This is such a fantastic piece, Chloe! The paradox of brands hosting phone-free events just so attendees can later post about how 'offline' they were is hilariously accurate. You completely nailed the shift toward true disconnection, when an experience is genuinely that good, people simply forget they were 'supposed' to document it.

I curate a blog here on Substack and I am always looking to connect with writers who bring this kind of sharp, cultural insight. Would you be open to a mutual subscription exchange to support each other's work? No pressure at all, of course. Keep the great essays coming! ✨