Digital Escapism — From Addiction to Asceticism

Abstract

The rapid development of digital virtual reality has exposed social problems associated with the transformation of forms of cultural experience transmission, adaptation, socialization, and communication. Information saturation and stress caused by the acceleration of the life rhythm, constant changes on the one hand, and an attractive, constructed hypervisualized digital world on the other, have created conditions for the emergence and development of new forms of escapism and digital avoidance. The purpose of the study is to assess the degree of influence, opportunities, and risks associated with the problems of human interaction and the new virtual reality, ways to escape from the “routine of everyday life” into a new digital environment. Within the framework of the study, the forms of digital escapism were identified as ranging from radical, replacing reality, to conscious and balanced forms within the framework of digital asceticism based on the principles of eco–friendly network consumption and digital ethics. As a result, it was concluded that the growth of escapist tendencies indicates the imbalance of digital and physical realities and needs a harmonious hybrid inclusion in the daily life of society of digital consumption norms based on the principles of de-anonymization and social responsibility, as well as the rules of digital hygiene.

Keywords

• digitalization
• digital escapism
• virtualization
• digital asceticism
• communication
• personal identity
• public
• private
• subjectivity
• hybrid environment