We are already so deeply immersed in a simulation-like existence. What we truly need is more reflection—time to pause, think, and discern what is real and what is truly meaningful.
We have forgotten how to question what is true and what is false; that boundary has already been crossed. Simulation is now widely accepted as reality.
Many of our choices are not truly our own—they are shaped and determined by external forces. Yet to realign ourselves, we must begin thinking again, for many important reasons.
What I have realized is that our sense of creation, our self-worth, remains our choice. Instead of dehumanizing ourselves, we can choose paths like Universal Basic Income (UBI), where people are treated with greater dignity.
In such a system, there would be no constant need for competition, no endless pressure to prove ourselves, and no forced alteration of our identities to meet market demands. Instead, we could focus on collective action and collective well-being, moving away from scarcity thinking.
Our friends and family circles would no longer pressure us out of their own anxieties. Much of the current work and effort is wasted, serving only to dehumanize us in the name of social acceptance.
The main problem lies in the narratives that dominate our world. These narratives determine:
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Who is considered valuable and who is not
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What is acceptable and what is not
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What counts as status
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How we should live and what lifestyle is “proper”
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What is deemed meritocratic
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Who qualifies as a leader
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What constitutes a “good life”
These narratives shape the reality we inhabit. Anyone who wants to change it must counter with a strong, alternative narrative of their own.
It becomes obvious once we reflect: the issue is that people operating unconsciously wield influence in the name of “democracy,” “market forces,” and similar ideals.
The metrics we use to measure ourselves—and what we call “progress”—are deeply distorted. We have come so far down this path already. Technological progress is portrayed as human progress, when in reality it often amounts to more subtle forms of slavery.
Now we are entering the AI age and potentially a post-work society. But who controls AI, and how it is trained, will decide whether we end up in paradise or dystopia.