Pick one video and answer the corresponding prompts. Be sure to support your claims with evidence from the video and from other relevant sources. -Pick one video I will send the links to which you choose . Directions are as follows. 1. Alienation https://youtu.be/gYUJjpIxkCU In the YouTube video, former Amazon employees shed light on the exploitative and harsh working conditions they encountered, drawing parallels with Karl Marx’s theory of alienation. In your essay, consider the following questions: How do the working conditions at Amazon illustrate the four types of alienation identified by Marx: from the product, the production process, others, and one’s own self? Have you or someone you know ever felt alienated in a work environment? How did that experience corroborate or challenge Marx’s theory? 2. Commodity Fetishism https://youtu.be/Urny4oFBbto In the video, the narrator posits that the key to happiness lies in “buying less stuff.” Utilizing Karl Marx’s concept of commodity fetishism as your analytical framework, dissect the video’s message. In your essay, consider the following questions: How does the video exemplify Marx’s idea of commodity fetishism, wherein goods are endowed with social power and relationships? What are the broader implications of commodity fetishism on consumerism and individual happiness? How have your own buying habits either supported or contradicted the video’s message and Marx’s concept of commodity fetishism? Have these habits had any noticeable impact on your happiness or well-being? 3. Marx’s critique of Capitalism https://youtu.be/CWZIxxJ1jjo In light of the Kaiser Permanente strike, examine how this event mirrors Marx’s critique of capitalism and economic exploitation. In your essay, consider the following questions: How does the Kaiser Permanente strike encapsulate Marx’s arguments concerning economic exploitation within the capitalist system? Have you ever witnessed or been part of a work environment that echoed Marx’s critiques? How did those experiences shape your understanding of worker exploitation and capitalism?
