Karl Marx

As a student of Sociology I studied many of the World’s greatest thinkers and none of them affected me as much as Karl Marx (1818 - 1883). While many dismiss him for being a “communist” and an antagonist of the Capitalist system, he was actually, at least to me anyway, an individual who cared deeply for the common man/woman and what it meant for such an individual to give up the one thing that we all have to exploit: our labor, be it physical or creative.

The industrial revolution allowed the poor and impoverished of society to eke out an existence for some form of remuneration, be it a spot of land to build a shack or an hourly sum just enough to stay alive. While this may sound like a good thing, it left those who labored feeling alienated and without purpose, spiritual or otherwise. Simply put:

Under capitalism, social relationships of production, such as among workers or between workers and capitalists, are mediated through commodities, including labor, that are bought and sold on the market. For Marx, the possibility that one may give up ownership of one’s own labor — one’s capacity to transform the world — is tantamount to being alienated from one’s own nature; it is a spiritual loss. (Wikipedia)

So what does this have to do with making money online? Well, to me, the nine-to-five culture as a whole is quite indicative of what Marx wrote and spoke about. Of course, we get paid more these days and our standard of living generally speaking is higher than it was really “back in the day”. But, I still feel that for those who toil and labor at a job that leaves them unsatisfied and/or miserable, alienation, as Marx describes, results in the loss of one’s own creative capital. That very same creative capital that could be used to enhance and empower one’s life.

I fully believe that working online is a great way to get back, or more importantly, take back your spirit. Your creative capital is there just waiting for you to put it to good use. And what IS creative capital? It is your ideas, words, art, interests, products, caring, hobbies, strengths, passion and character, you know, the STUFF that distinguishes us from each other…in a good way…:) It is the drive and desire that allows us to think that there may actually be a way of applying our skills, talent and training  to something that we can control. Something that we can use or “exploit” to benefit our own lives and those around us.

Is it solely about making money? For some, possibly…and that’s ok! But hopefully for most it will be about the creation of something personal that not only benefits our own lives but the lives of others. The computer is a wonderful tool, and the Web really does put each and every one of us on a level playing field to do with it what we can. I truly feel that there’s no reason, other than our own self-doubt or lack of knowledge, why we can’t go for the Gold so to speak. There are a tremendous number of online money making success stories out there that we can all find motivating and inspirational and I hope to bring a bunch of them to this site as the weeks and months pass.

I understand that thinking about doing the unconventional can be very intimidating and making that first move can be downright scary. This post is not about you quitting your job and following your dreams to be an Ostrich herder…which would be fine in my book…:) No, it is about taking a very small baby step and thinking about the possibility of doing something you are passionate about, something that could possibly allow you to step away from the “rat-race” and provide you with an opportunity to find yourself. It’s not easy, but it is definitely doable! At least it’s worth a few moments of personal and private reflection. And if you find that you do have something to offer, something that could possibly turn your life around, then take the next baby step and see how others are faring online. I’ll discuss this step in another post. But first things first: what would you do with your life if you could take what you have at your disposal such as skills, talent, ideas, and have them transformed into creative capital? How would that enrich your life or your family’s? Making money off of your strengths and passion isn’t a sin, but ignoring them and not allowing them to change your life for the better could very well be.

Take care all and we’ll talk more soon. All the best in your life search.