“…the disintegration of our social fabric,

namely, social atomization, or the basic unit

of society being broken down into smaller
parts.”

Social
Atomization
“…the pursuit of one’s own self-interest…”
“…Social atomization arises from the lack of social connections and becomes
the deconstructive force of human life together. With the outbreak of the
epidemic, social atomization has become a new challenge. The design of
multicultural public space in the post-epidemic era is still a relatively new
research area.”
Liu, J., & Kim, S. (2021). Environment: Based on the Theory of Social Atomism.
Archives of Design Research, 34(2), 21-31.
https://lynnindustries.com/life/social-
skills/social-atomisation/
People have been asked to maintain social distance,
wear masks, and work remotely due to the Covid-
19 pandemic.

The public was forced to stay home when Covid-19

cases increased dramatically.

Public spaces have been strictly regulated; dine-in

restaurants, for instance, have been forbidden.

Health and safety measures must be taken, but

individual reactions may differ.

Others have adjusted to life in isolation and even

enjoy it because they are willing to adapt to this
individualistic social environment.

http://journals.ru.lv/index.php/SIE/artic
le/view/1389
The development of information technology as the technological
foundation of modern society has permeated all areas of society
and has had a major impact on the way people live and shape
their lives.

On the one hand, the intensive application of information

technology innovations in everyday social life and the emergence
of the sphere of virtual communication create a wide space for the
realization of opportunities. Still, on the other hand, the social
nature of personalities is often leading to atomization.

Certain research urgency is caused by the dynamics of information

flow as a global factor of contemporaneity. This has led to the
problem of social atomization of personality expressed in
mediated communication characterized by individual isolation.

Virtual environments become the main subject and a channel of

communication that eliminates traditional methods of
relationship.

http://dx.doi.org/10.17770/sie2016vol2.1389
The “atomization” of society
did not start with the COVID-
19 pandemic. It started over
ten years ago. Social
fragmentation is the process
by which the extended family,
conceived as a molecule, is
replaced by a “core” family,
further broken down into sub-
particles whose individuality
becomes clearer as
relationships dissolve.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highl
ights/atomised-society-and-
politics-in-the-arab-world/
 Smart cities
Smart apartments (small and costly)
The end of Smart urban planning yet individualistic
social capital? Travelling is an
focus on individual convenience
escape?
(safety vs contact)
Migrant workers as 20th-century slaves
Smart urban Smart
lifestyle disconnected
Dehumanised conveniently co- Travelling as
Travelling as a luxury living (loosely
problem solution
expenditure connected)
Income gap communities
Animals more Decreased levels
than humans of trust

Smart individualism
Exponential choice
The end of the Options leverage Travelling helps
family society AR, VR, IoT adjust the self
cornerstone? Smart boring education and values?
Mechanicist
methaphor