Exploring the modern chains of technology, consumerism, and digital culture.
The Dopamine Economy The Setup Ever caught yourself mindlessly swiping at 2 AM, looking for that one video that’ll finally let you go to sleep? Yeah, you and half the planet. Welcome to the Dopamine Economy, where our brain chemistry is the hottest commodity traded on Wall Street. We are All Lab Rats Now Here … Read more
There was a time when a well-made coat was passed down through generations, and a home-cooked meal was the focal point of the day. Today, you can order a neon-green polyester top for $4.99 while simultaneously having a soggy, lukewarm burger delivered to your door in fifteen minutes. We have optimized our entire civilization for … Read more
Imagine being locked in a room where the only sounds you hear are your own thoughts, broadcasted back to you through surround-sound speakers, and the only people you see are funhouse mirror reflections of yourself nodding in aggressive agreement. It sounds like a psychological torture experiment, but it’s actually just a Tuesday on your favorite … Read more
You’re in the middle of a deep conversation with a friend. Or maybe you’re finally focused on writing that report you’ve put off all week. Suddenly, your phone vibrates. A tiny, bright red dot appears in your peripheral vision. A soft ping cuts through the silence. Immediately, your heart rate elevates. Your train of thought … Read more
There is an old saying in the tech world that has become a cliché: “If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.” It’s a catchy phrase, but it’s actually incomplete. It’s more accurate to say: If you aren’t paying for the product, you are the livestock, and your personal data is the … Read more
You wake up. Your smart alarm (which requires a $4.99/month premium tier to play nature sounds) goes off. You walk into the kitchen, grab a pod of coffee (delivered via a monthly subscription box), and turn on the television (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Max—pick your poison, they all bill on the 15th). You walk out to … Read more
There was a time when survival required actual calories to be burned. You had to hunt, gather, chop wood, and perhaps walk three miles just to speak to your neighbor. Today, you can summon a pad thai from a restaurant five miles away, have a stranger deliver it to your exact GPS coordinates, and pay … Read more
Once upon a time, when children were asked what they wanted to be when they grew up, they said astronauts or doctors. Today, the most common answer is “YouTuber” or “Influencer.” *Cue the collective groan of every parent in the western hemisphere.* And honestly? You can’t blame them. Who wouldn’t want to get paid millions … Read more
The Roman Colosseum was a marvel of ancient engineering. Thousands of spectators would pack the stands to watch desperate people fight for their lives, hoping to win the favor of the Emperor and the roar of the crowd. Today, the blood is gone, but the arena remains. It’s just been digitized. The weapons are ring … Read more
Picture this: It’s the year 1800. A man owes money he can’t pay, so they throw him in a literal dungeon. It was called a debtor’s prison. Fast forward to today, and we look back at that practice and say, “Wow, how barbaric! How uncivilized!” Then we check our smartphones, see our credit score dropped … Read more