also displays alienation between co-workers, when the main character is briefly promoted to a supervisory position, causing her to be alienated from her friends in the factory. Characters are also frequently shown to shout with each other in the factory due to the noise, with one character at one point even suffering from deafness. The final component of alienation is displayed with the characters feeling alienated from their own potential. They are shown to work in a very low quality environment for minimum wage, and the management shows very little regard for its workers.
The first type of alienation is from “product of labor”. This is where the worker is separated from their work. This is basically saying that the work that the worker is creating does not necessarily show their creativity. Marx wrote:
individuals, society, or work. Some sociologists believe that alienation is inevitably produced not by the individual but by the shallowness and the lack of individuality in modern society. The concept of alienation has been held to account for behaviour patterns. as diverse as motiveless violence and total immobility. Alienation is a state in which the creations of humanity appear to humans as alien objects.
...(rather than local) being. (13) Thus, although alienation provides an understanding of the problems of capitalism, it does not provide a means of escaping it.
Since the long history of industrial revolution, there were several new and innovative approaches emerged in capitalist society, especially scientific management. In the 1900s, at first, Marx’s theory of alienation was critically developed by Hegel's philosophy. Taylorism and Marx’s theory of alienation had collisions of thoughts as they stand for different opinions about social system and social status. Taylor’s managements were rooted in the capitalism while Marx was a strong supporter of socialism. There are some debates over the Taylor’s scientific management and Marx’s theory of alienation, for instance, the relationship between them, the effects and the criticisms.
Marx’s theory of alienation describes the separation of things that naturally belong together. For Marx, alienation is experienced in four forms. These include alienation from ones self, alienation from the work process, alienation from the product and alienation from other people. Workers are alienated from themselves because they are forced to sell their labor for a wage. Workers are alienated from the process because they don’t own the means of production. Workers are alienated from the product because the product of labor belongs to the capitalists. Workers do not own what they produce. Workers are alienated from other people because in a capitalist economy workers see each other as competition for jobs. Thus for Marx, labor is simply a means to an end.
THE TERM "alienation" in normal usage refers to a feeling of separateness, of being alone and apart from others. For Marx, alienation was not a feeling or a mental condition, but an economic and social condition of class society--in particular, capitalist society.
...nvironment. Ultimately, humans are creative, hardworking and productive beings. As we spend the majority of our day at work, we want it to be rewarding and fulfilling. In this theory of alienation, being a worker comes first and being a person comes second. Alienation makes people spend their lives working on things they hardly care about while they make money for someone else as they sacrifice their own interests and goals. Capitalism turns workers into machines and alienates them from their full potential. Workers are not content as they are unable to determine their own paths as they are at the mercy of their employers. Alienation produces boredom, stress, unhappiness, misery and low productivity.
Karl Marx was one of the greatest social thinkers during his time. His theories regarding society and its structure, as well as the various ins and outs of the society were revolutionary at the time of their conception. As a great social thinker, Marx was able to contribute invaluable insight on the present form of society and was even able to somehow predict the potential future outcomes. His theories became the stepping stones towards the future discovery of various other theories which we use today in order to further understand our society. Out of all the contributions of Marx to the social sciences, the concept which he is most well known today is for is the concept of alienation.