What is the most important commodity in the era of social media? Focus. Gone are the days when people were mostly consumers, and the sole goal of capitalists was to sell goods and yield a profit that would give them financial strength and political muscle. Then came the era of service. But now the table is turned. In the name of providing free services like Google, Facebook, and so forth, the race is now to steal our focus and big data, which in turn shapes us.

The rise of AI and other technologies has reached a point where they may use this huge data pool to manipulate us. They know even better than we do about our choices, traits, and follies, which we may miss due to certain biases. As a result, they can easily manipulate us.

This nexus is funded not only with billions of dollars but also with strong political and social forces. As a result, the modern human being is gradually nurtured just as these conglomerates want. And what is their goal? Alienate people. Make them individual and narcissistic. Create such an illusion that people get plunged into either superficial satisfaction or profound depression.

Humans' greatest strength has been their ability to adapt, which they achieved through deep social bonding. Unique traits like language and imagination bolstered these bindings, and civilizations thrived on.

But this strong bond is dangerous for powerful people who enjoy political and financial privilege. They have always tried to devise plans to divide people and keep their focus away from questioning power and reclaiming their rights. Modern social media has been a magic wand for them.

But it is impossible for an individual to break this colossal shackle. It needs an enormous amount of social movement and determination. Bangladesh is a prime example of how social media may cause enormous harm.

We have observed another farcical election, the third time in this regime, yet the plethora of content seemed to make us oblivious to that within a couple of weeks. We seem to be profoundly intoxicated and plunged into a fake world.

It is the most challenging thing to overcome the shackle and return to reality because the billion-dollar social media is designed in such a way that it gives us fake solace and satisfaction. We feel we are doing much for society and people; even the usurpation of mighty tyrants is nearby. Academicians call it slactivism, a fake feeling of activism.

Again, there are some people, knowingly or unintentionally, provoking this feeling and ultimately helping the regime and other powers who oppress people. For this slactivism, we feel reluctant to bond together in real life, harnessing the greatest strength of our species.

Well, the fight is very tough, to say the least. But the first step is to acknowledge it. We have a huge struggle ahead, but humans have somehow defied the odds and won. We have to keep the fight up, notwithstanding its enormity, to reclaim our most important assets.