Alienation Quote by Arthur Miller
“Without alienation, there can be no politics.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Death of a Salesman, 1949
Politics arises from feelings of alienation; without it, no collective action forms.
In simple terms: Politics needs alienation to start.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address alienation.
Themes
politics
alienation
society
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- activism
- community organizing
- policy debate
- social movements
Key Concepts
social contract
collective identity
Questions to Reflect On
- How does alienation shape political engagement?
- When does alienation become harmful?
A Different Perspective
Alienation can also lead to apathy, not just action.
![“(Looking at the letter in his hand) Then what is this if it isn’t telling me? Sure, [Larry] was my son. But I think to him [the pilots killed] were all my sons. And I guess they were, I guess they were” quote by Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e8/arthur-miller-947_quote_looking-at-the-letter-in-his-hand-then-w_55336.jpg)
![“Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… [The anthropologist] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner alienation as an urban intellectual.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe1/susan-sontag-332_alienation_anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-a_15322.jpg)
