Alexis Christodoulou, The Mirage, 2022 

Ever since in 2018 Apple introduced screen time, everyone has been able to keep track of the time they spend looking at their smartphone and how long we hang around in social media. We definitely spend far too much time online, in fact much more than we think. People in the United States spend over 3 hours per day on it, and check their phones an average of 344 times per day. So, what are these places that we visit so often and why are they so important to us? 

Newer generations of digital natives visit online venues even more frequently. An average Gen Z spends more than 8 hours online daily across different platforms. They occupy a larger amount of their leisure time on video games than with any other pastime. The interesting thing is that a growing percentage uses games to simply hang out, without playing. Videogames have evolved into social platforms. No longer centered only around the idea of entertainment, they become meeting points and marketplaces – not only for playing, but also for viewing, socializing, and shopping. The appeal of a shared experience and of a sense of belonging can help us understand the lure of the new unreal communities. Whereas our parents got to know each other in college and you met your spouse at a bar, our children can meet their partners online...

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