(CLO) Over 2,000 young people in London have joined The Offline Club in just a few months, aiming to escape from phone screens amidst the technology-driven landscape of daily life.
Lois Shafier excitedly dropped her phone in the locker, ready to enjoy two hours completely without internet at The Offline Club event.
"I'm really addicted to my phone," she admitted. Tickets for the "digital detox" sessions quickly sold out, attracting hundreds of people in their 20s and 35s eager to break free from their dependence on technology.
Illustration photo: Unsplash
For a fee of £9.50 (over 300,000 VND), participants have the opportunity to connect directly instead of communicating through screens. "We are the tech generation, but we're so tired of it," shared Bianca Bolum, 25.
According to Ofcom, Britons aged 25-34 spend an average of over four hours online each day, but this figure can be more than double for some, like 22-year-old Liliann Delacruz.
At a London church, attendees enthusiastically participated in board games, crafts, and live chat. Harry Stead, 25, described leaving his phone at the door as a "liberation." However, immediately after the event ended, many people turned their phones back on to check notifications.
Ironically, most participants learned about the club through social media. Founder Ben Hounsell, 23, isn't against technology; he simply encourages people to take a break from it for a short time to experience the change.
Since its launch in late October, The Offline Club has attracted over 2,000 attendees, rapidly expanding to Paris, Barcelona, and Dubai. Ilya Kneppelhout, founder of the Amsterdam branch, emphasizes that loneliness and mental health are becoming major issues, driving the need for genuine connections.
This trend has also spread on social media, with influencers like Léna Mahfouf announcing a month-long break from online activity, and Venetia La Manna holding #offline48 every weekend. They shared that reducing their phone use improved their sleep, boosted creativity, and fostered better connections with their communities.
Anna Cox, a professor at University College London, warns that the problem is not only affecting mental health but also leading to the loss of important moments in real life.
She suggested measures such as turning off notifications and switching phone screens to black and white to reduce the device's allure. "We need to learn how to control technology, instead of letting it control us," she concluded.
Ngoc Anh (according to AFP, SCMP)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nguoi-tre-tim-den-su-kien-khong-dien-thoai-de-thoat-khoi-the-gioi-so-post335529.html
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