Sensory Autonomy
Trend research about pleasure and hedonism
As the last Covid restrictions were lifted, we felt the urge to join the crowds celebrating what had made life exciting: loud music, bustling cities and intoxicating parties, to name a few. But did we all return? Two years later, nightlife as we knew it still hasn’t bounced back; instead sober bars are popping up and noise cancelling headphones are booming. Especially in the queer community – for which nightlife has been an important refuge – calls for more ‚low sensory‘ alternatives are getting louder. Neurodivergent people have been long advocating for such spaces that account for different sensory needs and disabilities.
Now paradigms are changing. Supermarkets are introducing ‚sensory friendly’ hours, where lights are dimmed, the radio is turned off and no commercials are played. Some events provide sensory rooms, where people can ground themselves to avoid over-stimulation. These seemingly small things have found resonance far beyond the neurodivergent community. We’re moving towards a future where we’ll be able to better manage the stimulation we get from our surroundings. Once seen as a contradiction, personal wellbeing and engaging in hedonism will be much closer together and much more inclusive then, than they are today.
Now paradigms are changing. Supermarkets are introducing ‚sensory friendly’ hours, where lights are dimmed, the radio is turned off and no commercials are played. Some events provide sensory rooms, where people can ground themselves to avoid over-stimulation. These seemingly small things have found resonance far beyond the neurodivergent community. We’re moving towards a future where we’ll be able to better manage the stimulation we get from our surroundings. Once seen as a contradiction, personal wellbeing and engaging in hedonism will be much closer together and much more inclusive then, than they are today.