By definition it means:
The state or experience of being isolated from a group or an activity to which one should belong, or in which one should be involved.
Loss or lack of sympathy or estrangement.
In Marxist theory a condition of workers in a capitalist economy, resulting from a lack of identity with the products of their labor and a sense of being controlled or exploited.
Photo by Sasha Freemind on Unsplash
Starting at the top I have been isolated from groups and activities all my life. I am partially to blame for that. I am an introvert after all and as an introvert, I shy away from group settings. Now I’m an introvert when I was in school, I was downright shy. Back then it would have been nice to have been included in sports teams and clubs. Things may have turned out differently had I tried to be included and break out of my shell earlier, because I was so shy and didn’t reach out, others were apprehensive about inviting me in. It’s a vicious cycle that only I could have broken. I don’t blame anyone else for it. After I graduated, I grew out of shyness but was and still am an introvert.
I can interject in conversations now and communicate, however, I prefer not to if it’s not a one-on-one conversation. Over the years I have developed a loss of sympathy and an estrangement. Don’t get me wrong I still care about people and wouldn’t hurt anyone. I just don’t have a need for interaction anymore. Like I said earlier if I would have broken out of my shell earlier, I would be a better person now and maybe more successful.
As for the last definition maybe, Karl Marx had a point. I have worked for a living my entire life with very little to show for it. I have the important things that money can’t buy a wonderful family. We have a roof over our heads, and we are not starving. My problem with the system is it treats people like we are robots by seemingly only caring about the products we create and not about the people making them. That is a broad statement not all employers are that way, but the bigger they are the more it seems to be true.
Photo by Museums Victoria on Unsplash
Where did this post come from?
A couple of days ago the word alienation kept popping into my head. I didn’t know why at the time, but I thought about the next day, and this is what came out.
Have you felt similar feelings toward your job?
Do you have the same regrets about being shy?
Atarigen 
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