Decentering the Digital: The Big Comeback of Analogue Hobbies
At the beginning of the year, 2026 was named the 'new 2016.' Now, the emerging trend is analogue living - the desire to sacrifice the convenience of digital media for the fulfilment of physical activities. The concept of 'analogue lifestyle' is not merely a case of a short-term digital detox, but rather an effort to slow down life, rebel against the increased presence of AI technologies, and emphasise the need to create rather than consume passively.
In an era of flashy, short-form content, users report feeling burnt out by the addictive design of many social media apps. Data shows that Gen Z is picking up more 'old-fashioned' hobbies, with Michaels (the popular US arts and crafts store) reporting that the search for 'analogue hobbies' on its website increased by 136%. According to The Economist, 'grannycore' is on the rise, and it is reflected in cardigans, long skirts, and floral patterns being back in fashion among young people. Another trend that is increasingly popular within the TikTok community is 'The Sisterhood of the Travelling Journal.' This creative take on pen-palling involves exchanging journals with strangers and filling their pages with personal entries.
One cause for the popularity of offline activities could be the post-pandemic urge spend time away from the screens and another cause could be the nostalgia for experiences today's youth never had. Overexposure to a digital lifestyle has caused many to long for polaroids or vinyl records and miss the times when hangouts with friends were filled with conversation and activities away from digital devices.
However, there is a hint of hypocrisy in the phenomenon being promoted through social media channels. To what extent is the hype fabricated and short-lived, resulting in users quickly abandoning the idea and returning to doomscrolling? The convenience of cheap entertainment might satisfy most social media users, and the trend may ultimately remain niche.