In a way, we are defined by what we do, how we spend our time and energy. The fact that we become our job is not necessarily a bad thing. Work defines a large part of our interaction with our community, so it does make sense that it would define us in a way. This only becomes a problem when our job is alienating.
在某种程度上，我们是由我们所做的事情来定义的，以及我们如何花费时间和精力。我们变成我们的工作。这一事实不一定是坏事。工作定义了我们社交圈的很大一部分，因此它在某种程度上定义了我们也是有意义的。只有当我们的工作使我们感到疏离时，这才会成为一个问题。
Marx laid out the purposefulness of work in four points:
马克思在四个要点中阐述了工作的目的性：
1. I objectify my individuality through production. When I produce something, it's an individual manifestation of my life. When the product is created, it's direct evidence that my personality is objective. This affirms my individuality.
1. 通过生产体现我的个性：当我生产某物时，它是我生活的个人体现。当产品被创造出来时，它直接证明了我的人格是客观存在的。这肯定了我的个人特性。
2. Through this objectification of my individuality, I have the enjoyment of knowing that it created an object corresponding to the need of another person's essential nature. Your individuality made someone else happy.
2. 通过我个人性格的客观化，我能够享受到知道它创造了一个与另一人基本需求相对应的物体的乐趣：你的个性使别人感到快乐。
3. Because of that, I become the mediator between you and the species. Meaning that, because my individuality answered your need, I become, in a way, essential to you or at least to your growth. I become singularly important to you.
3. 因此，我成为你与物种之间的中介：也就是说，因为我的个性满足了你的需求，我在某种程度上对你或至少对你的成长变得至关重要。我对你来说变得非常重要。
4. In the individual expression of my life, I would have directly created your expression of your life, and therefore, in my individual activity, I would have directly confirmed and realized my true nature—my human nature, my communal nature—through work. Therefore, you confirm and realize your true nature, and this can be felt in many ways.
4. 在我的个体生活表现中，我直接创造了你生活的表现，因此，通过工作，我直接确认和实现了我真正的本性——我的人性、我的共同体本性。因此，你也确认和实现了你自己的真正本性，这可以通过多种方式感受到。
However, Marx says that when there’s private property, production or your individual activity can be corrupted. When you work for someone else, when you take their orders, when you comply with company policy, your production isn’t an expression of your life or your individuality. When what you do is devoid of any individuality, when you’re replaceable, when you’re, as people say, just a cog in a machine, then your work doesn’t confirm and realize your true nature.
然而，马克思指出，当存在私有财产时，生产或个人活动可能会受到腐蚀。当你为别人工作，听从他们的指示，遵守公司政策时，你的生产就不再是你生活或个性的表达。当你所做的事情缺乏个性，当你是可以被替代的，当你只是机器中的一个齿轮时，那么你的工作就不会确认和实现你的真实本性。
在某种程度上，我们是由我们所做的事情来定义的，以及我们如何花费时间和精力。我们变成我们的工作。这一事实不一定是坏事。工作定义了我们社交圈的很大一部分，因此它在某种程度上定义了我们也是有意义的。只有当我们的工作使我们感到疏离时，这才会成为一个问题。
Marx laid out the purposefulness of work in four points:
马克思在四个要点中阐述了工作的目的性：
1. I objectify my individuality through production. When I produce something, it's an individual manifestation of my life. When the product is created, it's direct evidence that my personality is objective. This affirms my individuality.
1. 通过生产体现我的个性：当我生产某物时，它是我生活的个人体现。当产品被创造出来时，它直接证明了我的人格是客观存在的。这肯定了我的个人特性。
2. Through this objectification of my individuality, I have the enjoyment of knowing that it created an object corresponding to the need of another person's essential nature. Your individuality made someone else happy.
2. 通过我个人性格的客观化，我能够享受到知道它创造了一个与另一人基本需求相对应的物体的乐趣：你的个性使别人感到快乐。
3. Because of that, I become the mediator between you and the species. Meaning that, because my individuality answered your need, I become, in a way, essential to you or at least to your growth. I become singularly important to you.
3. 因此，我成为你与物种之间的中介：也就是说，因为我的个性满足了你的需求，我在某种程度上对你或至少对你的成长变得至关重要。我对你来说变得非常重要。
4. In the individual expression of my life, I would have directly created your expression of your life, and therefore, in my individual activity, I would have directly confirmed and realized my true nature—my human nature, my communal nature—through work. Therefore, you confirm and realize your true nature, and this can be felt in many ways.
4. 在我的个体生活表现中，我直接创造了你生活的表现，因此，通过工作，我直接确认和实现了我真正的本性——我的人性、我的共同体本性。因此，你也确认和实现了你自己的真正本性，这可以通过多种方式感受到。
However, Marx says that when there’s private property, production or your individual activity can be corrupted. When you work for someone else, when you take their orders, when you comply with company policy, your production isn’t an expression of your life or your individuality. When what you do is devoid of any individuality, when you’re replaceable, when you’re, as people say, just a cog in a machine, then your work doesn’t confirm and realize your true nature.
然而，马克思指出，当存在私有财产时，生产或个人活动可能会受到腐蚀。当你为别人工作，听从他们的指示，遵守公司政策时，你的生产就不再是你生活或个性的表达。当你所做的事情缺乏个性，当你是可以被替代的，当你只是机器中的一个齿轮时，那么你的工作就不会确认和实现你的真实本性。