Media, Extension, Escapism and Social Isolation The paradoxes of communication in post-covid social relations

Abstract

Introduction: The impact of digital media has profoundly influenced society, leading more to social isolation and fragmentation than the cultural unification predicted by traditional media theories. This phenomenon has been intensified by the Covid-19 crisis, reviving a utopian vision of the past characteristic of Postmodernity. Methodology: The article proposes an observational analysis of the resurgence of escapist ideas in the post-pandemic context, examining how these tendencies contribute to social isolation and reinforce societal fragmentation. Results: The pandemic has exacerbated feelings of uncertainty and isolation, driving a return to utopian and escapist ideals as defense mechanisms against the current reality. Discussion: The implications of this return to utopianism and escapism in the post-pandemic discourse are debated, considering their role in maintaining social isolation and deepening social fragmentation. Conclusions: The article concludes that, far from unifying cultures, digital media and the Covid-19 crisis have accelerated the trend towards isolation and fragmentation, with a notable resurgence of nostalgia and escapism as responses to the uncertainty of the present.