One of the ways I’ve been trying to wean myself off my digital fix is to rediscover my love of paper. I’ve been reading Andrew Keen’s new book in a (whisper it) print hardback edition, and I’ve been spending more time in the evenings reading some of the specialist magazines I’ve called in love with.

So, imagine my delight when the latest issue of Offscreen mag dropped through my letterbox earlier in this week. And, my goodness, this could be the NEXT conference special issue.

The cover star is Aza Raskin, who spoke at NEXT14, back when we were in Berlin. He’s changed his look a little since then – and co-founded the Center for Humane Technology:

We’ve built all these tools that tilt the floor of human behaviour. We’ve take these control levers, and we’ve hooked them up directly to our engagement-based business models, and it’s just churning up the contrast on all the baser parts of human society.

His work – and that of the Center – are very much on topic for the idea of apply a digital fix to the missteps we’ve taken.

Amber’s Case for a new relationship with tech

A few pages before, 2018 speaker Amber Case is making the case for Calm Tech:

Technology, like a gas, expands to fill every available space in our lives. We now have a technological dystopia because we’re realising that this stuff has not made us more free. In fact, it’s amplifying our depression.

Amber’s speaking at 10.30am on the first day of NEXT18.

Finding the human beyond the big data

And finally, one of last year’s most compelling speakers, Tricia Wang talks about restoring human scale:

Most organisations think they can now skip the human model because they have big data, but those organisations are often the ones with the weakest understanding of their customers.

There’s something utterly delicious to me about a print magazine about digital (that’s why I’m so delighted we’re doing a book). It’s a great way of taking time away from screens while still connecting with the the industry we love – and more importantly, the people within it.

You can order Offscreen #20 now – and it’d make great reading on your way to NEXT next week…