This story was originally published in The Ritual ISSUE 1. You can subscribe here for free and read stories like this every Thursday, direct to your inbox.
Vogue boldly stated that having a boyfriend is embarrassing. The piece by Chante Joseph sent the internet alight at the end of last year, and people are still talking about it.
Whilst we all pick apart the nuance of the article - whether it’s about relationships themselves, or rather, how we perceive women online - another phenomena is quietly aching in most of our hearts. Not for romance, but for friendship, connection, and community.
The truth is, in today’s digital age we’re struggling to connect with other people in any kind of relationship, and it’s a problem. We’re the chronically online generation, and the data shows it. A 2024-25 survey found that 85% of Gen Z say their generation spends too much time online, and 90% of 13-18 year olds now own smartphones. This generation has grown up with technology - it would be impossible to avoid. There’s no judgement - we’re familiar with the dreaded doom scroll too - but in 2026 we’ve seen a shift. We’re craving community. We’re cutting ourselves off from our devices - products like ‘Brick’ prove this point. Our feeds were recently flooded with 2016 photo throwbacks. We’re seeking a ‘simpler’ time, where our days weren’t on a constant quest of automation and optimisation. We were wearing business casual on nights out, obsessed with TRIANGL bikinis and took too many selfies with the Snapchat dog filter (oh... just us then?).
But how do we strike the balance? Are we disconnecting in order to reconnect with each other?
New research shows that social isolation harms your health about as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. But, in a survey of over 2,300 people, most didn't believe social connection affects physical health - even those who reported feeling lonely. So how do we find the capacity to care about prioritising connection - romantic or platonic - when we don’t realise we’re feeling lonely.
The answer may be going ‘analogue’. Replacing our digital-age habits with opportunities to meet others in real life, or taking up hobbies at home that centre on introspection. Run clubs, book clubs, film clubs, drawing clubs, reading parties, walking groups. Clubs centred around connection are on the rise, and they’re our new attempt to free ourselves from the grip of technology. Forbes has reported that 2026 is the year of physical experiences, and The Cut has called this the year of ‘friction-maxxing’: “Friction-maxxing is not simply a matter of reducing your screen time, it’s the process of building up tolerance for “inconvenience” — and then reaching even toward enjoyment.” So in short, we’re opting less for Uber Eats at home with Netflix, and saying ‘yes’ to those after work plans with a friend. It can feel like the last thing you want to do, but this friction and analogue experience, might be the antidote to the loneliness we don’t realise we’re feeling.
Whether these ‘offline’ habits such as run clubs, drawing, journaling or mindfulness, are done with others or in your own company, you’re still provided a moment of introspection. You’re not distracted by the noise of notifications. The constant pull of productivity. You’re given reprieve to feel how you wish. It’s in these quiet moments where you can discern how you truly feel.
Because in order to connect with others, you need to first connect with yourself. Connect with your values, connect with what lights you up and brings you joy. Invite yourself to reflect. The Ritual is your space to do this - every week, we’ll be here to deliver your weekly pause, in amongst the chaos of your week.
It’s an imperfect world, and we’ll never be fully disconnected from our online devices. That’s okay. We’re creating rituals that are worthy of your screen time.
