The organization controlling the material equipment of our everyday life is such that what in itself would enable us to construct it richly plunges us instead into a poverty of abundance, making alienation all the more intolerable as each convenience promises liberation and turns out to be only one more burden. We are condemned to slavery to the means of liberation.

Summary

This quote suggests that despite having access to advanced technology and modern conveniences that should enhance our lives, the way in which our society is structured actually leads us to feeling impoverished and alienated. Our reliance on these objects and tools meant to liberate us instead enslaves us, making us dependent on them to an unbearable extent. The quote highlights the paradoxical nature of the current state of our materialistic society, where liberation through convenience is illusory and adds to our burdens rather than alleviating them.

Topics