Information age technology operates on the senses differently than technologies foundational to the west (phonetic literacy and the printing press).
The west is transitioning from the linear and rational to the immediate and tactile. We're moving from the eye to the ear; from civilized man to tribal man.
The ratio of our senses are changing along with the adoption of new technology. Out of this comes new values, new perceptions, new institutions, a crisis of identity.
Centralization -> Decentralization
Inflation -> Deflation
Those who adopt privacy and decentralization technologies sufficiently (self reliance) are best equipped to survive the transition with their western values and private identity intact (sovereign individuals).