Technology is a ubiquitous feature of modern life that has been viewed as both a blessing and a curse. Unplugged tackles the topic of the proper role of technology by depicting a world from which it is absent. The novel is set at a wellness camp in which all the guests are required to surrender their phones, computers, and any other tech they use daily. Oasis founder Magnus Fellini is adamant that technology obstructs authentic communication rather than enhancing it. While the adults who visit the Oasis are unhappy to give up their gadgets, 12-year-old Jett Baranov feels particularly outraged because his father is the head of a major tech company. Jett has grown up with cutting-edge tech at his fingertips, but this luxury has done little to foster his growth as a human being.

Jett is the perfect embodiment of the threat that too much technology represents. As many experts in human psychology have noted, an excessive amount of time spent interfacing with some form of technology preempts time that might be spent interacting with real people and the world at large. While the problem affects everyone, young or old, excessive dependence on tech is a real danger to children and teens who are still developing the necessary social skills that are meant to serve them for a lifetime.