#NoNewFriends
"HAUNTOLOGY" - DALL·E x radar
There are many reasons why it feels like there’s nothing new under the sun these days, but at least a portion of it comes down to us. Our lack of cultural coherence, of a clear pathway forward, our longing for a slower simpler existence, and our craving for a stronger sense of time and place are all major nostalgia drivers. Whether we’re romanticizing the past, imagining a suspended reality, or simply self-soothing with relics of bygone days, there’s something unsettling about the sheer extent of it. As some have pointed out, nostalgia can be a potent expression of ‘future fear’ or, if you want to get darker, an expression of hauntology: a reaction to impossible futures no longer within our reach.
Comfy-Cozy
"coziness has become a lifestyle" - DALL·E x radar
We’ve already discussed the dark side of cocoons, so we’re not going to say that we’re cocooning here. Except that, well — we totally are. Retreating to what’s familiar and cozy, we’re finding comfort in our not-cocoons — physically, digitally, and metaphorically. From cozy games in low-sodium spaces, to high-sodium comfort foods and warm and fuzzy décor, coziness has become a lifestyle. While we’re very much here for soft and slow, there’s a fine line between hibernating for well-being and hunkering down as a call for help.
Embracing the Bubble
"GENERATIVE PUBLIC SPACES" - DALL·E x radar
In times of volatility and uncertainty we cope by shrinking our circles, seeking connection and community while eliminating what friction we can. But friction is essential; as Eli Pariser outlines: “Public spaces are so generative precisely because we run into people we’d normally avoid…the social connections that run-ins create are critical in binding communities together across lines of difference.” When our only interactions are with friends, there’s no exchange — only reflection and amplification. So while the filter bubble is warm and cozy, it’s doing a number on our resilience, with a large cost to our collective synchrony.
