Connected Horizons: Exploring Online Work Aspirations Among Western Digital Nomads and Lao Youth

ABSTRACT This article explores the aspirations for digital work among two seemingly disparate groups: Lao rural–urban migrant youth and Western digital nomads. Based on ethnographic research in Laos and Thailand, we argue that despite differing socioeconomic backgrounds, both groups share strikingly similar aspirations for autonomy and self‐reliance through online work. This challenges existing theories that emphasize the local context of aspirations, suggesting that global connections and neoliberal values increasingly shape desires for a “good life” centered on digital labor. We analyze how these aspirations are formed through encounters with digital technologies, online communities, and global narratives of success, highlighting the role of the internet as both a source of inspiration and a means of achieving these goals. By examining these convergent aspirations, we advance the understanding of how global connections influence the formation and expression of aspiration in the digital age. These findings highlight the importance of exploring the complex interplay between individual aspirations, global connections, and evolving notions of digital work.