Mixed Feelings: Exploring the Emotional Impact of Our Digital Habits

Description

The internet has changed us all, creating a new layer of perfectionist pressure in every aspect of our lives, but equally enabling us to share resources, opinions, help and information more quickly than ever before. Are we supposed to love it, or leave it? Is it ever possible to do both? Like all of their generation, Naomi Shimada and Sarah Raphael have grown up on the internet, and now work closely with it every day. Sarah's work as a journalist brings her into contact with the outer reaches of the internet as well as its inner workings; graph upon graph revealing to her what people most want to read today (hint: its usually a story about a relationship car crash). In her work as a model and positivity advocate, Naomi talks to people all over the world through her sunny, colourful Instagram account; people who rely on her cheerfulness to help them. In Mixed Feelings, they explore what the internet might be doing to our minds, bodies and hearts, through wide-ranging essays and discussions featuring a range of perspectives and voices. A bible for those who refuse to fit into any box, this is a celebration of difference and a challenge to the status quo - a bulwark against the onslaught of images of perfectionism and aspiration we are bombarded with on a daily basis.

Naomi Shimada is a plus-size model, campaigner and influencer with nearly 65k followers on Instagram. She rose to prominence when ordinary women started recognising her on the street as the distinctive-looking model from ASOS Curve, the plus-size arm of the fashion brand. She was the 'curve' columnist for InStyle (2010 - 2013) offering style advice to readers, she has been featured in Elle and Vogue, starred in campaigns for Nike and Monki. Sarah Raphael is Editor at Large of Refinery29, the leading global digital media company for women. Under her editorial direction, Refinery29 was awarded Silver Media Brand of the Year at the British Media Awards, Publisher of the Year at Digiday Awards and a Lovie for Best Fashion and Beauty Website. She was previously the acting editor-in-chief of i-D Magazine and has written extensively for publications including the Guardian, Vice and Elle. She consults on millennial issues for companies such as The Bookseller, Disney, Nike and Adidas.