Technofeudalism: The Rise of Digital Power and the New Economic Order

The sex work markets are changing. I’ve seen it first-hand—for example, in Boston in the late 90s, women could charge $300 an hour for no sex. Full service in Boston can be as high as $1200. As opposed to Amsterdam at the same time, which was $300 for full service. When sex work is illegal, wages are threefold higher. Why is that? Twenty years ago, catching a cab to the airport in Boston was $100. Today, it's $50. But why in a population collapse and supposedly a labor shortage? Many economic factors play into wages internationally. (1) incomes are not equal across borders, (2) countries are usually never in the same economic positions, and (3) a market like sex work is never isolated. Sex work is a commodity, but a concrete dollar difference is impossible to find.

With its demanding appetite for control and dominance, Big Tech has claimed ownership over human thought and behavior. The gravity of this violation cannot be overstated. Is this intentional or a byproduct of a system that encourages infinite growth? How are we monitored? How is our attention commodified? 

In "Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism?" by Yanis Varoufakis, data has become the most valuable asset on Earth. Capitalism has eaten itself and morphed into a new form, which he calls "Technofeudalism." In this framework, he argues that capitalism, driven by technological advancements, has led to a concentration of power and wealth in a few tech giants and elites, reminiscent of feudalism's concentration in the hands of lords and aristocrats.

This transformation has significant implications for society, economics, and politics. The rise of techno-feudalism exacerbates inequality, erodes democracy, and creates a system where a small elite controls vast resources and dictates economic and social life.

Regarding the impact on the sex work market, techno-feudalism can intensify existing inequalities and power imbalances within this industry. Tech platforms and digital marketplaces increasingly dominate the sex work economy, shaping its dynamics and extracting property. This concentration of power in the hands of a few platforms can marginalize individual sex workers, limit their autonomy, and deepen vulnerabilities such as exploitation and precarious working conditions.