3/ A new kind of freedom
Rediscovering meaning
“In today’s fragmented world, where truth is constantly contested, cynism and irony have become a way to cope with uncertainty. ”
A countermovement is emerging as a response to the interconnected crisis and the erosion of shared understanding. It challenges the divisive impact of detachment from society and democracy, advocating for the rediscovery of open, critical thinking, genuine emotions and engagement with the world.
The past is a source of comfort and nostalgia, but it is also essential in shaping our future. When we get creative with how we look at history, it can spark new ideas and help us rethink the present. The key is figuring out how to work with the past in a way that leads us forward, rather than just holding us back with what’s already been.
Understanding the dynamics between the past, present, and future is important for understanding how culture and language evolve. Culture isn’t static, it is a living conversation, shaped by the stories we tell, the way we consume information, and how we navigate societal shifts. It is not just about preserving culture, it is about creating connection, value and meaning for the future.
Banner image: Escape from Reality by Feros
1/ Dark Times
Together in uncertainty
The weight of multiple crises seems beyond people’s grasp. Uncertainty increases our cognitive load, making it harder to think clearly and creatively. When we experience too much mental strain, it can lead to anxiety and overwhelm. The complexity of the collective challenges threatens to erode social cohesion and democratic participation.
People say they want more good news but don’t look for it. Negative inputs are sixteen times more influential to people than positive ones are, we are affected much more by bad news than by good news. People believe it more rapidly and react more impulsively. Our brains store the negativity, tension and fear. We spot angry faces faster than happy ones in a crowd, many languages have a much wider vocabulary for describing negative emotions than positive ones. We once had to pay attention to negative input to protect ourselves and survive, today it makes people cynical and weary.
The cycle of negative public sentiment is feeding the political and media discourse, creating negative public sentiment. This cycle makes it difficult to access moments of positive disruption, where unexpected, challenging ideas could trigger new thinking. To break free, we need new meta-perspectives, myths, narratives, and systems of meaning that can transform the conversation about the future and the quest we are on.
A new Dark Age of disengagement is emerging that fractures cultural coherence and disrupts collective progress. While disengagement isn’t inherently negative, it can also be a form of self-preservation or boundary-setting, it risks creating isolation and further division.
Why this matters
Thoughts are energy. A collective mindset shaped by fear and negativity is limiting.
The Nerve/ Meghann Stephenson
Painting of crossed fingers, evoking secrecy, hope, and ambiguity, inviting personal interpretation through anonymity. See more here
Time to Get Stone III/ Theo Mercier
Artwork that reflects the fragility and precariousness of modern life, where stability feels elusive. See more here
Atelier/ Liu Ye
Liu Ye liberates symbols of the past through imagination and fairy tales, creating new meanings that blend Eastern and Western cultural traditions. See more here
2/ Past & Future
Referencing history
The past offers nostalgia, a sense of comfort and playfulness. Nostalgia allows us to connect with earlier eras, not as static truths, but as evolving stories. Through it, history becomes a creative playground where traditions, aesthetics, and ideas are reimagined with a touch of humour or irony. This process is not about clinging to the past but finding joy in its reinterpretation, making it a source of inspiration for the present and future.
Art is a mirror of how humans act and appreciate the world around them. “The future is certain, it is the past which is unpredictable,” is an old Soviet joke about how authoritarian regimes edit history. The perception of time and history can reassert itself in the present and the future. Altered history is used to polarize society, to end dialogue, and to exclude those who offer different points of view.
The present time, when the very idea of the future seems at stake, could be the worst moment to turn our gaze to the past. Imagining the future as an apocalypse is a limiting perspective that might block new ways of understanding and solving problems.
The past is a force that needs work, cultural, social, political, and psychological, otherwise, it tends to reaffirm itself in the future. In the age of unlimited electronic data storage and unending news cycles, it feels as if the past is continually self-generating and emerging in new forms. Through technology, cinematography, fashion and AI, the past is reinterpreted. History is a research material, a source of imagery, a producer of revolutions, wars, inventions, and prophecies, and an object for thought. Enter through a joke, stay for some time, and dig through the past to the future. History is an experience.
Why this matters
The reinterpretation of history shapes our understanding of the present and future, allowing us to find new insights and solutions rather than being trapped by past narratives.
Gâteau/ Joana Vasconcelos
Wedding cake structure in the gardens of Waddesdon Manor commissioned by the Rothschild Foundation. See more here
Grand Theft Hamlet/ Pinny Grylls & Sam Crane
Grand Theft Hamlet is a 2024 British documentary film directed by Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls. The film documents the creative adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" within the virtual world of the Grand Theft Auto game. See more here
3/ Expressions of Culture
Protecting the soul of identity
Consumerism and algorithms have changed how culture is expressed and consumed. We view culture primarily through our phones. Algorithms shape what we see and experience, isolating people. Many are seeking deeper, more authentic connections with the world and each other, craving a sense of shared meaning and connection.
Corporate interests, changing media consumption and internet culture are flattening the diversity and essence of local cultures. As cities become less affordable due to rising living costs and venue rents, cultural production increasingly shifts either online, where it is filtered through algorithms, or to hyper-local, niche environments. This creates a split where culture is either mass or fragmented in isolated, small-scale communities.
Regions are increasingly safeguarding their cultural identity to preserve their unique history and heritage. The lens of a global, often Western-centric view of culture has changed the depth and diversity of local expressions. Traditional and emerging cultural forms struggle to find their place and keep and develop their identity, attracting younger generations to carry forward the crafts is a challenge. Deciding what to preserve and keep, and what to update, renew, and breathe new life into is important. Craft expressions passed down through generations are gaining fresh interest but remain at risk of being lost.
Cultural change is multifaceted, and change always happens at the edges. The combination of preserving local heritage and embracing societal change, safeguarding it from capitalism and extinction, defines the future of culture. The preservation and creation of cultural uniqueness, off-the-grid experiences and expressions need attention to make sure they keep their soul.
Why this matters
Once culture is lost, it cannot be fully reclaimed. Preservation and fresh energy are essential for keeping its soul and identity in the future.
Phone-free Events/ Offline Club
The Offline Club is an international initiative dedicated to fostering genuine human connections by organizing phone-free events and digital detox experiences. Founded in Amsterdam in 2023, the club has expanded to cities including London, Paris, Barcelona, and Milan. See more here
Tourism Protests/ Barcelona
In July 2024, demonstrators marched through popular tourist areas, chanting "tourists go home" and using water pistols to spray visitors. The protest was organized by the Assemblea de Barris pel Decreixement Turístic (Neighborhood Assembly for Tourism Degrowth), highlighting frustrations over housing shortages and increased living expenses attributed to the influx of tourists. See more here and here
Anta Collaboration/ Salehe Bembury
Salehe is known for his projects and collaborations that reflect culture, nature, and experimentation. His work reflects a commitment to pushing the boundaries of traditional design, encouraging people to embrace their uniqueness through engagement with thoughtfully crafted creations. See more here
4/ The Power of Folly
Irony and chaos
To establish something new, the old must be dismantled, and irony plays a role in this demolition. Ironic thinking means rephrasing and finding new words. Irony is a defense mechanism that provides invulnerability; it cannot be attacked because it has already disarmed itself. The risk of irony lies in how it can be weaponized to distort meaning.
An overly ironized society poses a challenge to meaningful connection and shared understanding. When facts are treated as opinions and subjective interpretations dominate, the sense of objective truth erodes, fostering a tendency to relativize everything, even one’s own existence. This detachment can result in a disoriented and disengaged public, where the void left by meaninglessness cannot be filled by fleeting emotions like nostalgia or melancholy.
Irony also has the power to critique societal norms and provoke thought and reflection. In the right context, it can challenge assumptions, encourage a deeper understanding of complex issues, and reveal the limitations of dominant perspectives or norms.
Gen Alpha humour is meta-ironic. Their jokes are so complex that no one really knows if it is a joke or not. It is hard to tell when they are using it ironically or when they are using it unironically. Meta-irony is using irony in a way that reflects or comments on the overuse or absurdity of irony itself. It creates chaos. It is an ironic stance that critiques the very mechanism of irony, often with the intention of exposing its limitations or the emptiness it can create.
Why this matters
Irony is a tool for reflection, but it risks detaching society from engagement.
What are....physics/ Skyrim meme
Skyrim memes poke fun at the opening dialogue, the bizarre physics, the vast amount of side missions, and the game’s many glitches and bugs.
Further reading
The Rise of Spotify/ Liz Pelly
This book examines Spotify's impact on the music industry, exploring how the platform's algorithms and business model have reshaped music consumption and artist compensation and have had a big influence on music culture. It asks people to think about where our commitment to music is headed.
Uncertainty/ Jonathan Fields
Jonathan Fields explores how to embrace uncertainty as a catalyst for creativity and energy. Through interviews and research in psychology and neuroscience, he offers strategies to transform fear and doubt into something positive.
A Case for Irony/ Jonathan Lear
Philosophical exploration that shows that irony is essential for a genuine human life. Irony is a detached or cynical stance but also a profound engagement with life's complexities, enabling people to confront and navigate the uncertainties of human existence.
If Walls Could Talk/ Lucy Worsley
An exploration of the history of domestic life, seen through the lens of the rooms in a house. Worsley, a historian, takes readers on a journey through the evolution of the home, examining how the design and use of different spaces reflect social, cultural, and political changes over time.
Index
The Shifts