I find it striking that a particular cynicism toward big tech exists both on the far left and the far right, and even a large faction of moderates. It is, perhaps, one of the few positions that opposing camps can agree upon. The cynicism is that tech companies have turned us into addicted puppets and rabid consumers of our smart phones; devoid of true connection and consumed by the most instant-gratifying, yet ultimately vapid, hit of convenience or dopamine. And that they’ve reshaped life into a purely transactional experience profoundly disconnected from the real needs of ordinary people, such as: healthier lives, deeper connections, stronger communities. These critics long for a time when small businesses thrived and there was more of a personal touch from mom-and-pop establishments offering something wholesome.

Peter Thiel’s brand of cynicism is a little unique, but nonetheless still embodies much of the same sentiment. He points to technological stagnation; that several decades ago we were on a path to true advancement in hard sciences e.g. energy abundance, cancer cures and flying cars, but have fallen woefully short of expectations.

The trouble with all of the above critique, however, is that it fails to acknowledge a central issue: the role we as individuals have also played in the flow of events. Of course, tech companies have a a lot to answer for and are often guilty of misusing their power and neglecting their responsibilities. But this is one side of the equation. The other side, that gets scant discussion, is the role of our deeper human psychology and desires.

While those on the left would point to underregulation being the primary issue, folks like Thiel suggests stagnation has stemmed from overregulation and poor prioritization from venture capitalists. All of this may have it’s merit but I believe no sustainable change comes without simultaneously looking at ourselves, as individual consumers. This is not to “blame” ourselves, but to simply recognize that it takes two to tango. And if we continue to only fixate on one side of the equation, we are likely to stifle true progress.

There is a moment in Alan Moore’s graphic novel, Watchmen, that I think neatly reveals a dark truth about us. I prefer the quote in the 2009 film, The Watchmen, as the character of The Comedian stands amidst a post-apocalyptic scene of riots and violence in the background:

“What happened to the American dream? It came true. You’re looking at it.”

This is, in my view, a highly logical cynicism: and that is that we have ended up where we are simply because it is what we wanted. Tech companies, in fact, have worked flawlessly well at giving us exactly what we’ve desired, with pinpoint accuracy. We got the ability to binge watch Stranger Things for $9.99 a month while we get Ben & Jerry’s delivered via Uber Eats because it’s what we most wanted. It may be a tough pill to swallow, but in my view, that is the truth.

Consider this: you time travel back to 1990 and you survey people to choose from either of these two versions of 2025.

Option A

You get the ability to own a home on a minimum wage job. You live in a world where life expectancy is 20% more than it was in 1990. Your television is going to be more or less the same as it is today: there’ll be cable options for those who want to fork out and your public transport will all be airborne so you can get to work quicker. You’ll have a Discman to replace your Walkman for portable music and CD’s will cost the same as tapes, inflation-adjusted. And you’ll still have your paperback street atlas for navigating. Radio of course is alive and well. Electricity is a fraction of the price thanks to nuclear fusion. Cancer is a thing of the past and you can prevent a host of disease in your children thanks to genetic engineering.

Option B

You won’t be able to afford a home unless you’re upper middle class. Life expectancy will be about the same, and cancer is still with us. But get this: there’s this new thing called “the internet.” It connects everyone and everything, all the time. You’ll carry a pocket-sized “smartphone” that’s your bank, your map, your camera, your television, your record store, your photo-library, and your notepad. Any song, film, or book you want is instantly available. You can video call anyone across the globe for free. Shopping is clicking a few buttons, and nearly anything arrives at your door within days. You can order lunch, learn new skills, even build a career through this device; so switching careers is way easier. Media isn’t controlled by just a few companies, and instead millions of people create shows that you can watch and listen to on-demand. And the video games look like real life.

Oh and there’s endless porn, and it’s free.

*****

I’m thinking most people are going to chose Option B. We might like to believe the majority choose Option A, but I think that’s a farce.

We all know that if we give a child the option between junk food and healthy food, what it is they’re going to chose. We like to kid ourselves that as adults we somehow have profoundly better instincts for healthier desires. But by and large, we are not much better, at least not at this point in history.

Yet of course, there is a symbiotic relationship between us and markets. Meaning: markets give us what we want, but they also shape we want. It is a back-and-forth. For example, through the clever use of color, iconography, and product design, social media companies manipulate us in a direction, and we in turn demand something slight different, and so the cycle continues of evolving desire. We may have an impulsive tendency to click on outrage content, and by virtue of this are fed more extreme outrage content, etc.

So once again, big tech has a tremendous amount to answer for and continue to fall woefully short of prioritizing the collective well-being. But my point though is that in this symbiotic dance, for the most of us, the most useful place for our energy is on the side of the equation that we can control. Like any relationship, most progress comes when individuals focus on what they can do, rather than being relentlessly preoccupied with what their partner should do. It doesn’t mean their partner is devoid of responsibility, it just means that most of the time, more change manifests when we take independent ownership.

So, not to be blunt, but let’s take responsibility for what we’ve asked for and start thinking about how we all ask for something different. Or in other words, how do we grow or elevate ourselves to demand something else. And I don’t mean superficially telling ourselves that we want organic avocados more than we want Netflix, I mean actually wanting it more. That is easier said that done because that’s a huge change in our human psyche. And it’s our actions that will be the proof in the pudding.

I used to be addicted to watching films. I couldn’t get through a single day without feeling like I needed to scratch that itch. In hindsight, this was symptomatic of a degree of depression: a desire for a certain flavor of stimulation, dopamine, or escapism. And it flew under the radar because this type of behavior is sadly not at all abnormal. It’s taken years to reprogram how I glean happiness from the world and find it through means that feel healthier. And I can certainly attest to this transition being hard.

I think virtually everyone is addicted to something, usually several things. And it’s incredibly rare to find someone that isn’t. Defining addiction is somewhat subjective, but it’s pretty obvious when you don’t feel like you can get through a day or week without it. Many are addicted to video games, TV shows, social media, food, sex, porn, or even vague concepts as accolade and attention.

To free oneself of addiction is to become so powerful that one can truly elevate themselves. Or as the popular meme puts it: “to become ungovernable”. It is only then that we are not slaves to corporations that seek to profit from our weaknesses. And it is only then that the abundance of options that we are gifted can be used in favor of our prosperity, rather than in challenge of it.

In other words, we can complain all we like about the algorithms that exist in the modern world. But it is ultimately fruitless without first addressing the algorithms in our head.

Supply and demand is always a dance between consenting parties. Take radical ownership of the signals you send and the moves you make. For doing so will likely bring more joy and prosperity to yourself, and others.

a symbiotic relationship with markets

August 31, 2025 · 6 min read — Last Edited February 19, 2026