#40 Wired for Belonging: Faith, Platforms, and the New Gods
As humans, we are wired for meaning. For belonging. For being part of something bigger than ourselves. Historically, religion filled this void for many. My grandparents, like most of their generation, attended church regularly. My parents did too, at least in their youth.
Like many in Sweden, I was born into Christianity without choosing it. Baptized before I could walk. Confirmed at 15, just like everyone else. But by then, I had already made up my mind. Not long after, I formally left the church.
Even though I stopped believing (or perhaps never truly started) I’ve always needed a purpose, something to believe in. Over the years, I’ve often wondered what we lose when we abandon religion, and what, if anything, fills that void.
“You are the first generation raised without religion”
When I was 20, I read Life After God by Douglas Coupland. The book stuck with me, not because it provided answers, but because it captured exactly how it feels to be lost in a world stripped of higher purpose.
Coupland writes: “You are the first generation raised without religion.”
A quiet loneliness runs through Coupland’s narrative. When we let go of religion, we also lose moral clarity and shared purpose. Things we haven’t yet learned to replace. We are floating. Free, yet somehow lost.
From Rock Stars to Innovators
Growing up, rock stars who spoke out on social issues and justice filled this void for me. Ironically, having left religion behind, one of the first bands I truly fell for was U2, perhaps the most overtly Christian band of their time. In the ’80s and ’90s, few bands could turn stadiums into cathedrals the way they did.
Later, I moved beyond musicians to worship a new kind of figure. The innovator. The founder. These people weren't just building products. They were “changing the world.”
Some of them even built new places of worship, promising to bring humanity closer together. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. We stopped questioning their motives, allowed them to rewrite the rules, and convinced ourselves that disruption was inherently good. Even when it undermined vital institutions like journalism and democracy.
The Church of Social Media
Credit to where credit’s due: these platforms initially helped us connect with loved ones and find our communities.
For a while, it genuinely felt good. We rediscovered old friends, formed niche communities, and shared our lives in ways previously impossible.
But soon, it became clear how vulnerable we were. Community came with exploitation: targeted ads, political manipulation... Algorithms decided what we saw, subtly reshaping our beliefs. Tools meant to empower us left us anxious and divided. Society became more susceptible to manipulation than ever before.
While we’ve been busy liking and posting, a handful of powerful people quietly seized control. Platforms became our new churches, each preaching (or selling) its own doctrine. By the time we noticed, it was too late.
Instruments of Authoritarianism
The Cambridge Analytica scandal should have served as a warning. Instead, it seemed to inspire more sophisticated forms of exploitation.
In April 2022, shortly after Trump announced Truth Social, Elon Musk made his bid for Twitter. Around this time, during a hike with Per Folkeson and Fredrik Hildebrand, I shared concern about Musk's intentions. He was far from today's "Dark MAGA" incarnation, yet, to me, his desire to become a kingmaker in the upcoming U.S. election was already clear. The Twitter deal seemed expensive then, but considering Musk’s current political influence, it has paid off handsomely.
Trump is now the pope of Truth Social. Musk is the cult leader of Twitter/X. Zuckerberg, the high priest of Facebook and Instagram. All are selling influence to the highest bidder. They exploit our need for belonging, turn us into products, and fuel division and anxiety. And it’s getting worse by the minute.
Politicians, Your Turn
I’m not suggesting we return to the communities of the past, and blind admiration of rock stars or tech founders won’t solve anything. But we still need community. We need it so bad that we will not leave, even when they are bad for us.
Some point to Mastodon and Bluesky, but without meaningful regulation and broader cultural shifts, they don’t stand a chance. I'm happy to be wrong here, but I simply think that the incumbents are too far ahead. The market won’t fix this. The financial incentives to maintain the status quo are simply too great.
The only path forward I can see is political. We need strong, forward-looking regulation that protects users, enforces transparency, and reins in monopolistic control. Digital spaces should serve the public interest, not shareholders. I don’t have much faith in the U.S. government, or in the current Swedish one either. Perhaps the EU will stay on its current path and find the courage to take on Big Tech. Who knows.
But, as long as politicians keep posting instead of legislating, nothing will change. And these platforms will continue to erode trust, fracture community, and deepen polarization.
We’re late in the game. Politicians. Your turn.