For years, the tech sector operated on the slogan "Data is the new oil". But the metaphor fails on two fronts. As systems analyst Nate Hagens (The Great Simplification) highlights, humanity needs to move away from fossil resources entirely. At the same time, concentrating vast amounts of data in the hands of a few tech oligarchs drives societal alienation rather than progress. In an age oversaturated with AI and algorithms, we do not need more data points; we need genuine human connection. Technology must cease serving as an extractive tool and instead support real-world community building.
