What Would Marx Do? A Philosophical Take on Amazon Prime
If Karl Marx had access to Amazon Prime, he’d probably order a copy of his own Das Kapital just to see how capitalism commodifies critique. But what would Marx think of the retail giant itself? Spoiler alert: it’s not good.
Amazon embodies nearly everything Marx critiqued about capitalism: monopolistic practices, worker exploitation, and relentless profit-seeking. Its warehouses are modern-day factories, where employees are pushed to their physical limits under grueling conditions. Marx would call this “alienation,” noting that these workers have no control over their labor or its end result—your two-day shipping.
Then there’s the Bezos factor. Marx argued that capitalism concentrates wealth into fewer and fewer hands. Enter Jeff Bezos, who once earned more in a second than many workers do in a year. To Marx, Bezos isn’t an innovator—he’s a walking example of surplus value at work.
But Amazon isn’t just a company; it’s a cultural phenomenon. From binge-watching The Boys to impulse-buying unnecessary gadgets, consumers play an active role in perpetuating the system. Marx might remind us that we’re both exploited and complicit, alienated from the very goods we consume.
However, Marx wouldn’t stop at critique. He’d likely suggest organizing Amazon workers, redistributing wealth, and creating a system where two-day shipping doesn’t come at the cost of human dignity. Until then, every Prime Day sale is just another chapter in capitalism’s long story.
Originally posted 2024-08-29 12:24:02.
