Will we all go analogue en masse by 2026?
Although we spent three days getting acquainted with all sorts of new technical gadgets, the general public wants something completely different this year. Now that AI seems to be changing everything, we are massively returning to what we know: an analog world. Marketing companies are making statements with real over-the-top advertisements, there is an increasing influence from the rise of ColorTok, vinyl records are flying off the shelves, and yes: journaling is back. Is this not just a new trend? That we suddenly stick creative memories in a little book and return to Snapchat after a few months? Or... are we all suddenly becoming anti-digital? I will explain why everyone is doing this and how you can also go analog in this digital era.
Why everyone wants to go analog
Slowly but surely, we have seen a lot of analog trends growing over the past year. You know, those black-and-white photobooths? Or that we suddenly see Bella Hadid walking down the street with wired earphones? We secretly all long for the ‘good old days’, but isn’t that just nostalgia that stirs these feelings? Maybe, but I see more and more people starting to realize that social media is actually not good for you at all. Someone starts a detox again, then there’s an influencer who drastically reduces her screen time by coloring – yes, those negative aspects are starting to show. That’s because we see right before our eyes how we are ‘getting dumber’ due to the amount of scrolling and using AI for the simplest thinking tasks.
@archivesbyaida Adding to the dog pile of short form content critiques 🤓☝️
♬ again: we see ourselves in the end of everything – Porreria
Videos that express criticism get thousands of views and they say it perfectly: the amount of short content we watch means we only want to process this kind of information. Of course, there are still people who watch movies and pursue difficult studies where they have to read a hundred books a month, don’t get me wrong, but because of the excessive time spent on social media, we are really destroying our brains.
The negative effects of doomscrolling now even have a name: brainrot. Due to all that unnecessary, aimless scrolling, the quality of the white matter in your brain decreases. And you just happen to need that matter to send signals quickly from one area of the brain to another. So yes: do you feel like you are forgetting more and want to look everything up instead of thinking about it yourself? Then that is due to that decrease. Your parents were right all along: most issues really come from that phone.
@carmscrolls Analog hobbies are dominating the FYP, while tools like @rodeo_app and @Albo App (previously sortd) are trying to get us out in the real world. Might 2026 be lived less online?? #offline #socialmedia #analog #digitaldetox #IRL
This is how you can go analog
Now that many people are starting to realize what excessive internet use does to them, they want to do something about it. I understand that: do you want to have a chronic neck hernia at sixty because of your phone use and develop early dementia because your brain just doesn’t work anymore? No. Exactly. That’s why there is a kind of ‘rebellion against the digital era’ going on: this year everyone wants to go analog. So if you’ve been thinking for a while about reducing your screen time and this sounds good to you? Then you can stay off your phone more often in our digital society this way:
1. Try analog hobbies
Due to all the scrolling, you are continuously getting a dopamine overdose. This causes your attention span to shorten and you sleep worse. And I haven’t even mentioned the fact that all those videos, sounds, and impressions are likely overstimulating you. That’s why it’s good that you want to go a bit more analog. You can do this by replacing scrolling with analog hobbies. Learn to sew clothes, start coloring (this is really good for your fine motor skills and the creative part of your brain!), start a journal where you can stick all kinds of memories, read books or magazines. Really, anything that allows you to put your phone and laptop aside is good.
@theacceline Going analog in 2026🎞️⭐️ #analogvibes #foryoupage❤️❤️ #2026journal #junkjournaling #girltherapy
2. Make sure you get music and movies analog
Do you really want to put that phone away, but are you addicted to music and movies? Then it will be difficult for you to do this without going digital. With just one click, you have access to the latest Bruno Mars album. Don’t worry: you don’t have to give up music and movies. You can do this analog, really. Invest in a good turntable and buy all your favorite albums as vinyl records. This looks nice in your home and lets you experience music on a whole different level. If you find that a bit too much, you can also score an old CD player at the thrift store and collect all your playlists on CDs. Because yes: even the latest music is still released on CDs.
The same goes for movies. Most movies can still be bought physically and honestly? The old classics are usually better. Get an old DVD player, pimp it up, place it nicely, and start collecting DVDs. Make your own blockbusters (do you remember that?) and enjoy some ’analog’ films. This might be a bit of cheating, but at least you’ll be rid of those streaming platforms. They cost too much money anyway.
@byclaudiawilliams Send this to someone you want to watch old DVDs with! I’m so grateful I held onto my collection for this long and continued thrifting more and more every year. P.S. About Time is truly just the best🕯️#dvdcollection #romcom #cozyathome #nycapartment #nostalgia
@turningdapage finally trying out my thrifted dvd player! this is your sign to start collecting your fav movies and shows🪩💿🕺🏾 #physicalmedia #dvd #nostalgia #dvdcollection #thrifting #thriftfinds #dvdplayer
3. Go back into the real world
The most important aspect of going analog is leaving the digital world behind you. Or at least: avoiding it as much as possible. How can you do that better than by going into the real world? This way, you give your brain the rest it deserves and stimulate it in a ‘natural’ way. Go for a nice walk. Start a hiking playlist (yes okay, sorry, you do need the phone for this) and go to those places you’ve always wanted to see. Walking through a large forest at sunrise? Sign me up. Even if you’re not really into nature, you can get out more. Dive into the city and stroll past all those little boutiques that you normally skip. Talk to the librarian about how her workday was and about the new book you’re reading. Choose that supermarket that takes you all the way through the center. In short: go for a walk, take the bike, put on your favorite workout outfit, and head out into the wide world. This will really help you stay away from those screens.
@monetzamoraa Hot girl walks are the ultimate boost for not only your body, but your mind & soul as well 💗 Incorporating #hgw in mijn dagelijkse routine heeft een enorme impact gehad op mijn algehele gezondheid en welzijn. Als er één ding is dat je vandaag en elke dag voor je lichaam kunt doen, is het een fijne (30 min) wandeling maken. 💕 #hgw #hotgirlwalk #pilateslife #pilatesgirl #wellnesslifestyle #wellnessgoals #wellnessgirly #healthylifestyle #healthyhabits
Neem jij een analoge hobby op? Probeer het eens en kijk of het jouw leven verbetert. Dan heb je meteen weer een goed voornemen om aan te werken. Top, toch?
Beeld: Instagram | @matildadjerf
