Alienation

"And how am I to face the odds
of man's bedevilment and God's?
I, a stranger and afraid
in a world I never made."

The term Alienation refers to the idea that in the modern world, people feel disconnected from reality, unable to grasp the full extent of their existence, and fundamentally feel moved by forces outside their control. They feel their work is meaningless and disconnected from their survival, and incomprehensible things like the stock market and oil prices determine their lives.

In this week's essay "Alienation" Nathanial Branden discusses how this idea of alienation developed over time and why people relate to it so much. He shows that there is truth to this sentiment, but argues that this perceived lack of agency is entirely preventable with the right philosophical mindset.

We invite you to read this essay and participate in our personal discussion. We will talk about the content of the essay, which points we like and which we disagree with, and share our personal opinions on the subject.

Readings:

• Alienation by Nathanial Branden (the 23rd essay in "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal")

• you can rent the book from us here: https://aynrandclubatx.librarika.com/search/detail/9649214