Start with raw materials.”

Employment and finance were large areas for concern throughout the pandemic. Those non-essential industries dependent on in person interaction like hospitality and events were hit hard with sudden unemployment. The UK and Ireland respectively introduced Furlough and Pandemic Unemployment Payments to attempt alleviate this strain on the population. For those that qualified for these payments it was an opportunity for pause and reflection. People who had previously not had time to indulge in time consuming hobbies were free of work and social obligation and could take the time to live slowly without some of the stress of income and work.

The lockdown was also a catalyst for individuals and the collective to reconsider their values and priorities. All of the above points contributed to a re-evaluation of lifestyle and what was considered acceptable for many even after the pandemic. The Covid-19 lockdowns acted as a catalyst for frustration with the systems we live in and desire for a more human centred culture as opposed to capital focused. Atanasova posits that liquid utopias – as were theorised by Bardhi and Eckhardt – place more of an emphasis on the experiences of the individual as opposed to a wider community and are placed firmly in the present rather than the future.10 Liquid utopias are lived in the present as opposed to being lived towards, with an emphasis on immediacy and are hyper-individualised. It is not illogical that a mass isolation event would trigger idealised – and perhaps impractical – realities that are focused heavily on the individual and individual betterment and a need for an immediate form of escape. Limited options for socialisation along with a reasonable apprehension of interacting with individuals from outside of your own household – along with an abundance of spare time due to remote work or study – resulted in a massive uptake in solo activities from baking to sewing to hours spent scrolling through TikToks.

While it was ultimately a traumatic and distressing point in time, it was also the first extended period of free time for many. The lack of a work commute resulting from remote work allowed for more personal time in the every day. Having more agency to structure your own day – along with a total reduction of social commitments - allowed people to indulge in their own personal interests. Solo tasks such as baking, knitting and embroidery were popular among the isolated with a sudden abundance of free time. The sentiment that “it took a pandemic to slow life down” was cause for re- evaluation for many.14 The hyper productive grind culture that was all consuming prior to Covid-19 was now unthinkable for people who had had a taste of slower living. The cottagecore way of living manifested as a response to this aversion to hyper capitalistic grind culture. Not unlike the development of the Arts and Crafts movement as a response to the industrial revolution, cottagecore looks to the past to find a balanced, human focused way of being. This was coupled with multiple governments - including in Ireland and the UK – distributing payments to the public as a response to the loss of employment in many industries affected by the pandemic, particularly hospitality and non-essential retail.

The ability of government to roll out a payment not unlike a universal basic income in a time of crisis begs the question: why was this not possible before?