Wouldn't It Be Amazing If…?

November at Eirene Cafe

As I prepared this newsletter, I found myself reflecting on my thoughts from back in July when I created the editorial plan for Eirene Cafe's Autumn season. What did I hope to achieve? Why did I choose to focus on certain areas over others? To be honest, there was no clear prioritization. In this early stage of the journey, everything seems urgent, compelling, and necessary. However, this perception is not entirely accurate. There are certain things I deeply care about, especially due to their repetitive abuse or misuse, day after day, behavior after behavior.

To bring things to life, we must first imagine them.

So, to begin with a beautiful fantasy, wouldn't it be amazing if social media were to become social networks once again? The terms 'social network' and 'social media' are now used interchangeably, but they shouldn't be. Social networks, once exciting avenues for meaningful connections, have transformed into congested highways of constant content.

Wouldn’t it just be better if fewer people posted less stuff, less frequently, and if smaller audiences saw it? What if they began to engage in dialogue and conversation, rather than fragmented exchanges of anhedonic politeness?

Oh, and how beautiful it would be if we wrote for and to each other, with the sole purpose of keeping human connection alive and deep, and nurturing our imagination, that fascinating ability that sets us apart from the rest of the primates?

Think about how powerful it would be if we began to listen to all five of our senses again and could feel the pleasure our bodies can generate through subtler, more natural stimulation…

Now I remember why I chose these three elements from the long list on my computer. I wanted to initiate a conversation about the loss of control over what we consume online and how it consumes us. I wanted to emphasize that communication, especially written communication, has always been about forging connections, not just making sales. Also, I wanted to shed light on an often overlooked sense: touch, the first sense to develop during the embryonic stage, which shapes our perception of our bodies and our sense of self.

With love,

Natasha Nedelkovska, Founder and Creative Director