Individualism vs. Altruism: The Decline of Social Values in the Digital Age

Human beings are experiencing a profound shift in their social values. Today, the sense of unity and the value of mutual aid are giving way to extreme individualism that dominates our lives. This shift not only legitimizes behaviors and decisions that, until recently, would have been deemed unacceptable, but it also creates an environment where “survival of the fittest” and “your death, my life” seem to return to the center of social dynamics.

Connection or Isolation? Technology and Social Media in Modern Society

Although technology and social media have expanded the possibilities for connection, these tools often foster a sense of isolation and emotional distance among people. It’s a paradox of our times: artificial intelligence and social platforms were supposed to promote socialization and global communication, yet they are simultaneously contributing to the deterioration of authentic human relationships.

Social media, for example, allows us to interact with people from all over the world in real time, but digital connections can feel cold and superficial, leading to disengagement in human relationships and a decrease in our empathy. Society thus faces a choice: to use technology to improve our lives without compromising our humanity and community values, or to let ourselves be absorbed by a virtual world that makes us increasingly self-sufficient and socially distant.

Social Behaviors and Group Selection

As I often say in my posts on Chimp Community, in many ways, humans are not so different from monkeys and other primates. We also struggle for territory, strive to promote our own group, and aim to climb social hierarchies. However, technology has added a new layer of complexity: today, the desire to overpower others manifests through economic, political, and digital dynamics that particularly impact the poorest, the weakest, and the most vulnerable.

These “new hierarchies” are supported by digital tools which, while holding the potential to improve our lives, often favor a social evolution that isolates and miseducates. Therefore, placing all the blame on politics is reductive: the solution to digital connection and isolation problems cannot come solely from political change but also requires individual commitment to the community.

Technology, Personal Growth, and Social Skills

I am a firm advocate of using technology for beneficial purposes and for the improvement of the species, but it’s crucial to be aware of the risks it brings. Technology should not take away our capacity for empathy and mutual understanding. The true solution lies in individuals’ ability to improve themselves personally, embrace understanding, and rediscover those communal values that seem to be vanishing today. Only through a combination of personal growth and the cultivation of social skills can we prevent technology and individualism from deteriorating our relationships and separating us from one another.