Logging Off Club: March
Monthly Newsletter
Reflections
We were not built to carry the full weight of global events every hour of every day.
But there's a particular guilt that comes with not staying on top of it all. Like being uninformed is somehow irresponsible, or selfish.
Maybe the ‘always on’ version of being informed isn’t really informing us anymore. It’s just exhausting us.
Being a thoughtful, engaged person does not require you to be permanently online. You can care deeply about the world and still close the app.
Staying informed matters, but so does staying functional and staying present.
Our HQLT this month
(high-quality-leisure-time)
ADELE:
Took a solo trip to Goa and deleted social media and logged out of emails whilst here, which has made my trip so much more fulfilling because I’ve been so much more present. I’ve spent my days doing pranayama techniques, ashtanga and yin yoga, riding on the back of motorbikes, browsing the market, meditating, visiting the local temple, watching the sunset, trying local foods and learning Sanskrit words.
INDIA:
Ski trip with my brother & eating huge amounts of cheese in France, getting held hostage in a mountain restaurant and forced to partake in their post-service disco, sowing seeds for the allotment, karaoke with the girls, cooking Mother’s day roast (homemade Yorkshire puddings!!) and watching the trees spring into life on my dog walks.
March guide to being Offline
Pick one small, offline ritual to do before reaching for your phone each morning.
Spring makes this especially easy: open a window, take a morning walk, or just sit outside for five minutes.
Over time, your nervous system starts the day more calmly, setting the tone for the rest of the day.
What we’re reading
FICTION
Bonding, by Mariel Franklin
LONG FORM-CONTENT
Molly Vs The Machines
From a teen's suburban bedroom to the heart of Silicon Valley, the story of a heartbroken father's bid for the truth behind his daughter's death, caught up in a powerful algorithmic spiral. Now available to stream here.
Inside the Rage Machine
New whistleblowers and insiders from social media companies speak out to reveal how algorithms designed to connect people have been helping to tear them apart. With new testimony and documents, they expose a machine thriving on outrage and division as part of a business model, with radicalisation, real-world violence and fractured societies some of the consequences of a system built to shape how users think, feel and see the world. Watch here.
News in the offline world
Rage against the machine: a California community rallied against a datacenter – and won. Read here.
Thinker of the month
Louis Theroux
Louis Theroux's latest documentary exposes the world of online influencers who target young men with content that weaves deeply homophobic and sexist messaging into content framed around motivation, fitness, and financial advice, and it's sparked exactly the kind of conversation we think needs to happen.
The documentary shows the very real harm that can come from algorithm-driven social media. It's not just about extreme influencers; it's also about the platforms that are designed to push this content to the young people most vulnerable to it.
It's a timely reminder of why what young people are consuming online matters and why creating space away from screens is more important than ever.
What we’re listening to
Offline events this month
Phone-free Self-care Session (LUSH Store Takeover)
By Logging Off Club Brighton x LUSH
A phone-free self pamper session at Lush Brighton Store. We will create our own products for every-day presence and self care.
LUSH Store, East St, Brighton.
Sunday 19th April
0930-1030
Journal prompt
Spring is on its way. How will you savour this season?
See you next month,
India & Adele