Illusions of connection and realities of solitude: a cultural critique of digital sociability in Kentukis by Samanta Schweblin

Abstract

Samanta Schweblin’s novel Kentukis takes as its premise the integration of a new technological prod- uct—a plush toy—into human daily life, unfolding a fantastical exploration of the cultural charac- teristics of social networks under digital capitalism. This paper examines the loneliness, insecurity, and spiritual alienation experienced by modern individuals in today’s hyperconnected world from three interrelated perspectives: the utopian and dystopian duality of social networks, the condition of “gazing” and “being gazed at” under panoramic surveillance, and the superficiality and illusory nature of cyber-intimate relationships. The novel shows that, while new technologies offer openness and the possibility of connection, they also exacerbate privacy erosion, power concentration, and re- lational alienation through platform monopolies, data manipulation, and the restructuring of rules. Kentukis not only presents the idealized vision and hidden crises of digital social culture but also reflects the persistent tension between connection and loneliness, freedom and control in the digital age, thereby provoking a profound reflection on how technological design, ethical principles, and socio-cultural frameworks might achieve a dynamic and sustainable balance.