Alienation

Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Bill came at 8:30am to install a new storm door and he wasn’t finished until after 2pm. Watched “Malcolm in the Middle” – it was the series finale in which Malcolm and Reese graduate from high school. I remember the exact time I watched the original airing of the episode, it was May 14th, 2006. How do I remember? It was the day after I graduated from college (5-13-06). I watched that original airing with mom and I was on top of the world at the time. I thought I could do anything and the future looked bright. There was a time when I didn’t think I could get through college so when I graduated, with a 3.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale, and was only 24 at the time, the world was mine to conquer. I was so naïve at the time. Now 2 years later, I’ve quit 3 good paying jobs, been unemployed 3 times, and most importantly, I’ve lost my mother. Life has been one steady decline since graduation.

Children, don't do what I have done, I couldn't walk and I tried to run, So I, I just got to tell you, Goodbye, goodbye, Mama don't go, Daddy come home, Mama don't goooooo, Daddy come home.

Went to Springfield and got both of my prescriptions today, for $10 total so that is really good. Also went to Barnes and Nobles and I wasn’t sure what I was looking for but I found exactly what I wanted! I bought “Existentialism for Dummies.” I haven’t had a chance to read any of it yet but I’m looking forward to it! While I don’t think anyone should subscribe to one single philosophy, religion, or political ideology, because no single school of thought has all the answers, Existentialism correctly reflects my worldview. Finished the night by watching a special 90 minute “Primetime Live” on UFO’s – seeing is believing. I don’t believe aliens are visiting earth but I still enjoy UFO shows.

Today was one of those days that I looked in the mirror and realized I look “sickly thin.”

I mentioned yesterday how I feel alienated from society and other people. Marx placed the blame of this alienation on capitalism. I do think it is a symptom of capitalism but there are other factors too. First, I need to take some of the blame on an individual level. I could go out more, join clubs, socialize, and try to meet new people but since I don’t, I will take my share of the blame. Second, I think modern society is a factor. We’re so busy with out lives and priorities that people do not socialize anymore. How many people know their neighbors? Modern society has become so technological it is alienating as well. How do we communicate? Through the email and internet postings, face-to-face contact is disappearing. As the world becomes more global and interconnected, we can communicate with people half way around the world but we lose touch with our closest friends and family. Also, quality time with family usually means spending time watching tv together. I’m as guilty of this as anyone else. Finally, Marx said labor is central to our identity and well-being because it is our own creation and it is how we project our identity. However, under capitalism, the worker only works to survive since he doesn’t own what he produces. This alienates the worker from his labor, which is essential for happiness, so it alienates us from our humanity. We are deprived of the products we create with our own labor. I think Marx has hit on something accurately here. As humans, we need to have some creativity and a way to express ourselves for happiness (recognition as Hegel would put it?) but most of us do not obtain any creativity from our jobs. There are some jobs that seem to fulfill the human need for creativity and one of those is psychologist and psychiatrist. Also, creative jobs such as artists, writers, and musicians seem to fulfill human needs well. I would also include jobs in which your labor actually involves helping people and making the world a better place (psychology, doctors, care givers, etc). Unfortunately, it seems to me that each day world becomes a lonelier place and I think alienation will continue and get worse.