COMMODIFICATION OF EMOTIONS: EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON HUMAN FEELINGS IN CYBERPUNK LITERATURE

Abstract

This study examines the commodification of emotions in cyberpunk literature, focusing on how advanced technologies reshape, manipulate, and commercialize human feelings. Cyberpunk narratives frequently depict worlds where emotions are no longer purely internal, subjective experiences but are instead externalized, digitized, and traded as valuable commodities. Through the analysis of key texts within the genre, this paper explores how neural implants, artificial intelligence, and immersive virtual environments enable corporations and institutions to access, regulate, and monetize affective states. The research argues that cyberpunk literature reflects contemporary anxieties about the growing influence of technology on emotional life. By portraying characters whose feelings can be programmed, suppressed, or sold, these works question the authenticity of human experience in technologically saturated societies. The commodification of emotions often results in a loss of autonomy, as individuals become dependent on systems that dictate their emotional responses. At the same time, cyberpunk texts also highlight resistance, illustrating how characters attempt to reclaim emotional agency in the face of technological control. Furthermore, this paper situates cyberpunk within broader theoretical discussions about late capitalism, where even the most intimate aspects of human existence are subject to market forces. Emotions, once considered inherently personal and intangible, are transformed into quantifiable and exchangeable assets. This shift not only alters interpersonal relationships but also redefines what it means to be human. Ultimately, the study concludes that cyberpunk literature serves as a critical lens through which to examine the ethical and philosophical implications of emotional commodification, urging readers to reflect on the boundaries between technologies, identity, and affect in an increasingly digitized   world.