A PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION’S IMPACT ON VIETNAM’S SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL LIFE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22452/jati.vol30no2.5Keywords:
cultural identity, Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), modernisation, spiritual life,, VietnamAbstract
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is transforming Vietnam’s economic, cultural, and spiritual landscape through the accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence, automation, and pervasive digital connectivity. This article investigates how key 4IR dynamics—global cultural flows, platform-mediated communication, data-driven governance, and shifts in labour regimes—intersect with Vietnam’s philosophical and cultural traditions rooted in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Marxist humanism. Drawing on an integrative qualitative thematic review of peer-reviewed literature and policy documents (2015–2025), combined with interpretive philosophical analysis, the study identifies four overarching themes: first, tensions between cultural continuity and the commodification of heritage; second, changing youth values and the emergence of digital subjectivities; third, ethical challenges associated with automation, datafication, and surveillance; and (4) the mediating influence of education and cultural policy. The findings argue that while 4IR poses significant risks of cultural erosion, it also presents opportunities for renewal through digitisation, creative industries, and community-centred cultural technologies. The paper introduces a Vietnam-specific analytical framework that links technological drivers, institutional mediators (education, policy, and digital platforms), and resulting impacts on cultural identity and spiritual well-being. It concludes with recommendations for human-centred AI governance, curriculum reform integrating digital citizenship and cultural literacy, strengthened support for the digitisation of intangible heritage, and community partnerships that sustain spiritual practices in hybrid online–offline forms. Achieving a balance between modernisation and cultural stewardship is essential if Vietnam is to harness the benefits of 4IR without compromising the values that underpin its social cohesion and spiritual life.
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