A Shift in Shopping (Contributor)

Contributor: Archie Chaudhury

The contemporary economy is what some might call, “different”. People do most of their shopping online, and even grocery shopping is mostly done alone. The world is in a paradox of both over-connectedness and isolation. This is present not only in global politics, but in the individual person as well. While politicians stress the importance of putting their country “first” and taking their country “back”, individuals are choosing efficient methods of shopping that makes life easier for them. The concept of just logging onto your computer and buying using online retail is so enticing that a handful of individuals in the United States do not even leave their house(New York Times). It certainly seems as if the increased social isolation in individuals has created a similar political environment, and vice-versa. It certainly seems like a classic “chicken or the egg” question.

 

In my opinion, individual isolation came first. The technology that made individual isolation possible also made the world much more connected, leading to increased global connections and immigration. This rise in immigration contributed to the the idea that people were losing their country, which in turn led to the rise of isolationist politicians such as Donald Trump. This rise had the effect of inspiring younger individuals to be even more isolationist, leading to that mentality dominating the United States.