The historical journey of humankind is quite fascinating. While the fate of many other creatures remains confined to being either prey or predator, the human race has succeeded in transforming the world over tens of thousands of years by continuously using technology as a tool to elevate its standard of living.
Humankind discovered fire to warm itself and cook food, learned to hunt with obsidian stones. Not content with this, it began domesticating plants and animals to more comfortably meet its needs for shelter and sustenance. It liberated knowledge through the invention of the printing press, established industrial society with electricity and steam power, and ultimately transformed the world into an endless network of information and communication via the Internet.
However, a shadow has fallen over this tremendous progress spanning tens of thousands of years. Over the last two decades, a paradigm shift has occurred, and technology has ceased to be a mere “tool” for humanity, instead becoming an “end in itself.”
It is precisely for this reason that we have unwittingly found ourselves in a new reality called “digital slavery.” Sadly, most of us remain unaware of this reality! Let us recall the frog experiment:
A frog placed in a pot of water over a fire fails to notice the gradual rise in temperature. By the time it realizes the painful truth, it is already too late to jump out.
The same applies to us. What began as a modest convenience—a bit of entertainment, a quick way to connect with family or the world—has gradually become our priority. Expecting instant replies on WhatsApp, chasing “likes” on social media feeds, we find ourselves locked to screens for longer periods. We have almost reached a point where we cannot imagine a day “without screens.”
This virtual routine, which we perceive as part of our existence, slowly narrows the boundaries of our physical and mental worlds. What better term than “digital slavery” could describe this phenomenon?
Our digital slavery has reached such a point that content shared on social networks no longer satisfies us. Within seconds, we grow bored and seek different content, yet we don’t even know what we’re searching for. Nor do we need to, because algorithms can predict what we like.
The “Hedonic Adaptation Theory” compares this situation to a moving treadmill. Our pursuit of happiness on social networks resembles taking steps on a treadmill without ever moving forward. We cannot achieve happiness because the concept of “happiness” itself has undergone a paradigm shift, giving way to “pleasure!” Ultimately, what is offered to us in exchange for spending more time in front of screens is nothing but momentary pleasure.
This is why content is becoming shorter, and we chase ever-higher dopamine levels. Instead of long articles, we seek superficial posts; instead of deep conversations, short videos. Dopamine replaces serotonin, sudden thrills replace tranquility, shaping our daily emotional rhythms. Thus, the so-called “technological addictions” emerge…
If we ask what the cost of digital slavery is, it is clear that we face numerous challenges physically, mentally, and emotionally. Alongside physical issues like digital eye strain, obesity, heart conditions, poor posture, and carpal tunnel syndrome, we must cope with mental and emotional struggles such as loneliness, insomnia, lack of focus, anxiety, and depression. The situation is even more dire among younger generations. Issues of belonging, hopelessness about the future, and even suicidal tendencies are on the rise.
The “World Happiness Report,” published since 2012, indirectly points to this reality. The report shows that in recent years, the happiest countries are socially cohesive Nordic nations, while in technologically advanced countries like the U.S., young people grow unhappier each year. This highlights the “dissatisfaction” created by the digital divide—a serious side effect despite its advantages in developed societies.
At this point, perhaps the question we should ask is:
Is “digital slavery” an inevitable fate in our current era?
If we become aware of digital slavery, breaking free from its chains is certainly possible. However, the most critical issue, as summarized above, is that each of us is, in fact, a “voluntary” digital slave. To break our chains before boiling like the frog, we must first realize that we are in this water by our own consent.
Orwell’s “*1984*,” often shared on social networks, depicts a surveillance society controlled through bans. Books are forbidden, history is rewritten, and people live under oppression. In contrast, Huxley’s “Brave New World,” written around the same time, portrays a system where people are “anesthetized by pleasures.” In that world, bans are unnecessary because people, sedated by pleasure, willingly become slaves and abandon reading.
In the digital age, similarly, no technology bans books, but it offers “entertaining” alternatives that deter us from reading them. Netflix’s “Next Episode” button, YouTube’s endless recommendations, Instagram’s algorithmic feeds… All these slowly and systematically steal our “reality.”
Ultimately, “digital slavery” is nothing but a form of “passivism” designed by algorithms that define us not as free-willed individuals but as mere “users,” hidden behind the opportunities offered by the modern world.
Breaking free from this slavery seems possible only if individual efforts evolve into a societal transformation…