Reality Drift Connection Papers: Interpreting Modern Systems

A collection of short conceptual papers connecting widely discussed technological and cultural phenomena to the Reality Drift framework.

Each paper examines familiar concepts and experiences such as the attention economy, the Dead Internet Theory, enshittification, institutional failure, and AI alignment and explains how these dynamics reflect deeper structural patterns in modern digital, institutional, and information systems.

These papers serve as bridges between everyday observations about modern technology and the broader mechanisms described in the Reality Drift framework, including the Optimization Trap, Synthetic Realness, Filter Fatigue, and Reality Drift itself.

• Reality Drift and the Attention Economy [PDF]
• Reality Drift and the Dead Internet Theory [PDF]
• Reality Drift and Enshittification [PDF]
• Reality Drift and Institutional Failure [PDF]
• Reality Drift and AI Alignment [PDF]

Concept Framework PDFs:

• Reality Drift
• Filter Fatigue
• Synthetic Realness
• Optimization Trap
• The Drifted Self

Extended Material:

• Reality Drift Canonical Definition
• Visual Reference Material
• Extended Working Papers
• Glossary
• Mechanics & Taxonomy
• Drift/Fidelity Index
• Connection Papers
• Recognition Guides

Note: This site hosts a reader edition for archival and reference purposes.