Why Do All the New Technologies Make Us Sad?
Why Do All the New Technologies Make Us Sad?
Shouldn’t tech make life better?
We tend to imagine that technology is a purely positive force: more convenience, more connection, more productivity, more leisure. But in practice, many of us feel—at times—more anxious, lonely, empty, or frustrated precisely because of new technologies. In this post, I explore why it often feels like tech makes us sad, why that tension exists, and how it connects to one of the more bizarre political episodes in recent memory: the saga of the TikTok ban under Donald Trump and how it illustrates the dark side of tech, power, and control.
The Paradox of Progress: Why “Better” Can Feel Worse
1. Addiction, Reward Loops, and Emotional Volatility
Modern tech platforms (social media, apps, streaming services) are engineered around attention. They trigger dopamine hits: likes, notifications, validation, novelty. That keeps us coming back, but it can also make us emotionally volatile, constantly chasing the next bounce of feedback.
When the reward circuits don’t deliver as expected (we get fewer likes, less engagement, negative comments), the gap between expectation and reality leads to disappointment, stress, or self-doubt.
2. Comparison, Envy, and Low Self-Esteem
On social media, we see highlight reels of others’ lives. The glossy, filtered images fuel comparisons: “they are doing better, living more, succeeding more.” That triggers envy, shame, and the sense that we’re lacking.
Because these comparisons are nearly constant, many people say their self-esteem is undermined by extended exposure to curated content.
3. Isolation and Superficial Connection
Paradoxically, platforms meant to connect us can isolate us. Many interactions are shallow—likes, comments, emojis—and lack the depth of in-person conversation. Over time, people report feeling lonely or socially empty.
For younger people especially, replacing in-person social time with screen time can erode emotional resilience and increase depression risk.
4. Information Overload, Anxiety, and FOMO
We live in an always-on information environment. Push notifications, breaking news, social media updates—all bombard us. This constant stimulation can lead to stress, anxiety, decision fatigue, and a sense of overwhelm.
Then there’s FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): seeing friends engage in events or discussions you’re not part of can deepen a feeling of exclusion.
5. The Business Model: Monetize Me
Many technologies leverage data collection, targeted advertising, addictive engagement loops to drive profit. That often means your attention is being sold, and your experience shaped to maximize time on platform—regardless of whether it’s healthy for you.
The incentive is not your well-being, but your eyeballs and your data.
6. Unrealistic Expectations & Disappointment
We expect technology to solve everything—erase friction, make life perfect. When tech fails (bugs, data breaches, algorithmic errors, invasive ads), the gap between ideal and reality can heighten frustration. We buy into the utopia promise; we live in the flawed reality.
Shouldn’t Technology Make Life Better?
Absolutely, and it does, in many ways:
In medicine, diagnostics, accessibility, education, communications, remote work, infrastructure, and more, tech enables things that were impossible a few decades ago.
It amplifies marginalized voices, democratizes content creation, connects distant communities, accelerates scientific discovery.
On the personal level, it can free up time, automate tedious tasks, and enhance convenience.
But the problem lies in how technologies are designed, deployed, monetized, and regulated. The promise is not always matched by the incentive, and the costs—emotional, psychological, social—are often externalized (borne by users).
The TikTok Ban Saga: A Strange Intersection of Tech, Power & Emotion
The recent drama around Donald Trump’s handling of the TikTok ban offers a vivid case study of how technology, politics, and emotional life collide.
Background: From Ban to “Save It”
In his first term, Trump issued an executive order to ban TikTok (if its Chinese parent ByteDance didn’t divest), citing national security concerns.
Courts blocked the ban repeatedly.
In 2024, Congress passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, sending to TikTok a sell-or-shutdown ultimatum.
But suddenly, Trump reversed—or softened—his stance. He claimed that TikTok helped him win the 2024 election, pledging to “save” it. Some observers suspect influence by donors with financial exposure.
In January 2025, TikTok briefly went dark (shutdown) just before inauguration—but was restored when Trump promised to reverse or delay the ban.
Trump then used executive orders to delay the ban’s enforcement, effectively refusing to enforce legislation passed by Congress.
Critics say this is a dangerous overreach: treating a law passed overwhelmingly by Congress as optional. Some legal scholars call it a de facto suspension of law.
This is not just policy theater. It illustrates how technology platforms become political prizes and tools of influence—and how decisions about who controls the platforms, who censors content, who moderates speech, etc., are deeply emotional and political.
What It Reveals About Our Tech-Sadness
1. Technology as Power Tool
The TikTok episode shows that tech is not value neutral—it’s a lever of political, economic, and cultural influence. Control over social media means control over narratives, persuasion, and public discourse.
2. Emotional Stakes & Identity
For many users, TikTok is not just an app; it’s a creative outlet, a social space, an identity platform. Threatening to shut it off can feel like existential violence to those who rely on it.
3. Arbitrariness and Uncertainty
The sudden flip from ban to “save” demonstrates how unstable the norms are around tech governance. You never know which regulation or executive whim might disrupt your digital life.
4. Law Versus Executive Will
Refusing to enforce a law with executive orders undermines trust in institutions. If laws about tech can be ignored at will, the stability and predictability we expect from systems break down.
5. Public Manipulation & Narrative Control
The battle over TikTok is also a media battle: who frames it as “saving free speech” versus “bending to special interests”? That framing shapes how we feel about tech—are we empowered or manipulated?
What Can We Do? (For Writers, Users, Tech Critics)
Set boundaries: limit screen time, mute notifications, schedule tech-free periods.
Curate your feed: follow accounts that uplift, educate, entertain—purge toxic or comparison triggers.
Offline relationships: invest in real conversations, friendships, shared presence.
Digital literacy: read how algorithms work, how data is monetized, and how governance happens behind the scenes.
Advocate for transparency & regulation: push for laws that hold platforms accountable, protect privacy, limit manipulative design.
Practice emotional resilience: therapy, journaling, self-awareness about how tech affects your mood.
Suggested Labels / Tags
technology & mental health
tech paradox
social media sadness
executive power / TikTok ban
digital well-being
political tech
social media policy
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