Really nice behind-the-scenes rundown about the 2024 XOXO festival and the themes that emerged. Those final comments from Charlie Jane Anders are words to live by. Reposting here just for posterity and enjoyment:

“Connecting with other people is really pleasurable, even though it’s also really hard. And it is the thing that gives me hope for the future. Human connection fundamentally is the thing that makes me believe that we can survive.

“So I’m here for gentle absurdity and tender weirdness. And I just don’t trust any version of the future where we don’t party and goof off and act ridiculous and rejoice, and just rejoice together.

“So my final thought: I don’t believe in utopias. I don’t believe in dystopias. What I do believe in is people taking care of each other. So please, take care of each other. Thank you.”