Reality Drift — Interpreting Modern Systems

A collection of short papers connecting familiar technological and cultural problems to the Reality Drift framework.

These pieces revisit concepts such as the attention economy, enshittification, institutional failure, and AI alignment through a shared structural lens. The goal is not to rename those problems, but to show what they have in common.

Across these domains, the same pattern appears: optimization pressure increases, constraints weaken, and systems become better at preserving function than maintaining contact with reality.

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Cross-Domain Interpretations

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

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Concept Modules

These diagnostics map to the core concepts below:

• Reality Drift
• Optimization Trap
• Synthetic Realness
• Filter Fatigue
• Cognitive Drift
• The Age of Drift
• Recursive Compression
• Constraint Collapse

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Explore The Framework

Core Framework

• Reality Drift Canonical Definition
• Mechanics and Taxonomy (PDF)
• Drift/Fidelity Index (PDF)

Visual & Conceptual

• Visual Reference Archive
• Canonical Glossary

Applications & Expansion

• Reality Drift Explained
• Recognition Guides
• Connection Papers
• The Age of Drift (Reader Edition)

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Note: This site functions as a lightweight archive and reference layer for the Reality Drift framework. Primary essays and long-form writing are distributed across external platforms.

Substack • GitHub • DOI

Part of Reality Drift Framework by A. Jacobs (2023-2026)