The problem with late capitalism

"We are living on a tiny planet, spinning around a star not so significant for the space, yet so crucial for us."

With not much meaning for the eternal vastness of the universe itself, however providing an entire system, called the Earth, with non replaceable resources. And somewhere on this little piece of rock, formed through millions of years out of tiny, even microscopic particles, there were humans. And oh boy, what selfish assholes were they.

Since the industrial revolution began in the 17 hundreds with the invention of steam engine, everyday's products such as wool, soap or quite literally anything else, became more and more affordable for more and more people. Which was a good thing, right? Well, if you consider the absolutely inhumane work ethics and slavish shifts, so often not limited to adults only, then yes, it was a good thing. Until it actually wasn't. And even, maybe, never was. To some extent.

We are currently living in the 4th stage of industrial revolution. Everyone carries at least one powerful computer in their pocket everyday, anywhere they go. Something basically unimaginable for the people who started it all those 300 years ago, huh? And things are rapidly being developed further and further (call that hyperbolic growth) which creates and unhealthy living enviroment for the very most of us. But why?

Let me explain. The thing with late capitalism is that the rapid development of new technologies forces natural competition between money hungry corporations. So these corporations are basically fighting for their survival with every day, and the reason is so simple: "what if someone else was to create something better than we do?". In order to guarantee their survival, we are being trapped in a cycle of infinite consumerism. It's not about the innovation anymore, it's about appealing to the masses and selling and selling and selling until they reach the top.

Hasn't anyone noticed how social media is becoming way harder to escape nowadays than in the past? How we binge buy, eat and consume anything that appeals to us? Bingo. This is the strategy to success. Everything around us, in the modern world, is being constructed by the image of corporations and their never ending strive for survival on the wobbly top of the market. They have already figured, way ahead of ordinary people trapped in the cycle of consuming, that it's just so easy to make us literally devour anything when presented nicely.

But what does everything that was being said here mean? That we are being force fed unnecessary products. That free will doesn't exist because everything we do is somehow being affected by the market, even if it's in the slightest possible degree. That our life basically only consists of what we buy. And that's a sad, twisted truth of today.

I will later get back to this topic as of talking solely about social media itself, but as a short introduction to the problematics, I think it could be enough. I would be glad if a discussion about the problematics took place in the comments, let me know what are your opinions on it!

Take it easy, Kristian.