Application Question: Marx

Are you ‘alienated’ from your ‘species being’? As a student, or on a job you have or had

Alienation from one's species being refers to a disassociation from one's human identity. Marx argues that capitalism strips one's sense of purpose and individuality. To put effort into labor and devote life into labor, under a capitalist society, leads to this alienation of species being when a divergence forms between the laborer and labor. Personally, I have experienced this time of alienation from species being as a teenager who worked as McDonalds. Upon entering the job I was excited to have a my first job but I quickly became hostile towards the prospect of going to work or working. I stayed only in order to make money and the product I made had no value to me or significance; I was merely doing labor for labor’s sake. I grew weary and tired very quickly from working and my species being was disassociating from me when I could no longer find any reason, other than money, for continuing to work there. This differs from my time as a student currently. As a student I feel that what I am doing, such as the courses I am taking, are meaningful and building towards, what I believe, is my purpose. Going to my classes does not feel like an estrangement from my identity, but it reinforces it.