The New Spirit of Capitalism: a Global Village of Digital Nomads
Beyond excited to go online with my blog adele.digital 🤍; and share a short version of my MA graduation project - research on digital nomads, impacts of globalisation and the changing values of a modern workforce, as reflected on different media outlets. Different digital research methods and techniques were employed to capture and gather data from social media outlets to perform a cross-platform analysis to understand cultural phenomena and societal change better.
For the complete research version, email me at hi@adele.digital, and I'll send it your way!
*this is my personal blog; information presented here does not reflect or present views of other institutions, businesses or legal entities.
A phenomena of digital nomadism became more topical during the global pandemic, and attracted attention of social media users: Portuguese blames digital nomads for excluding locals from the housing market¹, people in Medellín are afraid of becoming homeless due to gentrification², while media outlets urge digital nomads to reconsider the impact of their lifestyle and become more ethical towards the local businesses and communities³. Digital Nomadism is becoming an internet subculture, symbolising alternative values and practices to the prevailing society⁴. Travel blogs, YouTube channels and social media accounts explain and market digital nomads' lifestyles to others, share experiences, and sell products, services and travel packages. In addition, nomads are forming online communities through forums and social media platforms to share their knowledge, experience and communicate with others. As further examples will illustrate, digital nomadism is often promoted as an antidote to the 9-to-5 work routine, a compelling and never-boring lifestyle available to everyone.
Most popular destinations among digital nomads tend to be warm and affordable, where nomads can benefit from the strength of their passports and leverage the Global North income with local prices⁵. As of 2023, top destinations for digital nomads are considered to be places in Portugal, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, South Africa, Costa Rica, and Mexico, all offering relatively cheap living compared to the home countries of nomads⁶. Thus this research aims to answer a question: How does online content about digital nomadism promote values of the new spirit of capitalism? Hereby I argue that digital nomad lifestyle and culture praise the values of the new spirit of capitalism while ignoring its downfalls and consequences for nomads and the places they occupy. Notions on placelessness, neocolonial influences, among others, will further be exemplified to understand how the digitalisation of work changed the concept of it. Three social media platforms - YouTube, Instagram and TikTok - are examined to comprehend how this phenomenon is presented online; and employed as a social research tool.
Literature
This section aims to provide an overview of existing literature regarding digital nomad definition, the critiques on the traditional labour system and globalisation as an empowering force for digital nomadism. This part of the research will also provide examples of how digital nomads are perceived by outsiders and local communities, while self-representation of digital nomads is going to be studied further in the Analysis part. The new spirit of capitalism⁷ finally going to be discussed, and its impact on shaping the new experience of labour through digital technology advancements. The purpose is to provide all necessary theoretical context for further research and analysis.
Critiques on Traditional Labour
This section will overview existing critiques on the traditional labour system and influencing factors are analysed to comprehend why the shift towards an alternative workstyle is happening in the first place. The revised Herzberg's Two-Factor theory⁸ according to modern-day workplaces suggests that instead of having two different spectrums to measure satisfaction and dissatisfaction, contemporary labour tends to be measured on one scale since the factors got more complex and interconnected. Further, critiques on traditional labour in the modern workplace are going to be explained as hygiene factors forcing professionals to look for alternative work models, on one scale of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, including burnout and overwork, routine, and power structures, to start with.
Overwork. WHO⁹ classified burnout as an occupational phenomenon, naming it “a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress, characterized by exhaustion, increased mental distance from the job, as well as reduced professional efficacy”. Another example of deeply rooted overwork culture can be found in Japan: “Karoshi” (translated as “work to death”), an official term introduced in the 1980s and defined as a ‘condition of being permanently unable to work or dead” caused by cerebral/cardio diseases, mental disorders and suicides¹⁰. However, according to the WHO report¹¹, 488 million people worldwide were exposed to long working hours (considered more than 55 working hours and more per week), which resulted in almost 750 thousand deaths in one year.
Routine. The routine takes away the flexibility of the individual, as one’s tasks are already planned ahead without leaving space for creativity in time planning. Routines are introduced to workplaces because “efficiency requires bureaucracy, that bureaucracy impedes flexibility, and that organizations therefore confront a tradeoff between efficiency and flexibility”¹². Bureaucracy, routines, corporate policies and supervision were among the first demotivators in Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, resulting in high dissatisfaction with working conditions, which is still a relevant problem in today’s organisations¹³.
Power. Another essential thing needed for society and organisations to exist - is power, as a relationship between individuals or groups, as a process developing over time within structures, institutional systems, social integration and corresponding taboos¹⁴. Every organisation is based on power relations, with formal and informal objectives accepted by the ones that want to join it. Looking into the critiques of traditional labour arrangements relevant today, scholars point out some critical issues: the lack of career opportunities and increasing wealth gap, the cost of living crisis again reminds us of the power structures and inequalities.
As the influence of technologies and the power of connectivity grew, social media has become a new "form of employee voice"¹⁵. While Holland argues that the use of social media in the workplace can help employees to participate in surveys or other group decisions, others claim that social media can "redefine the nature of work in contemporary society"¹⁶. Further, new perspectives and international careers discovered due to globalisation and increased labour mobility are discussed.
Globalisation
Another critical factor that has helped digital nomadism to develop is globalisation¹⁷. By looking into the evolution of labour mobility, we can understand the beginnings of the digital nomadism lifestyle. Considering the fact that traditional labour hierarchy and old-school practices were criticised, globalisation opened the doors for workers to move around and look for different career paths and alternative lifestyles. Globalisation and global labour mobility have produced a new, location-independent, Transnational Capitalist Class¹⁸ :
Given the transnational integration of national economies, the mobility of capital and the global fragmentation and decentralisation of accumulation circuits, class formation is progressively less tied to territoriality.
Marshall McLuhan¹⁹ suggested that technology connects different nation-states into one interconnected “global village”, pointing out the importance of rapid technological development. Anthony Giddens analysed the effects of globalisation from a sociological perspective²⁰, where he described globalisation as the “intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away”. Giddens has identified several key features of globalisation, including the growing significance of transnational corporations that exert economic influence across national boundaries. Additionally, Giddens highlights the rise of global culture, illustrated by the spread of Western-style consumerism, music, and entertainment worldwide, arguing that modernity is a “Western project”. In an interview²¹ for Global Media and Communication Journal, Giddens explained:
There is constant communication across the world, in the sense of instantaneousness, of jumps from everywhere to everywhere. And this does not produce a seamless world that is everywhere similar; it does not produce a global village – I think McLuhan’s metaphor is not an appropriate one, really. In many ways it produces a more fractured world.
Giddens opposes McLuhan’s hypothesis that globalisation helps to create a global community and culture; instead - constant communication and transnational business only complete a more divided world and community. Wealth inequality and the cost of living crisis are great examples of how globalisation is increasing the divide between rich and poor, while technologies only benefit those who can employ them, instead of reducing the divide²².
The New Spirit of Capitalism
This section aims to outline the solutions to traditional work critiques via the new models of labour structures inspired by the shifting values of the workforce and globalisation’s effect on society. The New Spirit of Capitalism, a book originally published in 1999 by sociologists Luc Boltanski and Eve Chiapello, introduces an alternative to hierarchical work structure and “ideological changes that have accompanied recent transformations in capitalism”. Thus the values embraced by the New Spirit of Capitalism are autonomy, mobility, and flexibility, where digital nomadism gains momentum.
The authors suggest that the term flexibility saw major growth in business since the 1980s, intending to “transfer the burden of market uncertainty onto wage-earners”. Market uncertainty here is market demand for production or service output: if demand is low, flexible contracts allow organisations to lower the spending on wages. The concept can be further explained by dividing it into internal and external flexibilities: internal refers to the unique techniques making work more autonomous and including tasks like “multitasking, self-control”, while external refers to the “network organisation of work <…>; a labour force that is malleable in terms of employment, working hours, or the duration of work”. The demand for flexible work increased due to technological advantages and globalisation - world wide information access and communication services²³. An example from more recent scholarly work is Silicon Valley, described as “The Tetris Office” due to its expansive flexibility opportunities, used as a strategy to attract high-tech digital workers²⁴.
Mobility has been mentioned as a feature of modern-day careers, fostering work exploration and increasing autonomous career planning²⁵. The Theory of Career Mobility²⁶ suggests that mobility has a positive effect on an individual’s career development by introducing one to more different situations, people, cultures, and processes, and thus gives a person more knowledge about the industry or profession one is obtaining. Boltanski and Chiapello describe Mobility as more than just physical movement between places: “in a connexionist world, mobility - the ability to move around autonomously not only in geographical space, but also between people, or in mental space, between ideas”. Thus the ability to move - physically and mentally - is an antidote to routine. Mobility is an advantage that only a privileged part of society can leverage, connecting them into one global network society while leaving the disconnected part aside from technological improvements and information spread.
Autonomy and individualism tends to focus on the importance of personal achievements, making collective actions or teamwork more complicated²⁷. Thus, the best form of employment for digital nomads is to be completely autonomous from supervisors, colleagues, and employer’s values and become independent self-employed professionals. Autonomy is an exchange for security⁷, since freelance work does not provide guarantees for digital nomads, such as unemployment benefits, paid sick leave, maternity coverage or other traditional employment advantages. However, suppose the embrace of autonomy as a value of the new spirit of capitalism has transformed into a lack of empathy for the surroundings due to a prioritisation of self-interests, and can bring adverse consequences on the local communities²⁸. Examples in the following graph will further explain how the ideal of autonomy and heightened self-interest can affect others and their surroundings as digital nomadism is gaining more and more negative attention due to the ignorant attitudes towards local culture, traditions, and life quality of the long-time residents.
Digital Nomad
The first time term “digital nomad”, was introduced by Tsugio Makimoto and David Manners in their book Digital Nomad, describes technology-powered individuals earning money by working online and choosing alternative lifestyles - free from routine and full of adventures²⁹. Later, digital nomads were named a new leisure class³⁰ and half tourists³¹, with a lifestyle constructed around neocolonial imaginary for its exploitation of economic hierarchies³². An American entrepreneur and book author, Timothy Ferriss, introduced the concept of Geoarbitrage as one of several lifestyle design strategies: relocating to a less expensive place while keeping the same income. Geoarbitrage is also interpreted as opportunistic strategy that uses the systemic privileges offered to certain nationalities to navigate the global map to their own advantage²⁸. Although, from a perspective of a digital nomad³³, the strategy is presented as a sentimental idea allowing digital nomads to gather and build the community they have always dreamed of:
Cheap land, fertile tropical soil, and more cheap land has made the old school idea of communal utopia possible again. Here in the thick jungles and secluded palm-shaded beaches of Central America, thinkers and creatives can buy off-the-grid Edens in which to incubate whims between surf sessions and ceremonies.
At the same time, digital nomadism can also be seen as a response to the insecurity of work in the global economy: as traditional forms of employment become more unstable and uncertain, some individuals are turning to digital nomadism as a way to gain more control over their work and lifestyle³². Digital nomadism uses the rhetorics of traditional labour critiques and points out old work culture problems still relevant in the “modern” workplace: routine, overwork and burn-out, and power structures, together with unequal opportunities based on one’s background, make it harder to integrate into the fast-paced and demanding modern labour market, build on the constant competition. As the author of the book The Boho Manifesto³³, explains the emergence of the phenomenon of digital nomadism: “The corporate ladder is more of a rope swing these days”. Referring to the issues of traditional labour critiques, previously mentioned hierarchy and power structures.
Globalisation empowers the digital nomadism lifestyle by allowing the world to connect through technological advancements. Anthony Giddens explains the shift in society towards modernity as opposed to the traditional meaning of work and occupancy. While digital nomads embrace the significances that globalisation brings, the shift in values can be explained using Giddens’ four factors reshaping modern society:
Differential power. Digital Nomads, as a community, exceptionally well leverage their access to knowledge and are better positioned to oppose the traditional power structures. The opportunity to work online allows them to access freedom and an autonomous lifestyle, disconnecting from the usual hierarchy and routine. Moreover, they employ stronger currency to gain economic advantage against the people, earning local salaries³⁴.
The role of values. The change in values is created by shifting perspectives on the social world. By travelling and exploring new cultures and traditions, digital nomads are more likely to embrace non-traditional working styles while prioritising learning, health and personal growth. The philosophy of digital nomads can be considered a psychocentric approach - it tends to focus on the individual's internal factors such as mindset, attitude, and behaviour rather than external factors, such as socio-economic situation³⁵.
The impact of unintended consequences. Giddens explains this factor as an understanding of the ever-changing and mutable nature of the social world. Uncertainty about the future inspires them to embrace remote work’s non-traditional and unexplored horizons, while leaving the casual routine behind. Moreover, nomads are not trying to assimilate with the locals, because of the uncertainty about the future - they are not keen to learn the local tradition, culture and language; instead - they wish to have the western amenities and local residents and businesses are replaced with expats-oriented enterprises³⁶.
The reflexivity of modernity. In a globalised world where everyone can share their knowledge and experiences with friends or fans all around the world, the constant flow of information and ideas, the understanding of what is “new” and what is “modern” changes more rapidly than ever, while inspiring nomads to go to still-unexplored ends of the world. The Boho Manifesto³³ - a digital nomad lifestyle introducing book, names strong social media presence as a crucial thing for nomads: “an army of supporters and followers is a hard currency”. Many nomads try to make a living by becoming social media figures and influencers, forming alliances with brands for product placement and advertising, or by selling nomadism-related products and services, such as books, podcasts, coaching, retreats, and events³⁷.
The four factors illustrate how globalisation empowers the shift in personal values towards more flexibility, autonomy and mobility, challenging the traditional values of society. Similarly, the values empowered by globalisation reminisce the values of the new spirit of capitalism - providing a solid base for the emergence of digital nomadism. Additionally, the changing environment and the ever-evolving technological advantages and increase in world-wide connectivity embrace the movement of digital nomads.
On the contrary, the emergence of cosmopolitanism, increased mobility and flexibility for remote workers carry negative consequences for local communities and develop tension between the locals and newcomers. Portugal has been considered one of the top destinations for digital nomads ever since the pandemic started, while the rent prices in Lisbon increased by 37% in 2022³⁸. Below in Figure 2 presented example from Reddit, social news aggregation website, calling out Portugal-based digital nomads:
A post in r/LateStageCapitalism subreddit. Portuguese text on the right side “Trabalho mata e é uma seca” [Work kills and it’s boring]. Retrieved on 25 April 2023.
The comparison of the English text “Digital Nomads you are fucking disgusting!!!” with the Portuguese text, criticising the traditional labour system: “Work kills, and it’s boring” reflects the frustration of local people, who see newcomers as the privileged leisure class, while locals are priced out of their city. Although, digital nomads can be solely blamed since the Portuguese Government introduced D7 Residence Visa For Foreigners in 2007, which allows foreign citizens who wish to reside in Portugal as retirees or live on their income³⁹, with a single condition for applicants to earn at least €2,800 per month - four times Portugal’s minimum wage.
Portugal is an example of how the increased popularity of a country among international remote workers can negatively affect its community. It even inspired anti-gentrification groups to fight against soaring rents, higher emissions due to increased international flights, and income inequality between locals and newcomers¹. In an interview for The New European done by Chonghaile (2023), Portuguese housing-rights activist Rita Silva summarises the effects of globalisation in Lisbon’s local community:
What we have today is a country where the main economic sectors are real estate and tourism and these sectors produce precarious jobs and people can’t pay their rent. So yes, you promote some growth but the cost is rising inequality and the polarisation of society.
Although it does not include critiques towards governmental regulations and practices facilitating long-term stay, countries heavily relying on tourism had to introduce it due to the global pandemic. The phenomenon of digital nomads and their self-representation online will further be examined to understand what value propositions nomads are using to inspire others.
Methodology
In order to answer the research question - How does online content about digital nomadism promote values of the new spirit of capitalism? - different digital research methods⁴⁰ are employed. Digital data from different social media outlets thus will be used to perform a cross-platform analysis in order to comprehend better how digital nomadism is presented online. Primary sources include YouTube videos, Instagram posts, TikTok videos, Reddit post, individual Instagram and TikTok accounts, tourism and migration recommendations. As the name “digital nomad” suggests, the best place to look for information about digital nomads is the internet since the phenomenon is based on network technology²⁸, digital communication and social platforms, where they share travel tips, work experiences, and portfolios all at once³². In addition, mentioned social media sites have different platform vernaculars⁴¹, visual presentation, textual communication manners, and duration of videos: Social media platforms, are thus repurposed to use as a societal research tool to understand how the values of the new spirit of capitalism - autonomy, mobility, flexibility - are channelled online by various content creators.
According to a recent study⁴², young adults spend 3-4 hours on social media, which makes them more vulnerable to new trends online. At the same time, social media outlets are used as educational resources⁴³, especially among online travel communities, where information about and reviews of hotels, cafes, or co-working spaces are updated and retrieved from online platforms⁴⁴. Digital nomads are known to have a solid social media presence; so this research will help to understand in how the shifting values are promoted. Only publicly available information is chosen for this analysis. Limitations of the study include 1) time constraints to analyse a more significant sample of digital objects; 2) monolingual research presents only English-speaking world information.
AppScript for YouTube
YouTube studies can support a digital ethnographic examination of users’ interests, understanding of the topic, and preferences, such as views, likes or comments per video⁴⁵. YouTube videos also work as an infrastructure of recruitment⁴⁶ - a platform to share influence. In the case of digital nomad analysis, YouTube potentially spread the ideas of the new spirit of capitalism and related values of autonomy, flexibility, and mobility through the content of user-generated and commercial channels. To understand how digital nomadism is presented on YouTube, videos including the search phrase “digital nomad” in the title are extracted using YouTube Data API v3, including author, publication date, views, video description and active links to each. The data were extracted by forming a JavaScript query and processed using Microsoft Excel. This method is helpful in answering the research question because it helps to see the most popular and relevant videos regarding this topic. The five most viewed videos were filtered and selected as primary sources for further analysis because they have the most extensive scope of influence - the highest rate of views per video. Since all analysed videos were posted publicly and, at the time of research, available to the public, ethical considerations do not apply.
Zeeshuimer and 4CAT
To retrieve data from Instagram and TikTok platforms, a combination of Zeeshuimer and 4CAT (Capture and Analysis Tool) was employed. Both tools were developed by the Digital Methods Initiative (DMI), Internet Research Group of the University of Amsterdam. Zeeschuimer tool is a Firefox browser extension created to gather data and internet traffic from social media while scrolling Instagram and TikTok. The tool collects information about digital objects, such as video and thread ID, information about the author (username, avatar, followers, likes, number of videos), body text, timestamp, likes, comments, plays, hashtags, location, stickers, effects, and warnings. This information helps answer the research question and see how digital nomad lifestyles and shifting values are presented online.
First, research accounts for both platforms - Instagram and TikTok - are created to begin the research and avoid personalised content. Second, the research browser is set up to ensure personal results do not interfere with research objectives.
All things considered, several analysis methods within the 4CAT have been selected: co-hashtag network, the intensity of posts and scheduling, word cloud, as well as the most used words diagram to present the findings of this study. A hashtag can be perceived as a hybrid forum⁴⁷, it creates possibilities for communication between different institutions and individuals for a discussion concerning a specific topic. This study examines a keyword and search phrase "digital nomad", or in the case of a hashtag - #digitalnomad. Co-hashtag network analysis can also show new perspectives of the remote work practices, or communities gathering around them.
Further, high-following influencers from each platform, discovered through #digitalnomad, were selected for in-depth analysis. Their profiles are public, thus, according to the user’s terms and conditions of Instagram and TikTok, data is available for research. Analysis of individual influencers might include 1) post intensity, to see whether restricted mobility during the global pandemic had an effect on the amount of content produced by influencers, and an effect on the promotion of the new spirit of capitalism and the values of flexibility, autonomy, and mobility, which could have been challenged during this period because of uncertainty, travel restrictions, economic slowdown; 2) individual post analysis 3) co-hashtag network 4) Rank Flow diagram from the most used words. The method of analysis depends on the data gathered from each account and the format of content as well as platform vernaculars, so in some cases, the number of analysis methods per account might vary.
Analysis and Discussion
This section aims to provide a brief summary of the analysis and research results, as well as their interpretation and implications. The aim of this thesis was to answer a research question: How does online content about digital nomadism promote values of the new spirit of capitalism? In order to answer this question, content from three social media platforms was analysed.
Using the AppScript data scraping tool, 669 videos with the phrase “digital nomad” were retrieved from YouTube. The first video with the “digital nomad” keyword was created on 23 May 2015, a graph below presents the growth of this phenomena online. Five YouTube videos were analysed in-depth, they all fit under success stories, daily life, how-to, and awareness themes. The most popular genre of videos was success stories: nomads explaining how their life had changed when they started to practise this lifestyle and why they decided to do it; nomads also shared their international careers, and how they invested in local communities and real estate properties, to relocate there long-term. The idea of buying land and settling in one location could seem to contradict the concept of a digital nomadism lifestyle. However, nomads use it as a “base home”, where they spend only some of their time; during other times, their property is rented out on flexible house-sharing platforms like Airbnb, which was also often seen in co-hashtag analysis on Instagram. Motivating factors to become a digital nomad, most often mentioned in the videos are coming from problems of traditional work critiques, for example, to “heal from overwork”.
YouTube videos discussing ‘digital nomad’ and their views. Data retrieved using AppScript and YouTube Data API v3 on 11 May 2023.
As a primary advantage of this lifestyle, YouTubers mention affordable prices compared to their home country and flexibility of the lifestyle: the freedom: of location, of working hours and sense of adventure⁴⁸. Although what is affordable for the nomads is becoming unaffordable for the locals: Another video⁴⁹ mentions how this increased flexibility, autonomy, and mobility for some, can affect the others. It presents the aftermath of the geoarbitrage strategy employed by the nomads and foreign investments that can harm a place, making it soulless and pricing out the locals. Some hold Airbnb accountable for enabling buy-to-let gentrification⁵⁰ in Lisbon’s Alfama neighbourhood, saying that investments made to start an Airbnb as a business to support the rising demand for short and medium-term rental has forced long-term residents to leave. Another creator⁵¹ outlines that the lifestyle of digital nomadism and acceptance of the values of the new spirit of capitalism, like mobility, are available to a wealthier society and illustrated by the example of recently introduced visas for high-income digital nomads. Having said that, YouTube content related to digital nomadism concerns how-to and informational guides, though the most popular videos are about the success stories of real digital nomads.
Content creators from TikTok and Instagram were analysed to see the specialities and patterns of communication. Instagram digital nomads are mainly selling their lifestyle as an endless journey, where they work from their laptops in the mountains or under palm trees. Hashtags Instagram users, together with #digitalnomad, mostly use quite generic #travel, #blogger, #island, #palm. While TikTok videos have more noticeable diversity in co-hashtags, involving more digital nomad-specific hashtags like #vanlife, #escapethematrix💊, and #colonialism, among them. It appears that on TikTok, digital nomadism is analysed more widely from different perspectives because it is present on various forums as a hashtag⁴⁷. The chart below shows that, from Instagram users' perspective, the digital nomad lifestyle relates to mobility, flexibility as well as autonomy and independent decision making within the career path, once again proving the shifting values and embracing the new spirit of capitalism. Mobility is embraced by hashtags related to travel (#traveler, #traveldiaries, #travelgram), while hashtags like #entrepreneur, #worklifebalance, #freelance give a hint to the embrace of autonomy and flexibility among digital nomads using Instagram.
TikTok user @Christabellatravels describes traditional labour as “The Matrix” while using the hashtag #escapethematrix💊. It refers to a famous movie, The Matrix (1999), and a rather famous internet conspiracy theory, targeted against capitalism and supported by public figures like Andrew Tate, Elon Musk, Logan Paul, and coaches - influencers like @Christabellatravels for self-promotion⁵². The analogy is also related to pill emoji used by @Christabellatravels - if a person chooses the red pill, one will wake up and understand the truth. By considering traditional work as a problem, influencers sell “the solution” - a lifestyle free from The Matrix, and available by signing up for coaching. It is a fascinating discourse that was not spotted before on Instagram.
The figure above represents the most used words in @Christabellatravels TikTok videos’ descriptions. The terms she uses between 2019 and 2022 have similar trends related to the fun side of travel, while in 2023 (so far), many new terms are introduced related to sales and e-commerce as well as the masterclass she sells via TikTok; examples include #workandtravel, #howtogetstartedasdigitalnomad, #escapethematrix💊, #masterclass.
The users are also promoting the values of a new spirit of capitalism by example - living and sharing their daily highlights and troubles while managing location-independent entrepreneurship and teaching the ideas of the new spirit of capitalism: for example, how to generate income while travelling, where to look for a remote job, what rookie mistakes to avoid and so on. While criticising traditional forms of labour, digital nomadism glorifies the values of the new spirit of capitalism without acknowledging its problematic aspects: tourism-driven displacement, globalisation and gentrification of the local culture, taxation avoidance, and social polarisation. Tourism-driven displacement occurs when residential real estate properties are commercialised by turning into Airbnb and adapted to digital nomads' needs. While it does increase the income for property owners, long-term residents have to move out of their neighbourhoods. As it was seen from the highly adjusted infrastructure promoted by digital nomads, such as coworking spaces, a rapid influx of foreign remote workers changes the businesses serving the neighbourhoods, such as local cafes, bars, restaurants, and cultural spaces, by making it more suited for remote workers, and forgetting the needs of the lower-income local community.
Being highly concerned about autonomy, individuality, and self, digital nomads seem to forget their surroundings. By applying the ethos of digital nomadism, nomads are ignorant of their impact on the local communities. Being a global citizen comes with responsibilities, which are often forgotten by digital nomads: as they do not identify as living in one country, nomads rarely mention duties like taxes, and if they do - from a perspective of avoidance. Thus, Digital nomads are using infrastructure and development made by others while aiming to contribute as little as possible. The absence of contribution can be noted culture-wise, too: since nomads are going to explore others’ cultures rather than promote their own. These observations can clearly suggest that there is a lack of awareness of the impact of digital nomads. At the same time, the values they promote are primarily accessible to privileged workers with strong passports and solid income statements to qualify for digital nomads visas around the globe.
All things considered, digital nomadism promotes not only the values of the new spirit of capitalism but social polarisation too. Polarisation here refers to a society’s divide: an increasing divide between local inhabitants, long-term residents and newcomers, forming new sub-groups and often tension between them. In the case of digital nomads, they have no shared reality with the local people, and while nomads are experiencing the benefits of Western currencies and living inexpensive lives (compared to the expenses in their long-term places), residents are struggling to make ends meet, while booming real estate demand is pushing local-earning out of their neighbourhoods, which is fueling the tension between local and nomad the sub-groups.
Limitations of the study are as follows 1) time constraint; 2) monolingual research. First, the scope of the research could be increased by having more time to explore different resources, accounts, and videos. Second, the research was done in English and can represent the opinions and research of the English-speaking world and Media scholarly work presented or translated into English. Digital nomads in different languages and cultures may have different meanings, associations, and relations, but if to analyse local communities and potentially rising anti-nomadism movement, knowledge of local languages would be beneficial.
As for further research, cross-cultural or multilingual research could be a great addition to see whether key search terms, and co-hashtags are in different languages and contexts. Another interesting topic for further research considers online resistance to gentrification, taking cases by countries and cities, and performing qualitative interviews with long-term residents. Lastly, the relation between digital nomadism and conspiracy theories like #escapethematrix💊 can be examined as a strategy to capture a broader audience. An examination of possible relations between conspiracists and digital nomads would open a new way to analyse this recent phenomenon.
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