If there is any trend that has stood out over the last few years, it is the use of digital and mobile tools. As cliché as it sounds, current generations spend a lot of their time on their phones. Whether this is scrolling through TikTok or hopping from one app to the other, the average person spends 28 hours on their phone each week.
But why do our screens have so much power over our routines? And is there a way to break the current digital escapism trajectory?
Digital Escapeism And Why We Need It
Digital escapeism essentially refers to the use of digital tools to keep our minds occupied and entertained during the grind of daily life. A quick look around us will show that, truly, many of us rely on our phones and other mobile devices to keep us engaged. And there are several reasons for this.
First, many digital escapism platforms are also ways to earn material rewards. There has been a rise in online gaming, which can often lead to real-life money and other material benefits. As Andjelija Blagojevic explains, UK casinos without GamStop offer cash prizes to their players and, outside of the simple joy of playing a strategy-focused poker game or something as simple as slots, consumers are usually open to some extra earnings. They also offer immersive experiences with top-notch graphics and every sort of theme you can imagine.
Then you consider the growing number of people who are starting careers as online influencers on different social media apps. When the digital platforms you use provide not just digital escapeism but material rewards, we will continue to turn to them.
Many of us also turn to our screens because that is how we engage with our community. Whether this is group chats with our friends, sharing TikToks with our family, or Discord groups where we make online acquaintances, more of us are getting our socialization through a screen, and this makes it a vital part of our lives.
There’s also the entertainment factor, as, let’s face it, there is more content online than ever before. Streaming giants like Netflix continuously pump out movies and series that keep audiences hooked, social media platforms offer endless discourse and content on every topic you can imagine, and various apps let us run our lives from our phones. When all these are considered, digital escapism makes much more sense, as does its continued dominance.
Can Consumers Unplug From Digital Escapeism?
While it is understandable that many of us leverage digital escapeism, more of us can disconnect over time. Stats show that non-digital hobbies like reading, knitting, and baking are on the rise, including with younger generations. Many consumers are opting for digital detoxes, tech-free spaces and their homes, and so on. Hopefully, as technology continues to offer us immense material and psychological benefits, we can collectively pursue a healthier relationship with it.