By: Nick Cianciotti
Our generation knows our digital consumption isn’t right. Is there any real solution?
This current manifestation of technology seems to be in a bit of a limbo. I think everyone is wondering – what’s next? For example, we’re all wondering what is actually going to come out of AI; is it all hype? People being concerned about the future is nothing new, though.
The real terror comes from the fact that companies, specifically in the tech industry, have stopped taking risks and have started taking advantage of us consumers by maintaining a worst-of-both-worlds status quo. By settling into profitable digital ecosystems, technology companies have been able to lock people inside their platforms, shifting power away from the consumer and forcing stagnation.
I know I’m going to sound like an old man when I say this, but buying something used to mean you actually owned it. The conversation around digital ownership has been a hot topic in recent weeks (especially in the video game industry) after Sony announced that, starting in 2028, there will be no new Playstation 5 games physically released. Despite the outrage, Sony has remained firm on the decision, and – who knows – maybe they’ll change course if public pressure becomes too insurmountable. However, I sadly doubt it will get to that level because, despite all of the public indignation, I don’t think Sony’s bottom line will be noticeably hurt.
At the dawn of the digital era, we were promised something Americans can never say no to: convenience. Whether it be the elimination of the arduous task of getting up to change games in your video game console or the eradication of lugging around CD’s, digital libraries filled with games, music, or films promised to streamline your experience. On paper, it sounds amazing because it is amazing. Having access to the endless options allowed by digital services leads to a flourishing of discovery. However, I wouldn’t be writing an article about why our generation is tired with this experience if it was all sunshine and roses.
Across all of these industries, these companies have done everything possible to make you trapped. Let’s say you’re outraged over this recent decision by Sony and decide to switch to a PC or a different console because of it. You lose everything. Every friend you had on that system is gone. The library you’ve spent years accumulating (digital or physical) is inaccessible with this new hardware; you now have to spend money to rebuild your library of games. That daunting task automatically puts off the majority of people considering going somewhere else. And, if you do switch to another console, who’s to say the company you switch to doesn’t make the same decision a year later? These barriers against the average consumer likely means that few people will actually do anything in response to this decision, which is exactly why I doubt Sony’s bottom line will be heavily impacted.
This behavior of relinquishing the consumer’s control isn’t relegated to Sony or the video game industry. The chief example: everything is a subscription service now. I feel the need to stress to people of my generation that this was not the way it used to be. This type of payment model was only reserved to services like telephone plans or cable, not to have quicker lanes at Walmart. And it used to be cool to have a subscription service, too. Subscribing to Netflix a decade or so ago was almost a statement on the television industry; you were rejecting the status quo of bloated cable services and found entertainment through alternative means. However, streaming is the status quo now. Now, because of their vast normalization, subscribing to anything has become a sign of complacency; that you have accepted the inevitable cycle of paying more for a continually worse service.
What I find particularly disturbing about this trend is that this isn’t how it’s supposed to be. Customers are supposed to hold companies accountable when they do something they find reprehensible. However, these companies, by forcing people into their specific ecosystems, have forced the user to be subservient to the corporation they’re buying from; not the other way around. This isn’t something we only see with major decisions like this, though. When any technology company decides to irreversibly tweak their software by changing menus, cosmetics, or even slight design quirks, we are forced to go along with their wishes. Every small change that we are forced to adhere to is just a reminder that we really don’t own this software.
At first, I thought it was just me that disliked technology’s uninspired modern design or was tired of the concept of subscription services charging exorbitant amounts for things like TV, video games, or music. I had already found myself in middle school starting to collect CDs and DVDs as a way to at least do something. However, I realized quickly that basically everyone (at least in Gen Z) is discontent with this whole setup. It was a pretty awesome realization, but then I started asking people what counteractive measures they were doing. Sadly, I didn’t really hear anything. People just kind of shrugged.
I think people aren’t really sure what to do in response to these actions taken by tech companies for two main reasons. First and foremost, despite the distaste for the current set up, it’s just too convenient. Second, we just genuinely don’t know a world outside of the one we’re currently living in. As far as I see it, there’s just no viable alternative that checks every single box of what people are looking for. So, what boxes are we willing to cut? Because doing nothing is simply not an option. We have the immense privilege of having this astonishing technology. We just take it for granted because it’s just the way we’ve lived; we’ve never been cognizant in a world without smartphones.
I initially wanted to write this piece as a bit of a guide for what to do if you came to a similar realization as me. But then I realized that I have no real answers. I still found myself writing it, though, partially because I had already pitched it to our Promotions Director (shoutout John!) and partially because I wanted to make a point to someone possibly reading this: you’re not alone in your hatred for this current arrangement. You’re also not alone in your search for answers. I may be being optimistic, but I do think that the dam is starting to break, and I have a feeling that whatever comes next will be much better. Maybe the first step shouldn’t be rushing to find the perfect alternative, but simply recognizing that convenience shouldn’t come at the cost of ownership. Just remember, the future remains unwritten.
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