Income inequality and alienation leads us to Karl Marx’s philosophy of man. His propositions unfortunately ,especially in the West , have often been misunderstood and misrepresented. Today's disquisition reflects the implications of Marx's philosophy .
Karl Marx was a humanistic existentialist born in 1818 and died in 1883. Briefly, his philosophy of man was actually a protest against man's alienation. He meant that man has lost himself and has been transformed into a thing based on the socioeconomics of the West. Marx was against man being transformed into a thing and the dehumanization and automatization taking place in corporate production. He opposed this highly technological mass production with its emphasis on an abundance of erroneous communication , propaganda and conformity . He believed that socio economic conditions were contrary to developing an authentic and genuine existence. This existentialist was rooted in the humanistic Western tradition and influenced by Spinoza, French and German Enlightenment philosophers and with the writings of Goethe and Hegel. This existentialist movement foreshadowed the humanistic psychology of Fromm , Maslow , May , Allport , Rogers and others . Marx believed that man had the capacity to liberate himself, and realize his potential . With emancipation or self-actualization , justice, equality and universality would flourish, not at all like the totalitarianism , communism in Russia ,China and elsewhere.
Marx's conception of socialism was not related to equality of income nor that people would be well fed, well dressed with many possessions. Also, socialism , in his conception, was that the production of goods and services should not be subordinated to the state, corporations or powerful individuals. The aim of socialism was for man to achieve his potential in order to overcome the alienation that's evolved as a result of the socioeconomic conditions ithat has infected the development of negativity with self, with others -loneliness, suicide, estrangement ,separation, and nature. Man can develop his own powers and become one with the world,
Alienation was found in the Old Testament's story of idolatry. Alienation is the process by which man creates idols by his own hands; bows down , faithfully follows , obeys and worships this thing. In doing so, he associates himself with this thing or object and therefore becomes estranged from himself. This alienation is an experience in which he becomes passive , receptive and becomes separated from self .
In other words, according to Marx ,the process of alienation is expressed in man's work behavior , and in the division of labor. When his work is active, as in the creation of intellectual or artistic forms, man begins to create the powers of himself. However, when his labor becomes alienated that process , behavior or work does not fulfill his being. As a result , man experiences a feeling of misery, resentment, and frustration rather than well-being . And his labor or work becomes physically exhausting or mentally debasing without joy and satisfaction . Marx states "labor exists for the process of production and not the process of production for the laborer." He adds, "consciousness which man has from a species is transformed through alienation so that the species life becomes only a means for him."
Marx was not concerned primarily with the equalization of income, but with the liberation of man from a kind of work which destroys his individuality , transforms him into a thing which makes him into a slave of things. The worker having no part in the direction of the work, being employed as part of the machines he serves, is transformed into a thing and is dependent on capital. Marx referred to this as the "fetishism of commodities." Marx adds, "it cannot be otherwise. In a mode of production in which the laborer exists to satisfy the need of self-expression of existing values, instead of on the contrary, material wealth exists to satisfy the needs of development on the part of the laborer. As in religion man is governed by the products of his own brain, so in capitalistic production he is governed by the products of his own hands." "Machinery is adapted to the weakness of the human being, in order to turn the weak human being into a machine."
Further , production should be under common control. This means that individuals should not be exclusively associated with being in a competitive , dog eat dog atmosphere , being second as in being a loser with its primary aim as profit and loss. Production being under his control means that he is actively participating in the planning and execution of all plans related to that process.
Marxists socialism was about living , actualizing or reaching his potential . His attitude of likes , dislikes should be his main business rather than producing the means for a living. In other words, life aims should not focus on wages to buy things, but to actually evolve, create , live , like and love self and fellow man. Competition can lead to rivalry, destructiveness, hostility , getting ahead, stepping on others and greed for non-useful or irrelevant things. Once again socialism developed by Marx was meant for tman’s fulfillment but was never the fulfillment of life, but only the condition of fulfillment. The goal of life is to be able to create a self for its own end, freedom for producing and being creative. .
In a hazardous environment or with stress , a fear response is activated in the amygdala section of the mammalian or old brain within the limbic system .With fear is the activation of the stress hormones cortisol epinephrine and norepinephrine . These deleterious emotional effects result in significant interference in higher ordered or executive ego functioning cognition in the cerebral cortex in the human or new brain . And cortisol is associated with degenerative diseases of aging , ulcers, myocardial infarction, diabetes, cerebral vascular accidents, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, alcoholism, and obesity. In other words, a warlike or stressful environment does not result in more intelligent thinking and actions , but in primitive emotions , less intelligent thinking and behavior with physiological and psychological disease .
A recent article titled "We're in the Era of the "Top Gun" CEO" in The July 30, 2023 edition of The New York Times supports Marx's definition of alienation in addition to a May 11, 2022 report by Gallup. They stated that many employees are drifting from their organizations - even when they are not actually leaving. Only one in four employees strongly agree they feel connected to their culture and only one in three strongly believe that they belong in their organization. In the New York Times article, CEOs are undergoing combat like training because :1. Work is war 2. Their stress related problems are the competitive market , shareholder pressure and significant employee turnover 3.Typical corporate office environments are riddled with passive aggressiveness that includes shouting, cursing and pacing the floor with lacrosse sticks. These overpaid , passive aggressive Walter Mitty types represent the aggressive exploitative nature of our time. In war, there’s an enemy, friendly fire and civilian deaths. When CEOs are at war , then they should be held accountable for their hostility. It’s not surprising , with alienation and hostility, that there's a high employee turnover in the corporate environment. The current state of the capitalistic system with its shortsightedness and greed contribute to decrease in physiological and psychological health with increased probability of a Doomsday Clock occurrence. And do not forget to review Edwin Starr’s “War” lyrics.
A few words about friends , associates and retirement . Their fields of employment consist of a counselor and teacher in public school ; teaching in a state prison ; state employee with law enforcement; teamster; employee in a corporation. Are these individuals alienated ? That question can be debated. However, there are some common themes that pertain to these individuals : 1. All were concerned about income and the best time to retire. 2. All were looking forward to retirement and were counting the days. 3. All expressed , a form of happiness, when not working or on vacation. 4. All expressed various forms of frustration, disappointment and discouragement regarding interacting with supervisors, fellow workers, or rules and regulations. 5. All received good earnings with benefits.
For me, these last 24 years of retirement have been a blessing and have resulted in well-being . Chasing the mighty dollar was compulsive and stressful behavior . Retirement resulted in freedom, additional options for personal decisions and the ability for furthering the development of physical and mental health. Equine activities were fun, joyous, personal and facilitated important interpersonal relationships irrespective of the competition. Running also has been super , satisfying and enjoyable while pursuing and meeting all the difficult challenges with many friendships .. Reading and writing has become necessary, fulfilling, educational and intellectually satisfying .
There are many problems within income inequality. Many employed individuals appear alienated , lonely and not happy while at work. It’s likely related to wages, health, family, education , skill level , character issues etc.. Capitalism works best for those with the right inheritance , ZIP Code , educational opportunities , intellectual capacity and character in a limited supply and high demand field. Fortunately, too many don't have the right variables and become isolated, left out , resentful and make too many self-defeating victim-like decisions. Marx identified one major socio economic problem that affects physiological and psychological aging along with disease .. Alienation plays a major part and makes significant contributions to our political, personal and economic dysfunction.
PS
A special word of gratitude to T.B. Bottomore for his translation of Marx's Economic And Philosophical Manuscripts.
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