Bringing Back Analog

Lyla Kelly, copy editor

The past few months have brought in a wave of new trends, of new consumption -- all surrounding the idea of “going analog”. Rather than relying on digital resources, activities, AI and social media, many are picking up physical hobbies again. Physical copies of books instead of E-readers, digital and polaroid cameras instead of phones, journaling and writing in notebooks rather than online software, and crafting instead of doomscrolling are some of the many ways that people are ditching their screens. 

A large contributor to this trend is resistance to AI, as it rises in usage by not just individual and private use, but large corporations and public figures. Participants in this trend have a goal of reducing artificial “slop”, instead focusing on meaningful, human-made artwork and creation. It continues to highlight the importance and significance of art in the current climate. 

Beyond the more rebellious reasons, much of this stems from goals of personal growth. The negative impacts of doomscrolling and unlimited screentime are well-known — lower self-esteem, increased stress and more — and people want to use this trend of going to analog to manage their device usage. Instead of scrolling, hobbies such as reading, journaling and crafting are seeing a surge in popularity. The benefits of these activities are numerous, such as increased empathy, improved mental health and cognitive skills. There is a feeling of fulfillment and completion that one can get with a variety of hobbies, especially physical, that digital hobbies may not provide. 

While the purpose of going analog is to reduce screentime, a large majority of this trend is fueled by social media. Aesthetic videos, skilled editing and interesting products appeal to the consumer within all of us and creates a sense of novelty and excitement. That excitement leads to an individual actually picking up an analogue hobby. “Journal ecosystem” videos are a popular sub-genre on TikTok, where a creator shows off their various notebooks and journals that each has its own purpose. The innate desire of the audience to go analogue, combined with the visual aspect, propels one to pick up a new hobby. Similarly, reading has surged in recent years due to platforms such as BookTok, and writing has become popular due to Substack, and not to mention the plethora of tutorials across the platforms. BookTok is the popular sub-community on TikTok for readers, and Substack is an online blogging platform, with articles, excerpts, recipes and more. As one picks up a hobby, social media can be beneficial, as they learn but also share and connect with others.  

This trend will only continue to grow and change as the year proceeds, and as the effect that social media has on “going analog” will determine those changes.