Ethical imperatives and anthropological risks of total gamification of living space

Abstract

Urgency of the research. The article substantiates that the rapid implementation of game mechanics into non-game contexts, known as total gamification, radically transforms the architecture of human living space. The process of converting everyday practices into game simulations requires a profound philosophical and anthropological analysis, as it affects the fundamental principles of human existence, changing the ways of social interaction and ethical choice in a digital society.

Target setting. The main focus is on identifying and systematizing anthropological risks arising from the uncritical perception of gamification as a universal tool for optimizing human activity. The problem lies in the threat of loss of subjective autonomy, erosion of authenticity, and devaluation of moral values due to the replacement of internal motivation with an external system of game rewards and ratings.

Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. The work analyzes the key ideas of B. Kultayeva on the anthropological dimensions of modern culture, J. Huizinga's concepts regarding the play element of culture, and B.-C. Han's critical views on digital disciplinarity. Modern developments in the field of ethics of technology are comprehended, allowing for a holistic understanding of the impact of algorithmized games on the structure of human morality and consciousness.Special attention is paid to the 2022–2024 studies on the ethics of digital platforms and behavioral design. The methodological basis consists of critical social theory and phenomenological analysis of digital practices.

The research objective. The aim of the research is to explicate ethical imperatives that allow minimizing the destructive influence of total gamification on the personality. The task is to reveal the mechanisms of manipulative influence of game systems on individual behavior and to determine the limits of acceptability of game design in education, professional activity, and private life. The scientific novelty lies in the systematization of the anthropological risks of total gamification and the substantiation of normative imperatives to protect subjective autonomy.

The statement of basic materials. The phenomenon of quantification of existence and the risks of "algorithmic morality," where an action is evaluated by technical efficiency rather than value content, are investigated. It is substantiated that total gamification leads to infantilization of consciousness and the formation of "game conformism." Ethical challenges associated with digital narcissism and loss of deep empathy in gamified social networks are analyzed. Imperatives of transparency and preservation of non-gamified zones of experience are proposed.

Conclusions. It is proved that without the formation of new ethical guidelines, total gamification becomes a tool of biopolitical control. It is emphasized that the preservation of human authenticity is possible only under the condition of critical reflection on game mechanisms and the assertion of the priority of internal moral freedom over algorithmized stimulation.