The Future Is In-Person, IRL.

For years, especially since 2020, I’ve thought and written about the need to meet up in person again. While the early internet once served as a launching pad for genuine offline friendships, modern social networking, driven by outrage algorithms, bots, and deepfakes, has eroded real connection and fueled a loneliness epidemic. Just as society eventually recognized the dangers of secondhand smoke, we must now treat smartphones as the "new cigarettes" and intentionally reclaim physical spaces for face-to-face interaction. Ultimately, nothing can replace the tangible magic of sitting across from someone in person, so those who prioritize real-world proximity will shape the future… at least before the replicas turn up. 🫣