Digital Society: Comfort and Convenience
Always on the lookout for the newest gadget, the most convenient app, and the quickest way to get things done. The ease and speed at which we access information, connect with others, shop, eat, exercise and more is what it means to live in a digital society. Our dependence on technology is growing, which is rooted in our constant quest for comfort. Our engagement with each other, brands and online platforms has been transformed by the shift to a digital society. This article explores how this influences our lifestyle to prioritise convenience and its potential downsides.
The foundation of the digital society we live in is, undoubtedly, the Internet. This integral part of our daily lives today originates from the 20th century and was first formally created for military purposes. Nowadays, the Internet has endless uses. The digital age has transformed the way we use the Internet and its influence in our lives continues to grow as we use it to communicate, learn, experience, and interact with the rest of the world.
A Collaborative Space
Today, an endless supply of information lies in the palm of our hands. The convenience of finding advice, tutorials, tips & tricks, recommendations and so much more is one of the greatest gifts of the Internet. This overwhelming access proves to uplift us a digital society. A 2020 study found that the Internet has a significant contribution to our cognitive enhancement — meaning our brains work better. More importantly, the collaborative manner of digital citizens has established a supportive digital society where we thrive and grow.
Digital Disconnection
One of the Internet’s many purposes is to ease communication. However, digital communication is a method of engagement that lacks many of the pieces that make up meaningful relationships. More followers don’t always mean more relationships. For example, we can’t really utilise body language in our online conversations, which holds more weight than we think in our real-life conversations. Although this gap is becoming filled by studies on ‘digital body language’, the digital age has led to the shallowing of relationships in general, and the loss of deep, long-lasting connections. We’ve become a more ‘lonely’ society despite our increased interconnectedness, which is a rather interesting oxymoron about social interaction.
The Comfort of Mindlessness
A scroll through social media is this generation’s most common way to ‘switch off’ or take a break. However, we often find ourselves losing track of time and getting stuck in a loop for hours. It’s a slippery slope, but the good news is we’re not entirely to blame. The Hook Model explains a 4-phase algorithm (or feedback loop) called the ‘digital nudge’ that social media platforms utilise to keep you absorbed and make sure you’re back for more. Living in a digital world has made it easy to detach from our offline responsibilities and bring us temporary comfort. Too easy, hence the 210 million who have fallen victim to social media addiction.
The Real Slippery Slope
Our digital footprints grow in importance every day. It’s no question that the ethics and morals we hold in real life should apply to our online lives that reflect who we are. A thought-provoking peer’s comment in The Individual, Identity & Ethics states: “The only context is the present”. Maybe a harmful remark today was innocent in another time and place. Though when it comes to morality, this argument doesn’t really hold up because no matter what or where or when, some rights and wrongs never change.
The freedom that comes with anonymity on the Internet plays a big role in safety on the Internet. A striking 2022 article identifies this as ‘virtualised violence’, which perfectly captures the category of crime in our digital society. It goes into the safety breach called ‘doxxing’ whereby personal information, such as exact location, is maliciously made public on the Internet and puts an individual in real-life danger. Other online crimes include scams, hacking, and posting misinformation about critical events, so safety and privacy are more jeopardised in a digital society.
The Remote Workforce
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a huge shift in work culture, and it made people question their priorities for the first time. It was an eye-opener for many to realise that there was more to life than work, and so the ‘work-from-home’ lifestyle has stuck around. People value the comfort of their homes more today as studies show 89% of employees around the world think that ‘flexible working should become normal’. The quality of productivity has improved, and people are more suited for their roles as relocation isn’t a dealbreaker anymore. As we enter the hybrid era of work, more people today consider the option of remote working essential when applying for new roles — if their field of work makes it possible.
That’s a big if. Many sectors that keep our world spinning don’t have the luxury of working from home. For instance, those in healthcare, medicine, and pharmaceuticals. Plus, with the older generation falling behind as more jobs rely on day-to-day technology, we end up with a digital divide where part of the workforce is online, and the other offline. A digital society is extremely fast-paced, and it’s tough keeping everyone on the same boat.
The Internet of Things
Living in a digital society has made technology so ingrained in our lives that we might feel like we can’t live without it. The Internet of Things, for one, is at the top. Many items are certainly appreciated, such as highly effective home security systems. Others’ only purpose is to serve our comfort. For example, a smart HVAC home system was developed to “reduce electricity costs while keeping users’ thermal comfort sufficiently high” through the collaboration of users’ personal devices and preferences. In an app, each person in the house inputs their preferred temperature, and the device uses this data alongside outdoor and indoor temperature to adjust the system. We don’t need these kinds of devices to live, but it helps. The digital age has brought unprecedented ease into our daily lives, which is big reason as to why the advantages of living in a digital society overshadow the disadvantages.
Moral Responsibility
We owe it to ourselves to put the countless advantages of a digital society to good use and be wary of our contributions to the digital space. Our duties as digital citizens continue to grow, like inclusion and increasing internet accessibility. The resistance of data exploitation and colonialism alongside privacy invasions must keep going for us to reap the benefits of the digital world in a safely manner.
Reflection
Today, my attitude towards my online presence is changed and more cautious. I’d like my social media accounts to offer a true reflection of my identity and values, and I’ve learned that my online presence holds more weight than I thought as our shift towards living in a digital society progresses. In the digital space, ethics and morals are essential. Being held accountable becomes more important and holding others accountable is just as crucial. There is a fine line between subjective opinions and objective ethical values based on morals that judge if a person’s words can be dismissed, which is why we need to be more mindful of what we share online, especially when it comes to sensitive matters.
Personally, my skillset has been expanded by things I read and see online, and more importantly is the range of skills I have now is greater. I’ve discovered new hobbies because of the Internet, but I’ve also nurtured the hobbies I already had by being better at them by looking up tutorials. Young people benefit from this most in my opinion, as we grow into the people we wish to become. We can choose who we want to be, instead of solely being a product of our real-life environment. Our digital environment is just as important in terms of the content we interact with and consume. We have more control over this, and the digital environment is massive. I think our community is more diverse today and unapologetic about our identities.
As a student myself, my reliance on the Internet is quite substantial. As an Economics student, the access to academic journals, statistics, and case studies is vital to the understanding of my field. News sources and receiving live updates are important to keep up with events. On top of that, the digital space has been amazing for connecting with other students and economists. Online forums and discussion boards allows us to exchange ideas and get experts’ answers to questions. The internet and digitalisation have also helped me explore my options before I decide on a career path. Taking up free courses online mean my skillset is wide-ranged, and remote work means I can pursue my passion for travelling. There’s a higher chance today that I could visit or even live in different places all whilst working.
Seeing the internet as a society and as a ‘collaborative space’ especially has changed my perspective of the digital space. I’ve gained a new sense of community online and as a member, I want to contribute more now by sharing my experiences and knowledge. It’s time I start giving back on the Internet. After all, as a digital native, I feel like it has given me who I am.
