Karl Marx believed that work, at its best, is what makes us human. It allows us to live, be creative and flourish. But under capitalism he saw workers alienated from each other and the product of their labour.
Unfortunately we are all products of capitalism. So by it's vey nature it will leave us feeling alienated.
The system that capitalism props up wants us to be deatomised and detached from each other, and this atomization will unfortunately continue as long as society exists.
Overcoming alienation is a perpetual task for individuals.
In other words dealianation is a continuous and interminable process. Rational freedom is the best hope we can have for humanity for overcoming various forms of alienation. I am reminded of the old maxim, the truth shall set you free.
We are all cogs in a big machine designed to harness us to the system that keeps the wealthy on top. We can resist this alienation by creating projects for ourselves which produce real interactions outside of the rules and relationships that social reproduction demands. In doing this we can find new affinities and new prospects for destroying the existing order.
I remain at the end of the day an optimist.
Oh happy St Dwynwens's day, by the way, the Welsh Patron Saint of Lovers.
Narrated by Gillian Anderson ; Scripted by Nigel Warbuton
From the BBC Radio 4 series about life's big questions - A history of ideas.
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