Why Do We Feel Empty?Alienation in Modern Life

Introduction: Alienation Amidst Life’s Hustle

"Modern humans walk through crowds, yet their souls feel trapped in an empty room. We become busier, more productive, but somehow, something always feels missing.”

Have you ever felt lonely in the middle of a crowd? Sitting in a café, surrounded by laughter and conversations, yet feeling like an invisible ghost? Or working from morning until night, stuck in an empty routine, briefly “escaping” through social media—watching others live seemingly more exciting lives. But once you put the screen down, you return to the same reality: emptiness, a loss of meaning, and a sense of being unseen.

Modern society promises limitless connectivity. Yet the more technologically connected we become, the further we drift from genuine human experience. We are not only alienated from others, but also from our work, our communities, and even ourselves.

In philosophy, this experience is called alienation—a form of estrangement that emerges from social, economic, and existential conditions. So, why do we experience this? And more importantly: can we overcome it?

…

What Is Alienation?

Etymologically, alienation comes from the Latin word alienare, meaning “to make foreign” or “to separate.” This concept has long been explored in philosophy and sociology.

Karl Marx saw alienation as the result of an economic system that separates individuals from the products of their labor. This separation causes one to lose meaning, autonomy, and identity—especially when they no longer see themselves in what they produce. Psychologically, this leads to emptiness, a lack of control, and often stress, depression, or feelings of uselessness. People begin to feel like mere tools of production, rather than empowered human beings.

Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus, meanwhile, interpreted alienation as an existential condition: humans live in an absurd world and must create meaning without any absolute certainty.

Alienation manifests in several forms:

• Economic alienation – Feeling like a cog in the machine, without control over the outcome of one's work.

• Social alienation – Feeling disconnected from one's community and surroundings.

• Existential alienation – Feeling empty because life seems devoid of inherent meaning.

• 
  

These aren’t just abstract ideas. They’re realities felt by many—factory workers in Tangerang, startup employees in Jakarta, ride-hailing drivers, and university lecturers alike.

…

Alienation in Capitalism: When Work Becomes Mere Survival

Marx’s concept of alienation can be clearly observed in everyday life, especially within a capitalist economic system. When individuals no longer have control over their work and its outcomes, they lose not only meaning but also a personal connection to what they do.

In Indonesia, this form of alienation takes on many faces:

• Farmers: Owning land, yet remaining poor

Many Indonesian farmers still work on their own land, but high production costs, dependence on middlemen, and an unfair trade system make them vulnerable. The rice they grow feeds the cities, yet they themselves struggle to afford basic necessities.

• Small business owners: Ownership without sovereignty

Street vendors and online shop owners may appear independent, but they are often subject to platform algorithms, limited capital, and competition with retail giants. They also frequently face coercion and extortion under the guise of “security”—sometimes by groups claiming affiliation with community organizations (Ormas). Such practices also affect larger businesses. One recent case that went viral involved illegal fees demanded as “Tunjangan Hari Raya.” This kind of intimidation is hard to eradicate—like tangled roots spreading everywhere. It makes one wonder: are they backed by those in power?

• Urban workers: Productive, yet alienated

Employees in cities like Jakarta or Surabaya often endure long working hours, tight deadlines, and performance targets. Though their salaries may be stable, many feel easily replaceable. Their individuality dissolves into corporate efficiency.

In the end, many people work not to grow, but simply to survive. The result is emotional exhaustion, disappointment, and a sense of disconnection from work that was once meant to reflect who they are.

…

Existential Alienation: Sartre, Camus, and the Burden of Freedom 

While Marx focused on external systems, existentialist philosophers pointed out that alienation can still arise even in the absence of economic oppression.

Sartre: The Burden of Freedom

"Man is condemned to be free." – Sartre

For Sartre, human beings must create their own essence through their choices. But this radical freedom often brings anxiety:

• Alienation from oneself – When we deny responsibility for our choices and live according to others' expectations. Sartre called this bad faith.

• Alienation from others – Sartre’s idea of The Look explains how the judgment of others can make us live to satisfy external standards rather than stay true to our inner reality.

  
  

This is deeply relevant today: many young Indonesians craft online personas for “likes” and “followers,” rather than for authenticity.

Camus: Absurdity and Rebellion

"We always search for meaning, but the world offers no answers." – Camus

Camus saw alienation as emerging from the clash between the human need for meaning and the silence of the universe. A successful employee who feels empty, or a student questioning the purpose of studying for a job that may never come—these are expressions of modern absurdity.

Camus did not offer clear answers. Instead, he encouraged us to rebel against absurdity: to live fully, embrace freedom, and create meaning—even when none is given.

…

Phenomenology: A Way to Confront Alienation

If alienation cannot be avoided, is it possible for us to live alongside it with greater awareness?

Phenomenology: Returning to the Experience Itself

Edmund Husserl, the father of phenomenology, encourages us to suspend judgment—a method known as epoché. This means putting aside our usual assumptions, biases, and expectations so we can observe experiences as they are, in their purest form.

In daily life, epoché might look like this:When we meet someone new, instead of immediately judging them based on their appearance, accent, or occupation, we pause. We become aware of how those judgments arise, and instead try to experience the encounter directly—listening without labeling.

Husserl believed that only by returning to this “pre-reflective” experience—before our minds begin to interpret—can we understand how meaning is actually formed in consciousness.

Meanwhile, Martin Heidegger expanded Husserl’s ideas by emphasizing that we are never separate observers of the world—we are always being-in-the-world. This means our understanding of reality is always situated: shaped by time, place, relationships, and cultural background.

For example, the way a teacher experiences a classroom is different from how a student does. The room is the same, but their roles and contexts shape how they perceive what happens inside it. Heidegger reminds us that to understand ourselves, we must pay attention to the context in which we exist, not just what we think internally.

While Alfred Schutz, building on both Husserl and Heidegger, highlighted how our social world is built through shared meanings. He argued that reality is not just “out there,” but co-created through language, daily habits, and interactions.

Take a simple greeting like “How are you?” In different cultures—or even different relationships—the meaning and expectation behind that question changes. Schutz shows us that even small routines are filled with layered meaning shaped by our collective life-world.

What Makes It Different from Marx and Sartre?

• Marx emphasized external systems—how capitalism structurally alienates people from their labor and its meaning.

• Sartre focused on internal freedom and responsibility, pointing to how individuals often alienate themselves through inauthentic choices.

• Phenomenology, however, invites us to stay present—to become aware of how alienation arises as it is lived, in everyday moments, without rushing to interpret it through grand narratives.

  
  

It does not offer a theory to escape alienation, but a lens to see it more clearly, more honestly, and perhaps, more gently.

Applying Phenomenology to Daily Life

1. At Work Rather than immediately labeling your job as boring or meaningless, ask: How do I actually experience this task? Which parts make me feel distant? Which moments, however small, reflect my values? Example: A customer service agent may feel drained by complaints but also quietly fulfilled when helping someone resolve a real problem.

2. On Social Media Before endlessly scrolling, pause. What am I looking for? Connection? Distraction? Validation? Example: A content creator might notice they’ve started chasing applause, not expressing their voice.

3. In Conversations How often do we listen just to reply, not to understand? Try asking someone, “How are you—really?” Then listen with attention, without needing to fix or judge.

   
   

Phenomenology does not fix alienation. But it gives us a way to meet it—with awareness, humility, and space for reflection.

…

Conclusion: Facing Alienation with Awareness and Choice

“Many Indonesians struggle with the pressure to conform to societal expectations—whether it is about career choices, marriage, or religious beliefs. This often leads to a conflict between personal authenticity and social acceptance.” — Anonim

Alienation is an inescapable part of modern life—shaped by economic systems, social norms, and existential anxiety. But it doesn’t have to be a dead end. It can serve as a signal—a call to pause, reflect, and live with deeper awareness.

Rather than being something to eliminate, alienation may be something to live with—not blindly, but mindfully.

Small Steps Toward Awareness

1. Feel before concluding Suspend your urge to judge. Let yourself experience first. Example: In a team meeting, observe the mood, body language, and your own feelings before deciding your boss is being unfair. Or when returning home and hearing relatives comment on your lifestyle, try listening without instantly taking offense.

2. Question your assumptions Many of our beliefs are borrowed. Example: If you’ve always been told that success means becoming a civil servant, ask yourself—is that truly what I want? Or when you see friends marrying young, pause before panicking—does that path align with your own needs?

3. Embrace complexity Life isn’t black and white. Uncertainty is fertile ground for growth. Example: When unsure about choosing a university major, treat your confusion as a space to explore, not a failure to decide. Or if you feel out of place at work, use that discomfort to reflect and build new skills before jumping ship.

4. Choose mindfully Even within constraints, we have the freedom to choose how we respond. Example: Stuck in traffic? You could fume—or use the time to listen to an enriching podcast. Or when your salary disappears right after payday, you still get to choose: complain, or quietly build a simple, realistic budget.

5. 
   

Alienation may not disappear. But awareness can always be present. And through awareness, we can become not just survivors of our time—but conscious co-creators of the lives we live.

Perhaps alienation is not something we must flee from, but a quiet invitation to pause—to sit with the ache, to listen to the questions we’ve long silenced. There is a sacredness in stillness, in resting beside the unknown. But we are not meant to stay there forever. From that silence, we are called to rise—not with haste, but with awareness. To live is to move, however gently, with a heart attuned both to the voice within and the pulse of the world beyond.

Do you think we can truly escape alienation—or must we learn to face it in a new, more human way?