The Analogue Idyll - by Alexander R E Taylor (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Once upon a time, in a golden age before the internet, social media and smartphones, there existed an analogue world where people lived slower, simpler and healthier lives that were more authentic, natural and meaningful. This is the analogue idyll: a compelling narrative within contemporary culture that celebrates the virtues of analogue media and offline experiences.

Exploring the significance of the 'analogue' in our increasingly digital world, this timely contribution to digital disconnection studies raises critical questions about the meaning of technology in our lives and societies, as public debates about the addictions, distractions, and harms of digital culture accelerate.

Review Quotes

'A wonderful journey across the analogue idyll landscape, this critical collection explores the various tensions and complexities of techno-societies engaging with - and changing - the world of digital disconnection.' Esperanza Miyake, University of Strathclyde

'In an age of digital abundance and technological saturation, analogue experiences are gaining renewed traction. This timely volume compellingly demonstrates how the concept of the analogue idyll can deepen our understanding of the post-digital world, including inequalities linked to individuals' varying dispositions and capacities to 'disconnect' from digital reality. Grounded in diverse cultural contexts, The Analogue Idyll provides an important critique of a historical shift whose implications we are only beginning to grasp.' Karin Fast, Karlstad University

'Is the culture of connectivity giving rise to an age of technostalgia? This book provides you with illuminating analyses of how digitization leads to a new longing for disconnection and offline purity. A real eye opener!' José van Dijck, Utrecht University

'This collection of accessibly written, nuanced chapters explores digital disconnection from various angles, bringing to life the complex relationships between online and offline worlds.' Paul C. Adams, University of Texas at Austin

'The Analogue Idyll astutely captures the urgency and allure of disconnection, illuminating how analogue imaginaries shape post-digital critique and practice.' Emiliano Treré, University of Santiago de Compostela

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