Let me start by stating I am not a conspiracy theorist (not a massive one), but reading your post reminds me of one too many dystopic futures depicted in so many books and films whereby the general populace is herded like sheep and controlled.

Perhaps everything everything we have seen in the last 10-15 years have been working to this future of isolation. The internet, social media, the threat of domestic and global conflict, reality shows, Covid & the lockdowns.