The spirit of the times is always what we miss the most. What becomes trendy is always what we lack and long for in our time. While the world screams, we seek to return to what has made us stronger as a people. We want to Make Denmark Cozy Again. We are returning to the physical world more than ever before. “Hygge” arises when we are present in our bodies at the moment, in physical company with others, and there are good reasons for this.
Five things, thoughts, and threats have led us back to the cozy world of sofas, conversations, and togetherness:
- News Fatigue as an Escape from the World’s Evils
We are suffering from permanent news fatigue. Years of coverage on war, climate, and COVID have taken their toll. We can no longer bear scrolling through doom on our phones. We are tired of bad news that fills us with guilt and shame. Especially after Trump’s presidency, which intensified our desire to hide from grim realities. - Social Media Was Never Really Social
Social media platforms seemed like 24/7 love machines, providing self-esteem boosts. But after years of overuse, we see their darker sides. Social media thrives on idealized self-presentation, making us envious of others and unhappy with our imperfect lives. - COVID Taught Us to Value Physical Presence
The pandemic taught us to appreciate our homes and physical bodies. The many lockdowns and total digitization of work showed us that 110% digitalization is not the nirvana it was made out to be. - Tech Giants’ Power is Terrifying – We Are the Cozy Counterforce
We now see the digital world not as a safe space but as a weapon in the U.S. quest for global dominance. Every time we log in, we become data for powerful tech oligarchs. - Climate Activists Love Nature More Than Pixels
The climate crisis has awakened the climate warrior in us. We now want to hike, build fires, forest-bathe, and grow gardens rather than scrolling through screens.
In the end, we rediscover an old truth: we do not have a body; we are a body, and we experience the world through it. The physical world is our home, from eternity to eternity.
Resistance can be both cozy and righteous at the same time. The Danish concept of “hygge” is not just an escape but a conscious resistance against the acceleration and digitalization of our time. Returning to the physical world is the best thing we can do right now. The values we fight for can indeed be both cozy and right at the same time.
*Timme Bisgaard Munk is a Danish journalist and analyst. The article was firstly published on the DM website.