Homo Digitalis vs Downshifting: Toward the History of Spiritual Searches for the Fundamental Basis of Existence

Abstract

The article examines the emergence of the idea of downshifting in the context of the confrontation between digitalization and homo digitalis within the general philosophical problem of the interaction between nature and civilization. The emphasis is on identifying the reasons for the opposition between the natural and social worlds. The study includes a comparison of the religious justification for distancing oneself from the world and the philosophical position on the benefits of solitude. It analyzes the teachings of the Roman Stoics, the theory of J. J. Rousseau, and the practical project of H. Thoreau, which put forward the idea of downshifting as a response to the disruption of social communication. The moral aspect is proposed as a priority option when considering this problem.

The purpose of the article is to identify the reasons for the opposition between the natural and social worlds in the context of the confrontation between the homo digitalis and the practices of downshifting. The hypothesis of the opposition between nature and civilization can be considered through the moral problems of an individual who perceives increased social pressure as a threat to personal fulfillment.

Tasks: to reveal the process of transformation of ideas about practices of withdrawal from the world in the context of the digital identity of modern man; to study the problem of downshifting a social phenomenon; to determine the moral aspect and essence of confrontation in times of crisis in history.

The following scientific methods were used to achieve the stated goals and objectives: analysis and synthesis, historical and comparative analysis, phenomenological method (used to define the concepts of downshifting and homo digitalis), and a systematic scientific approach (which allowed us to consider the opposition to downshifting as a human environment).

The conclusions indicate that the analysis of philosophical theories related to the search for an alternative model of existence allows us to draw the following conclusions. The confrontation between nature and civilization can be viewed through the moral problems of an individual who perceives increased social pressure as a threat to personal fulfillment. Crisis periods in history, characterized by a breakdown in the moral order, the formalization of human relations, and the loss of universally significant goals, contribute to the emergence of forms of distancing the individual from the social system, one of which is downshifting, which allows one to free oneself from the negative influence of civilization in the form of social institutions. Historical and philosophical analogies can be used to justify the position: a break with civilized space is a consequence of the imperfection of the mechanism of social relations, which allows lies, hypocrisy, and greed as behavioral priorities. Downshifting as a way of life has the potential for moral transformation on a personal level, sharply contrasting itself with the homo digitalis of our time.