#+title: alienation for Marx [[file:20200611202011-marx.org][Marx]]'s conception of alienation, as defined in his work "[[https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/labour.htm][Estranged Labor]]", is as follows: ** Alienation from productive activity The worker has no say in how their productive activity is used, it is at the mercy of the capitalist. ** Alienation from the product of their productive activity Consider a factory worker. A factory worker produces items each day at work, but they do not have any control over this product. ** Alienation from other human beings By being forced into a labor market, a person is forced into competition instead of cooperation with other human beings, making each person a team of one, creating a "dog eat dog" world, and workers collectively race to the bottom as a result. ** Alienation from potential for creativity and community with other human beings Being forced to work, alienated from one's community every day means that individuals cannot as easily pursue their own interests and goals, and must sacrifice that for the sake of simply having to survive.