Castells contends that in the network society, of modern consumer capitalism, technology increases social engagement. To Castells, online communications merely initiate subsequent social relationships. Therefore, technology neither reduce nor replace human relationships. An example of Castell’s theory in practice is online dating, which begins in virtual space. However, the aim of such relationships is to fulfil intimate physical desire in the real world. Castells theory is supported by research, which reveals that the stigma once associated with online dating is now a phobia of the past. It is now generally accepted that intimate relationships exist in a market. As such, finding the partner of your dreams is no longer a matter of luck. Dating and mating have effectively become a science, driven by the free market principles of competition and consumer choice. Algorithms ensure compatibility and therefore the likelihood of customer satisfaction and happiness increases. Desire is a commodity in our ‘pay-as-you-go’ network society. However, it can also be argued that the certainty of science is also reducing the spontaneity of intimacy in modern life. Society stagnates when its members do not have the freedom to make choices and learn from their lived-experiences, especially where personal relationships are concerned.
What kind of society will be have in the future, if our capacity for intimacy depends on a network connection? Consider who will be excluded, who will be included and why?
Technological dependence also supports Baudrillard’s concept of simulacrum, which suggests that the boundary between the virtual and real world is becoming increasingly blurred. Baudrillard contends that modern society exists in a hyper-reality, in which modern life is a representation of the virtual. Hence, the virtual is real and the real is also virtual. As such, society’s fetish with the body is also a simulacrum and a commodity for consumer capitalism. This is demonstrated in the way that there is a market for surgical procedures where females [and males] can be surgically transformed to resemble a Barbie doll – a representation of an exaggerated reality. Lips, buttocks, noses, breasts, faces and even biological sex, can be adapted to conform with changes in trends, and individual choice.
Does the simulation of reality [a hyper-reality] signify happiness, or is it evidence of increasing normlessness and alienation in modern society?
SOCIAL ACTION SOCIETY C.I.C. 
I think the elderly would suffer and the younger generation would thrive
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Corinna- I thoroughly agree with Baudrillard’s concepts, however I personally believe that the internet creates a false mist of security, and enables to say things to other people they would never actually say to someone’s face, it allows us to explore other ideologies and change our thinking. It can also be used to commit crimes against other people and gives bad people more tools and more access to vulnerable people
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if society needed a network connection and relied on it for intimacy relations then there would not be properly relationships people would not understand true connections and old people would struggle to find new people where the younger generation would find it easier
the poor generation who can’t afford it would be left out aswell
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From my experience, modern day “dating” lacks the complexity and depth of what it once was, from “courting” and being deeply intrigued by someone to being able to “ghost” them in a matter of minutes has truly changed and developed into a pick and choose and that although you may have one person you’re interested in, there’s a lot more out there. Dating lacks the sincerity of what it once was. Leading to more divorce, unhappy relationships and ideologies that no one is ever final.
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I think that stimulating hyper reality can signify happiness for some but it is mainly alienation in modern society. As people follow these trends and popular social media antics they become alienated into thinking that they need to do all these changes and rely on this virtual influence it changes their mindset and behaviours.
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Josh- in a modern society it revolves around social media it can be a good thing in ways for example meeting people and having friendships and relationships across the country or even tho world, but this can be a negative in the sense of it creates thoughts and feeling in peoples mind that can possibly not even be there and is then further stopping indevidual from even asking for help because it can lead them to result to condoling in social media instead of speaking to those around them, leading to people developing mental health problems.
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summer arnold,
i believe that a hyper reality can signify happiness to people spending on what there version of happiness is.
for example, the woman who had spent an extortion on procedures to make her look like barbie. that made her happy. however, that may not be society’s version of happiness.
furthermore, that scenario may cause alienation for young people, as they may want to do the same but can’t afford it.
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Technology and the media further splits society into the ruling class and working class. The ruling class has more opportunities to see and use the benefits of this and it works for them. Whereas the ruling class will suffer more , and are left behind which will society work if people of left behind without this technology and in this day and age everything is getting turned in to using our technology to live
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Emily –
If society depends on a network connection for intimacy, only a specific selection of people will be included. Not everyone has access to the network, and some who do are not accepted due to a number of reasons.
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Morgan- a virtual reality can be useful for interconnectedness, particularly for people with communication impairments who are unable to speak and communicate with others in person. Virtual reality can also disadvantage those from the working classes who cannot afford devices or such to be a part of the online community.
Online reality can produce happiness as well as the opposite. For example, people may meet their partners in online sites and remain with them for their lives. However, there is a large amount of grooming etc online particularly aimed at younger people.
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Technology has changed the way we connect with others. While it can bring people together, it’s important to remember that not everyone has access to the same resources. We need to make sure that technology doesn’t exclude anyone and find ways to bridge the digital divide.
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It can lead to things like unrealistic expectations of relationships and people will start to compare their lives to people who are posting their life online and what people post online is not always real so it can lead to people having low-self esteem and leads to suicide.
In relationships people can become distant from their partners by spending more time on their phones than spending quality time together.
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Neave- I think it’s signifies delusion/ a coping mechanism and that alienation is the cause for hyper reality. I think it gives people an outlet to be themselves and show feelings of happiness in a world where they feel controlled and dehumanised not doing what they want to do but just surviving, for example doing a 9-5 when your dream is to travel the world. On the other hand though it can be a dangerous as people can become to fixed on the idea of something that isn’t real, it can also be dangerous when it comes to sick people having access to a wider way to communicate with their victims.
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Eliza- It links to the media’s expectation/ definition of “happiness”, influencers may feel the need to act a certain way / show part of their daily routine that makes their life look perfect. The younger audience in particular may look up to this, and be consumed by this into believing that happiness is what is shown online. For example, people portraying their relationship online – recently toxicness is shown to be the new normality and what people SHOULD look for in a partner. Or another example, is the image of Barbie & how petiteness is shown to be perfection.
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sophie – we live within a hyper-reality which mixes together with what we call ‘reality’ to form the type of structure we live within our society. Our society changes all the time because our economy changes due to the technology advancements which are becoming increasingly persistent. The post modern society we live in is ever more increasingly becoming one of a network society where we are reliant on the technology to shape and structure the stimulation we live under. We desire this sense of hyper-reality because we transform this to become part of our need within life. Like Castell, M (2005) identified “society shapes technology according to the needs, values and interests of people who use technology”. It is in all forms of our society and we shape it to our advantage.
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The future of our society could take two roads positive or negative it depends on us what way we choose. Networks can benefit us and change a lot however it could also take us to an end.
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Lewanna
Having a network leading society can have a positive and negative effect. Network/technology can enhance society and introduce it to new things making it more modern.
However, it can be negative to because it can benefit the wrong people allowing them to take advantage of the vulnerable (bourgeoisie). Also it allows people to abuse the power it gives everyone e.g criminals. Society can easily be influenced by technology, eventually causing everyone to have the same emotion (anomie). Social media also causes an image that everyone wants to be. people who then don’t fit in this image feel like outsiders (alienation).
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Yein Kim: The advancement of technology has provided new ways for people to form relationships, but I believe that online communication alone cannot fully replace interaction and intimacy in the real world. I think that only those who are familiar with the online environment will ultimately benefit, leading to further exclusion of vulnerable groups who lack access to technology. Additionally, I believe that true communication and connection cannot be achieved solely through online means, which may lead to a sense that relationships between people are treated as commodities.
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Denis-Alexandru;
Our society changed over the years to include social-media and technology more and more, connecting everyone to everything with a simple click. This has most of the times a good impact on society, with knowledge never being so widely available but like most things on this earth it comes with downsides to it.
Hyper-reality has become a real phenomenon, with people trying to be an online character or something that is not reality. In my opinion hyper-reality happens because people are in need of validation that they will normally would not get, making them turn to different solution such as trying to become a whole different person, from looks to personality and so on.
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Written by Woori Chae
We have learned that social connections and intimate relationships, which began by chance in the past, begin with certainty due to the development of science and technology. Satisfaction increases by choosing only the things that consumers want according to the capitalist market principle, but it is questionable whether the social network of choosing only the relationship they are pursuing is correct. It is thought that in the future society, intimacy based on market principles will be intentionally designed rather than this. As a result, a group consisting of only the capital class will be created and the gap between them will become solid, so that people from other working classes will never be able to enter. When their own world is formed and separated in that way, it is expected that the world will rotate in a dichotomous way.
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– Seungjoo Lee
Today, peoples’s dependence on the internet is increasing. The Internet has both light and dark.
But the more we rely on the Internet, the more we have to lose. I think a representative example is human relationships. If our capacity for intimacy is limited to the Internet, our ability to interact will gradually deteriorate and it will become difficult to form deep human relationships.
People who are highly dependent on the Internet will gradually interact only with themselves, and people who avoid the Internet world and pursue the real world will gradually hang out among themselves, raising concerns that the gap between people who are highly dependent on the Internet and those who are not will gradually widen.
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Sara
I have manage to gather enough knowledge to understand that technology has made progress on how we connect with others. While it has made it easier to stay connected, it’s important to remember that face to face interactions and physical connections are is still as important as social networking. Not everyone has access to technology, so it’s crucial to find a balance between virtual and real world interactions. We should include everyone and create a society where both types of connections are valued. Those who have access to technology and reliable internet connections will have more opportunities for virtual intimacy. This could include things like online friendships, long distance relationships, and virtual communities.
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Steph Dingley,
I feel that whilst the internet is evolving many of the population are not. For instance, the older generation they may not have the means to access the internet, they may not want to. The poorer this day and age the poorer are getting poorer and the rich getting richer some of these people are on the brink some days trying to figure out how they are going to feed themselves. It is NOT for everybody. Its sad to see that as technology advances there are always going to be people excluded due to reasons above and more. This doesn’t just cover making new relationships, GP surgeries, you are to book online now, you have to try and beat the que online to get an appointment ( 1st come 1st serve basis ) A race for health !.
What about those again above mentioned, what about their health !?
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Metaverse is the biggest concern for society in the future.
Poverty class will be excluded because they can’t access/afford.
Working class will be becoming Capitalism’s consumers in metaverse world.
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Umer Fawad-
What is the future for society if our capacity for intimacy depends on a network connection? Consider, who will be excluded, who will be included and why?
I believe if society continues to depend on a network connection then very soon we will lose the ability of social interaction. Dystopia themed future will controlled by capitalists who will see the general public as means of money. People who have no access to the network will be excluded from the idea and term of what it means to be a product, not a human. Prime example is happening in front of our very own eyes. Slowly and in secret. Money. A visible and physical item turning into a virtual currency. In order to pay ticket in the London tube the use of payless contact is a must. Physical currency holds no value. We are slowly fed the idea of how to behave, what’s good and what is a bad.
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Niyaz
However, does simulating a hyper-reality signify happiness, or is it evidence of the increasing pathology of normlessness and alienation in modern society?
In terms of socialising, hyper-reality can be perceived as excessive but socialising online in itself can be perceived in good and bad terms. I would say if you wanted to socialise with family and friends only it would be good to connect and build stronger relationships but if your meeting someone for the first time online and then you meet in person a lot of people can become socially awkward because they are not used to human interaction even though they have spoken before. Human interaction in itself for us humans is such a key life skill to improve and development businesses interests and relationships. In our society now some people may feel like they do not belong and feel alienated in society because they are not following the trends and styles other people do so they start questioning themselves in how they look and react making them uncomfortable to speak up bringing their confidence down so they look to interactions online like playing games speaking to people without seeing each others faces making them more comfortable to speak.
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Sajina
There is both advantages and disadvantage of social networking sites but according to my opinion without out social networking our life will be with out light living like in darkness
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Yeonsu Kim : I think virtual relationship in IT era makes people depend on internet, not real life, negatively. Human-to-human crimes, such as murder and rape, are mainly at increased risk if the perpetrator and the victim are not acquainted with each other. The lack of information about each other increases the risk of exposure.
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Jack Deakin
This method of finding relationships creates a new form of inequality and embeds existing ones. People can pay to have the algorithm show them preference. People on low income are less able to promote themselves digitally. It is also dependant on having a stable and reliable internet connection and the technology to access it.
It reflects the traditional media in that people can choose what to include and exclude about themselves. Therefore people are interacting with idealised avatars of one another that rarely accurately represent them. This is further amplifies by the use of image editing and filters.
In the digital landscape the ability to navigate social media and use image editing technology and an understanding of how to represent oneself in a way that will be perceived by others as positive becomes a new form of capital that could be exchanged for other forms.
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The media today society show 2 different side of a story one which is good Impact which could help us and the other is a darker Impact on what media shows so you shouldn’t always listen to what you see on the media and not to fall in the wrong categories
(Shahid)
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Prisca Jenecha
I would say my primary sense of belonging is race because that’s the first thing people see when they look at me so going out in groups in secondary was a different experience for me than my white colleagues going to the shops such as Primark we were followed by security. I don’t use social media to advocate this issue as i feel like social media is already saturated with people talking about it however I don’t own a YouTube channel where i like to educate and get people thinking outside the box and play devils advocate at times
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The future of our society can take two turns if it continues on network communication, my believes are that it does educate people however it is addictive, it is down to the public weather they want to benefit from it or use it negatively.
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I think if society is dependent on the media, there will always be a division in classes and race. This is because people read information from the media and apply it to their lives and some of this information can be misinformation which is spread and targeting towards those deemed as lower in the patriarchy and society. Those who will be included in society are the ones that are seen to provide more, and the ones that or excluded, are those that will never be given a chance
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I believe that our society will become completely individual and loose all sense of community. We will adapt to our world becoming completely technological and there will not be any real life experiences of communication. The internet poor will suffer as they will not have access to the way of communication and we, as a society, will become two new classes, the internet race and non-internet race.
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I think our future as a society will deminish for example population loss/ a rise in single mother households, I believe the population will suffer for those who don’t have the internet so feel they won’t be able to have a relationship as it’s now different and you don’t talk to people outside the internet, but I also believe there will be a rise in single mothers as people use online dating to not actually date but sometimes have one night stands which can lead in pregnancy and as the males don’t want to date they will leave the mother. I believe hyper reality is made to make us believe our world is perfect but by doing this is covers the truth leading to more people hiding their feelings when they are down causing higher rates of suicide
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all those that are within the new ‘data poverty’ will find themselves facing increasingly difficult challenges within the dating scene and the wider context of society due to the reliance on technology based communication thus having the constant feeling of alienation and normlessness. the reliance on said technology creates a hyper reality in which all the images/videos seen create a distorted image of what is the ‘perfect’ body and lifestyle, disconnecting eachother from true reality and causing more harm than good in the way a dystopian fantasy would.
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Regulations need to be in place. Young people need to be educated on how to use the internet safely. The anonymity of the Internet would be its downfall. People can create fake profiles and edit pictures. It’s almost they’re in another world where they fit in. People can say whatever they want because they are anonymous and behind a screen there are no consequences as they cannot be seen. The Internet is not real. People who get lip fillers or BBL aren’t doing it for themselves. Plastic surgery is used for people who have life altering scars. Not people who are upset about the length and dimensions of their nose. We do this we change because of the Internet tells us how we should look. The ideal man/woman.
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Although it could be good to connect with friends and share information but sometimes it can be overwhelming and lead to negativity . It depends on how it’s being used.
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if society stays a network society it will be perceived as a good think however it will cause more problems as living in a hyper reality would be psychologicaly harmful as nothing online would be truly real (e.g body dysmorphia) and those who are older or dont have access to Internet (data poverty) would be excluded from society
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the way people rely on the internet as a source of communication has its ups and downs, it allows people to the same interests to come together from all around the world; but this can also lead to a clash of views that could cause much bigger issues, and then when there’s a clash of opinions, individuals turn to racism, homophobia, sexism, etc, as a way to insult and ‘win’ their argument. This also ties in to the method of online dating, meeting someone on line and falling in love etc, this can work for certain people but can end in terrible situations for others, like the use of catfishing and ai to fake pictures and profiles. Plus, with the internet and the easy access to porn, a lot of relationships- not even necessarily romantic- are mainly sexual, which causes the other problems like rape or revenge porn
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Developing from my point it can be seen as a negative as spending too much time on the internet can reduce real life interactions . But it can be useful if the individuals using it to strengthen their connections . Most people don’t realise their true intentions of using networks as it something we over look as it has become part of our everyday life .
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Our capacity for intimacy depending on a network connection is growing increasingly popular due to it’s ease of access and convenience – we no longer have to step out of our comfort zones to meet people, can present criteria we want potential partners to exhibit as a means of saving time and comfort, and can block people easily to avoid conflict or hassle. Despite the convenience, however, it can be argued this way of life is detrimental to socialisation and our ability to converse with and meet individuals face to face or maintain healthy relationships when we aren’t separated by a screen from the consequences of our actions. This can be very isolating for individuals who struggle to access online networks, such as the elderly and disabled, and create a digital divide within society.
I believe simulacra and hyper-reality are increasingly being utilised to cover up upset or contention with life in a capitalist society; specifically a late modernity society where individualism is paramount. Fillers and procedures, filters, exaggerated captions and only posting to portray a certain idea of a perfect life are ways people attempt to cover their upset and portray social cohesion, however, this hyper-reality can signify upset as the simulacra is uncanny to some individuals and ‘too good to be true’. Conforming to striving for a hyper-real life, and unhappiness that this life is unattainable does lead to anomie and normlessness in society as people are alienated from society as everything seems ‘fake’ or a ‘simulacra’ on social media which is becoming the most vital aspect of society and presenting identity.
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if intimacy becomes network-dependent,society will divide into those who thrive in digital relationships and those excluded or resistant to them. While digital intimacy offers inclusivity and accessibility,it also risks deepening inequalities, emotional alienation, and the loss of genuine human connection . Collins
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If we all shift to a hyper-reality, it says to me that society isn’t happy with where it’s at in the current climate. The rise of social media has ultimately led to the rise in mental illness, yet the rise of social media could be said to be an attempt to escape from an already unhappy reality. It could be said that we’ve made the situation worse as we now have more people to compare ourselves to, when realistically we’re not seeing all sides of their lives. Whilst media has improved our modes of communication and has allowed us to contact family and friends that live abroad, it also opens us up to a lot of toxicity. Media has given us things to be dissatisfied about, things the older generations would find us ridiculous for; giving names to body parts that are specifically made to make the younger generations feel insecure. Most of these names being given to a woman’s body, which therefore feeds more into the plastic surgery industry as women feel they’re forced to change what this online society doesn’t agree with. We live in a virtual echo chamber and most of us are unwilling to leave this mindset because of the ‘comfort’ media provides. An ‘escape’ from our reality. The rise in mental illness, especially in young women, due to social media shows us how badly this hyper-reality has affected us as a society
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Dependency on social media and the network, is diminishing the quality of face-to-face interactions, whilst also deteriorating social skills of individuals as it may now seem that there is now one persona online and another in person.
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Hyper-Reality
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In the future, a society where intimacy depends on digital networks is likely to include those with access to technology while excluding poorer, older, or digitally disconnected groups, increasing inequality and isolation. From Baudrillard’s view, hyper-reality may offer temporary pleasure but ultimately reflects growing alienation and normlessness rather than true happiness.
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I believe there are pros and cons to social networking particularly in the digital era we live in now. One pro is that it helps bring people around the world together and connect us to individuals of different backgrounds. One con is that there are dangers about what we are accessing especially the type of content that is available out there that could affect people emotionally and mentally. I think there should be more regulations and guidelines for use of networking sites including for ages under 16 as they are part of the most vulnerable group that could be affected the most in terms of development.
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The sense of hyper-reality and online dating is limited to those confident in themselves and possibly the ones who are truly desperate. Not being a part of this would be the poor who don’t have access to mobile phones or the internet, which would subsequently question for this case, will they find what they want, who they want and begin a sustaining authentic real relationship without something as simple as having the Internet or not.
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Technology increases social engagement. It increases attention and can increase knowledge too, if used meaningfully. Technology can’t replace human relationships. It can only develop or destroy it. Consistent communication can develop it where as hate groups and racism can cause a divide between humans.
Society in the future will be interconnected, open for all but used by most. Excluded members will be people without knowledge or access to the internet or technology such as elderly people, who would spend their time on other activities as well as Homeless and impoverished people, who can’t afford resources. Included members will be tv and sport stars also political leaders. They would be the main talking points on the internet across the world. They are most sought out and looked up to
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Allen,
it can look like happiness, but it’s more convincingly read as a symptom of normlessness and alienation—especially through classical and critical social theory.
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