Fundamentals of Marx: Alienation
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- čas přidán 10. 07. 2024
- What did Marx mean when he talked about alienation? What does it mean to be alienated and what are humans even alienated from in class society?
In this episode of the Fundamentals of Marx we will briefly deal with what alienation was for Marx and what kind of implications it has for understanding how the world works.
Music by Charles Tristan:
/ charles-tristan
Patreon:
/ themarxistproject
Other Sources (not referenced in the video):
"Alienation" by Sean Sayers, in Brennan, D. M., Kristjanson-Gural, D., Mulder, C. P., & Olsen, E. K. (Eds.). (2017). Routledge Handbook of Marxian Economics. Taylor & Francis.
Althusser, L. (1964). “Marxism and Humanism” in Cahiers de l’I.S.E.A.
It was this concept of alienation that first really led me to Marxism. Was working as a dishwasher at the time and I was depressed and too tired to do anything creative all the time. Had back pain too and almost started smoking to deal with the stress. When I read the concept of alienation in the Manifesto, it spoke to me
@Syphax Atlas ?
@Syphax Atlas hahaha
@@missZoey5387 Communism is a failed ideology tbh
@@achyuththouta6957 no
What is the Marxist analysis of aliens
Comrade Posadas has the best critique of aliens.
How come the more left the left becomes, the stranger and more hippie-idealistic like?
@@The80sWolf_
Left stands for freedom, equality and brotherhood.
It is hoping for a better society that rises from the ashes of previous society.
Obviously far left like anarchists will be idealists.
Far right is idealist too. One big ruler who just can't be corrupt ends all corruption and rules the world judiciously.
Many communists are idealists as well. Especially these groups.
1)Left coms
2)Trotskyists
3) Revisionists
4) Tankies
Only Maoists, juche activists, Hoxhaists etc seem materialist.
@Karl Marx you'd know for the better my good sir.
Left coms and trots believe that communism will happen all over the world at once.
Trots antagonize peasantry and want nationalize everything all at once by force.
Revisionist think by winning elections under Capitalism communism can be achieved or that markets are a decent mode of distribution.
Tankies don't analyse any communist critically.
Marx was right on alienation - true. And less alienation is better. But in a free society at least some alienation will remain - for some, sometimes. When i use a sup a can't stop balancing either. But todays US society seems to be crazy, first it neglects the presence of widespread a. In the US, b. it uses the neglected to become more powerful; people tend to avoid a. at high costs, so they will fight (that's why we actively apply a. on them). But the direction is not their's to see or determine. More reason to fight. And at least some empires died completely exhausted.
Nice breakdown on his chain of thought.
I get the feeling Enlightenment thinkers never actually interacted with animals, because animals don't just work tirelessly to sustain themselves. Pleasure is built into all living things and the natural outcome of pleasure is play, which is speculative in nature. That which is animal cannot be severed from that which is human without humanity's disavowal of its own self-consciousness. Self-consciousness arises through speculative play, as well as planned labour.
I’ve been looking forward to your next upload with so much anticipation! Fantastic video, as always. Keep it up comrades!
Awesome video! You made a great breakdown and I'm looking forward to anything else this channel may create!
This is an amazing video. Thank you so much for citing the place where you got the information as well.
This channel is incredible. Thank you!
Wonderful description, helped me a lot to understand this concept
this was explained really well!! I love this channel
Great video as always, I always look forward to a new upload! Who's the narrator?
A fellow comrade! Thought it would be interesting to change things up a little :)
Thanks, very nicely and easily put comrade
Much better than the other videos on this topic.
Amazing video thanks!
I'd vote for her
Very good explanation
Brilliant exposition
Excellent style and expression
Very good job!
great great great job! thank you :)
What is the music playing in the background? I love it
Good analysis on not having to support humanism but still validating alienation
Just wondering, do you translate videos for Politsturm, the voices sound similar
No, but it would be cool to translate videos like that!
"My first impression was a very strong one," repeated the prince. "When they took me away from Russia, I remember I passed through many German towns and looked out of the windows, but I didn't trouble myself to ask questions about them. This was after a long series of fits. I would always fall into a sort of torpid condition after such a series, losing my memory almost entirely. Even though I wasn't entirely without reason during these times, I lacked the logical power of thought. This would continue for three or four days, and then I would recover myself again. I remember my melancholy was intolerable; I felt inclined to cry, sat and wondered uncomfortably. The consciousness that everything was strange weighed heavily upon me; I could understand that it was all foreign and unfamiliar. I recall waking up from this state for the first time in Basle one evening; the braying of alienation woke me up, alienation in the town market. I saw the alienation and was extremely pleased with it. From that moment on, my mind seemed to clear."
"Alienation? How strange! Yet, it's not so strange. Anyone of us might fall in love with alienation! It happened in mythological times," said Madame Epanchin, casting a wrathful glance at her daughters, who had started to laugh. "Please continue, prince."
"Since that evening, I've had a special fondness for alienations. I began to ask questions about them, as I had never seen one before. I immediately came to the conclusion that this must be one of the most useful animals-strong, willing, patient, and inexpensive. Thanks to this alienation, I started to appreciate the whole country I was traveling through, and my melancholy gradually faded away."
Which book is this from?
I'm not a Marxist but this video really helped me with my Philosophy class, thank you!
same, marxism is super cringe
you tell em ThePyroKing 123
just knowing that nonsensical Marxist theory is being sneaked into Philosophy class gives me chills.
@@neyson220293dikker
@@neyson220293 Oh no! Educating people on different perspectives is intolerable! We can't be open-minded!
So, honest question; how would alienation function in voluntary Mutual Aid orgs? Wherein volunters have full control over what they design. The product is then given to another, sure, but mutual aid is supposed to function where both parties mutually benefit from the action. Is alienation nonexistent in such a place?
2:35 Commodity Fetishism. Very interesting point.
amazing
If there is any essense these days, I feel it must have to do with power. It is natural for humans to wish to understand who has it, what it is and how to get it. To be let go, out of nowhere, from one's work marks an entry into an understanding of power; ergo how people who have it, wield it.
This is that gourmet shit 👌
thank Marx for our great economy - from Vietnam
Thanks for posting this excellent video. Marx believed human being were free though not in conditions of their own making. His central point that you identify is that we humans create and build the social conditions that come to direct our lives. Fromm likens this to someone creating an idol from wood or stone and then bowing down to it and letting it control them. I believe in Capital vol 1 Marx likened this process to the magicians apprentice conjuring of a genie that he finds he can't control but which takes control of the apprentice. I believe that It's the basis for the contemporary refusal of science to view human beings as free with explanations of human activity in terms of neurological determinism, especially in the field of modern psychiatry. As for the question of Marx's view of essence, Marx in his thesis on Feuerbach argues that the the essence of humanity is its social sensual life activity, primarily in the production of it's means of production and reproduction. This according to Fromm is identical to Marx's earlier concept of humanities species being-though other Marxist writers deny this and claim that Marx broke with his earlier view of the 1844 Philosophical Manuscripts.
Is the point to change the world or to change our self
If we define human essence as something beyond desires to survive, most of the extended arguments about alienation still holds. Right? irrespective of what that something is.
As far as I understood you argue that if we had stronger connection to goods, we would find more meaning in life. Can you prove that or do you have any other solution for the alienation problem?
You’d be hard pressed to find a doctor (who is a proletariat by the Marxist definition) who is alienated from their work.
They see the results of the person their hand performed surgery saved. Often they’re also financially stable enough not to have to worry about being forced to work for sustenance, they continue to work cuz they love their job.
But this is providing a service. For a product/good the equivalent example would be artists.
An artist would feel absolutely miserable if they were given a weekly quota of artworks that they had to produce and come Friday evening their boss takes all of their artwork and puts the companies name on it and sells it to god knows whom. That’s the basic idea of alienation.
@@Atilla_the_Fun but you can be your own boss in capitalism. it's all up to you; you don't need to work for anyone
In a fair world, Karl would’ve lived to see all the various attempts at implementing his ideas.
He’d be such a great guest on The View.
I want to know the nationality of the person who voiced this video, I loved the accent and I'm curious. Please if anyone knows
Great how CZcams only hosts these videos for purposes of entrapment.
What will be the change tends to happen with 'Alienation' in post capitalist society?
no change at all... you're always gonna be subject to some kind of hierarchy so you will forever feel alienated... at least in capitalism, you can start your own business, own the means of production and reduce the feeling of alienation by providing people with goods and services that they need and enjoy
Perhaps the Indigenous people of North America, South America, and Australia, as a few examples, might have something to offer to our Capitalist society.
What it is to be human can be imagined and re- learned. We simply need to reconnect with what we already know to be true, and real.
indigenous people used to live in small communities where you would be within walking distance of the chief's home, and would get to talk to him virtually whenever you wished... you can't pretend to make this system work on a country scale because you have no way to talk sense into politicians and they get to do what they want with public funds because there is no objective way for people to make them accountable
Could anyone tell me, how could alienation be overthrown? (In detail)
you can start your own business?
If workers own their means of production and create a society in which everything that is produced is redistributed by need and where nobody is coerced to work a particular job for the purpose of survival, but incentivized to work to fulfill their own passions to the best of their abilities.
3:36
What do you think about Stalin?
Hmm, probably something worth making an entire video about at some point.
Stalin was a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary who was dedicated to the building and protecting of socialism, both domestically and internationally. Some of the painful things that occurred during his leadership are often too falsely reduced to being caused directly by him, when in reality many other figures and leaders were involved. The image of Stalin as the all-powerful (and all-knowing) leader of the USSR is inaccurate .
However, Stalin certainly made a number of mistakes, and some of them cost a lot resources and lives. He should not share that blame alone, but he is not excused from it entirely either.
It's a very complicated question in my opinion.
The Marxist Project Thus, it is worth making an analysis of him. Please make the video.
The Marxist Project true, but without those sacrifices the USSR would never reach such level of development, it would be great if you would make an analysis of him, thanks
@@BekKhamidov We've got a Tankie over here!
@@themarxistproject assuming you bring communism to your country; is there an objective way to make sure you're not gonna be led by Stanlin 2.0?
This makes sense to those who workship mayerila .
nice vid but that music kinda scared me
Man is happy in animal functions and sad in his human functions.(Marx)
a great summary
Excellent video but half of the time the narrator sounds like they’re about to cry
Wouldn't define myself as marxist or even socialist but really loved this video. I hate my job, society and consumerism and feel so alienated from all this sh** around me. Always thought I was the stranger but maybe it's them...
No, it’s you. If you hate your job and you hate society Marxism won’t help you to like it, Marxism will only make you have less of the things you do like.
Happiness comes from within... you have to construct your own life in a way that brings you happiness...if you expect others to provide it for you, you will be gravely disappointed.
@@karlschuch5684 Eh. Marxism brings a better quality of life, inner happiness is genuinely important for your mental help.
@@tankie5724 cool, give me your best example of a country where Marxism brought a good quality of life and inner happiness... thanks
@@karlschuch5684 Well, despite the fact that I never said inner happiness l, I’ll gladly tell you a country that gave a good quality of life for its people. The USSR did until it fell to western aggression, bureaucracy, and a shitty prime minister. I can get you a source if you want.
@@tankie5724 Tankie: …despite the fact that I never said inner happiness…
KS: yeah, actually you did : “Marxism brings a better quality of life, inner happiness is genuinely important for your mental help.”
Tankie: The USSR did until it fell to western aggression…
KS: Oh dear - I know the left thinks the west is evil and freedom is sinful, I disagree... and in fact I can make a good argument that it is authoritarianism that is evil and sinful, for example:
The USSR killed about 40,000,000 of its own citizens under Lenin and Stalin :
Stalin invented the Gulag which served to torture and kill his enemies, he stole the farmland of millions of his citizens for collectivization which resulted in mass famine, the Great Purge arrested, killed and imprisoned 100’s of thousands of his political enemies, his Order# 227 was given to kill his own troops at Stalingrad, his own soldiers who had been taken as prisoners of war were imprisoned or executed upon return to Russia because they were considered traitors to the motherland.
As for Lenin: His Red Terror campaign resulted in more than a million people murdered for political or religious reasons, between 300,000 and 500,000 Cossacks killed.
He also had hundreds of thousands of workers and peasants killed for striking, 240,000 killed in the suppression of the Tambov rebellion, and between 3.9 million and 7.75 million deaths from famines among Russians, Kazakhs and Tatars.
So this is your vision of Marxist utopia?
thank you the marxist project...
Is not the notion of species being, or, more specifically, the presupposition that man ought to fulfill some intangible essence that is essential within himself, characteristic of idealism, which therefore undermines the materialistic paradigm central to Marxist thought?
Interesting point. The idea of alienation has always struck me as more abstract than other Marxist theorizes.
That being said it is something which resonates with me.
they contradict themselves every five seconds.
How come? It is a simple assertion that the essence of being a human is beyond the normalized reality of working hard for basic necessities, which in turn leaves no time for engaging with and developing characteristics that are very intrinsic to humans, for example, creativity. Humans are more than a mere set of knowledge and skills that capitalists use for profit generation and deserve a [better] life beyond that reality. It does not seek to absolutely define what the essence of a human being is, but that certainly doesn't mean that it cannot be thought about. Again, the aim isn't to come up with an absolute definition of human essence but to realise that whatever it may be, there is certainly more to being a human than, as mentioned before, being an asset for the use of capitalists. What's idealistic in that?
china scholars said marx explained humanity in perfect materialism words/definitions... humanity is seen in marx book of knowledge in the material sense... seen... that the world may go round and blurred, humanity exist humanity will materialistically be seen at the crippling of capitalism...
Should marxists give money to the homeless? Just wondering
I would say, rather than give money, find ways to aid them in the longest term possible. Organize advocacy and protection for the homeless and create community power to provide aid for everyone.
@Groucho Marx the channels comment definitely includes volunteering at a shelter or kitchen as advocacy, tho I don't have anything against giving someone money if they're asking
@Groucho Marx yah I agree that giving money to people is good, I said so at the end of my last comment, tho I think your interpretation of the other persons comment is pretty uncharitable, "create community power to provide aid" means kitchens and shelters, building community power is good and giving money to people who are asking for it is good, there is no real disagreement here
My point was not so much that giving money is bad or not preferable, but that a one-time hanfdul of cash isn't much help in the grand scheme of things. Moreover, for many individuals, parting with even a little bit of spare change can be financially difficult. Much of the working population is hardly in any position to be expected to give even a small fraction of their wages away.
That being said, giving money to the homeless, or buying them food for the day is *always* a good thing.
Why waste money giving it to a single person when you could spend like $10 - $20 and cook a bulk dish to feed dozens. Spend another $10 - $20 and you could supply them with some awesome necessities like soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and clean/fresh socks. If you can't spare the money you can ask people to donate, there are always people willing to help.
ah yes my favorite fictional philosopher
just the fact that some people call this philosophy makes me lose hope in humanity
I don't think that alienation makes sense without thinking the human essence. Granted, essence must be interpreted; it is an open concept. The the reason that capitalism is unjust is precisely that it violates important features of our humanity. What Marx identified as human nature must be at least part of the story or his concept of alienation makes little sense.
Personality = essence 🇺🇸
Almost sounds like the 1st Amendment exclusively held the conscience of America together as a whole. And without its constitution, there would be no America or the people.
How is Capitalism more alienating then slavery?
Slaves more often than not produced what they consumed, under capitalism people don’t
Not necessarily more, as both systems make the laborer alienated from their labor-product, as workers are alienated from the products they made through either surplus value (directly) and mental detriments (indirectly) and slaves are alienated the same way
This makes sense to those who worship material
I have to agree with the preceding comment. If the 'point is not to interpret the world but to change it' then you have stop explaining Marxism in terms that are incomprehensible to working people who are the only force capable of changing things. Indeed, you are yourselves guilty of 'alienating' people with such high-flown abstract explanations.
In the modern context, the concept of alienation surely means the powerlessness of working people over the economic and political system. All the main decisions that affect our lives are taken by the wealthy and the powerful elites, a fact that is less and less affected by the vote and so-called elected governments. Nor is this alienation from power solved by public ownership and public services because the public sector model we have is a top-down bureaucratic one. Alienation can only begin to be overcome when all those affected by decisions are able to have decisive power over making them. That is why we need a genuine democratic socialist society based on real participation in all institutions of society.
democracy is stupid... we need to bring back meritocracy
The hat in Harry Potter the first movie. Picks where you belong
boring
This is why Andrew Yang's idea of implementing Human-Centered Capitalism proves that he is a fellow comrade!
what a boring guy Marx was
I disagree with the fact It a nation lie or man is silent for freedom liberty amen 🙏 Christ Jesus
satire or trippin’ balls?
I’m sure you mean well. But this complicated jargonistic gobbledegook does nothing to define alienation for the average joe or joanne who is trying to get some information about Marx in relation to socialism and its possible utility as an alternative system to the Capitalism which, joe and joanne realize, is killing them. Why not have enough respect for the ignorance (that is not a dirty word, it just means lack of knowledge) of the seeking, average man and woman to put out a video that is accessible and usable in imparting knowledge? Almost no one does this, and frankly you educated theoreticians preening your advanced but little-usable esoteric knowledge doesn’t do anything for anybody except maybe make you yourselves feel good. Change.