I'm really bad at networking. I managed to swap 3 business cards at the EMAC Conference last month. I didn't become an academic to have to interact with people. Inside of the classroom fine - I'm a performer in their acting out some version of myself and every teacher in every Educating Rita knock off ever. But real life me, jeez. Sat in the canteen during lunch whilst big shot academic cliques surround felt like being lonely and forlorn back at high school all over again. I'm just not very sociable. Retreating back to my office here I go. Thank goodness for articles, blogs, online dating and the like.
Last year I wrote a piece published in the Conversation (link to it here ) about the possible decline of the experience economy. Six months later and it seems like prospects have, if anything, got even worse. The experience economy involves events and activities that are intense, memorable and sociable. For example, live music gigs are a chance to share intense emotions triggered by listening together to a favourite band. However, Covid-19 restrictions have hammered such experience economy offerings. Theatres, nightclubs, galleries, theme parks... such places have frequently had to close. The question is whether they will reopen to the same extent as before the pandemic? This might seem overly pessimistic, but consumption patterns can change rapidly. Will lingering concerns for health and safety put people off returning to shared spaces? Music festivals have celebrated their unsanitary aspects as part of the authentic party vibe. Now they might just s...
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