Superfluous people. From liquid people to the precariat

Abstract

The main aim of the article is to present the situations and socio-cultural mechanisms related to the process of generating of human waste in Bauman's understanding. High-performance societies were to provide jobs and high standard of living conditions for everyone, but that idealistic concept failed. Instead, a group of invisible, redundant and, consequently, unwanted people is constantly expanding. The article outlines which categories of the people are included in the area of redundancy, marginalization and social exclusion. The Author answers the following questions: which personality traits determine the assimilation of stigma of being redundant, and what role is played by the syndrome of 'learned helplessness' and socio-cultural factors in this process.