The alienation of labor in the digital era

Abstract

Based on the Marxist methodology, this article elucidates the concept of labor alienation and identifies its new manifestations in the digital era: alienation of labor as expressed through the alienation of science and technology; the downgrading of labor into “useless” activities, rendering humans into “meaningless” beings; and the transformation of workers into entities deprived of freedom. Alongside labor alienation are the sharp contradictions between capital and labor, foreshadowing new societal crises in the future. In addition to the Marxist theoretical foundation, the study employs the documentary analysis method to collect and examine academic works, international reports, and empirical research on labor alienation in the digital age. This methodological approach serves as a solid basis for proposing several solutions to mitigate labor alienation in the current digital era, including managing the ownership of digital means of production—most critically, controlling the ownership of big data; fostering the development of technology in a democratic and civilized direction; and advancing comprehensive human development.