Surveillance, Simulation, and the Fragmented Self: A Postmodern Critique of Digital Identity in Dave Eggers' The Every

This paper explores the ways in which the surveillance, simulation, and fragmentation of identity mechanisms in the modern world through digital media are criticized by Dave Eggers in his novel The Every. The current paper discusses the increasing necessity to explore psychological and sociopolitical issues related to the existence in an algorithmic governance context. Incorporating both literature and surveillance capitalism, this study aims to explore how fiction can serve as a diagnostic medium for examining the human condition in data-driven environments. The study employs a qualitative analysis of the literature. It applies an integrated theoretical approach, comprising concepts such as panopticism simulation, as explored by Michel Foucault and Jean Baudrillard, respectively, and the theory of postmodern identity. The analysis exposes three key findings: (1) the normalisation and internalisation of digital surveillance via participatory platforms, (2) the dominance of algorithmic simulation over authentic experience, and (3) the formation of fragmented, performing digital identities. These findings underscore the novel's critical exploration of power, subjectivity, and reality in the post-digital era. The paper comes to the conclusion that The Every is a literary review and a hypothetical presentation of surveillance capitalism. It contributes a unique interdisciplinary model for analyzing digital fiction, highlighting the value of literary texts in examining the psychological and political implications of platform life.