Finished up on this page after exploring the “end of history” – which led
to Allan Bloom and the NeoCons. Somewhere I caught a glimpse of this link & followed it because I associated (in my mind) alienation with lack of dignity, and dignity with being part of the group accepted, and contributing (from Robert Fuller)
This succinct summary in Wikipedia has enough to show how there is a connection. ties in with the discussion about rank and dignity (earlier post).
In the concept’s most important use, it refers to the social alienation of people from aspects of their “human nature” (Gattungswesen, usually translated as ‘species-essence’ or ‘species-being’). He believed that alienation is a systematic result of capitalism.
I get the idea that in the big picture alienation has Capitalism at its roots. From Robert Fuller I got the idea that there is something more primitive at play as well. I presume marx thought it was evident in earlier societies as well?
Inclusion / exclusion
I can see it as a tool for the group’s survival.
What ever the roots – dignity is a way forward, radical in it’s departure from domination. We do not need have abolished capitalism to be dignitarian. In fact it is part of the way forward.