Retreat from a Hostile World
👉 This is part of A Sensitive World
Modern life has us putting up barriers between ourselves and the external environment. Instead of adapting and reacting, we’re cocooning ourselves from a world that’s increasingly portrayed as hostile to humans.
Evidence A: Totally Addicted to AC
As the world heats up, the stress on our skin and bodies is apparent. Studies show a connection between raised temperatures, less clothing cover, time spent outside and rising skin cancer rates. But equally, we’re hiding away from the climate we live in, kept cool by a culture that can’t live without air conditioning. Now considered a human right by many, our urban landscapes are built with AC at their heart, with architecture, public transport systems, entire cities that depend on temperature control.
Evidence B: The Australian SUV Arms Race
Australia has become obsessed with big cars. In 2013, SUVs and light commercial vehicles made up 36% of new car sales. In 2023, it hit 78%. One factor is that we’re responding to an explosion of SUV marketing that projects the idea that drivers need to cocoon themselves in larger vehicles to take on Australia’s tough terrain, and protect themselves and their families on the road - most likely from other SUVs on the school run.
Evidence C: Everything Everywhere Indoors
Big tech is betting on us spending more time indoors, by making multi-billion dollar investments in virtual landscapes. Until recently, Meta was doggedly throwing everything at the Metaverse (now paused in favour of AI), whilst the latest big Apple launch is the Vision Pro - a bridge to the future of immersive computing.
Evidence D: Ambient Utopias
New utopian communities are being constructed in the most unlikely of environments. ‘The Line’ is a 105 mile long city in Saudi Arabia, designed for a year-round ideal climate. Insulated from the harsh winds, heat and sands outside its walls. It offers entirely ambient existence. Next stop, Mars.
