We live in one of the most paradoxical times in human history. No other time period had so much technology to help people communicate with each other, and yet, it seems to only isolate us. Health officials at the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) are now saying that we are living in the middle of a loneliness epidemic—and that the loneliest people are often the youngest ones in the population.
The statistics say it all. A Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) survey revealed that 46 percent of all American adults feel “sometimes or always” lonely. An additional 47 percent of all people claimed to feel “left out” of social gatherings. On a similar note, the number of people who are afraid to introduce themselves is increasing daily.
Many of us will have social feeds with hundreds of friends and followers, but the very fact that most of our connections are found online seems to only worsen the problem. Healthline Online Magazine shared an article linking heavy social media usage to increased depression, feelings of isolation, and social anxiety. We are losing our social capital and it is slowly disintegrating our humanity.
Our world is turning into a place where people are afraid to introduce themselves, unsure how to bond with others. We want to reverse this trend and we are looking to the world at large to join us and rebuild the courage to #SayHello!
That’s what RADTAGZ is all about.
We’re not just an (a pretty damn cool) fashion company; we’re people just like you, craving real connection and easy conversation.
Reach Out
“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for a newer and richer experience.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
We’ve all had moments in our lives where we saw someone who seemed like a person with an interesting story. And yet, for one reason or another, we just can't bring ourselves to say hello and strike up a conversation - even though we’d really like to.
Believe it or not, evidence suggests that tech might be to blame. The rise of dating and meetup apps has slowly stigmatized approaching people at random in the eyes of many people. It’s started to become a little intimidating to just reach out and say “Hello!”
Did you ever feel like you needed to muster up the courage just to go back to the way things used to be when everyone was open to conversation with strangers? A lot of us tend to feel that way.
RADTAGZ is about giving you insight into who someone is to make that first hello less of a struggle. gaining the courage to introduce yourself, to bond with others the old fashioned way, and to stop relying on the phone in your hand to make a friend.
The Importance of Connecting
“Without friends, no one would want to live, even if he had all the other goods.” - Aristotle
The “Loneliness Epidemic”, from the HRSA - link above, states that feeling lonely and isolated is as strong a predictor of premature death as smoking a pack a day. Prolonged loneliness is now statistically tied to weight gain, heart problems, circulation issues, as well as an increased risk of dementia in elderly people.
Many people already know that loneliness is damaging to their wellbeing, but they still struggle with making new friends. One clinical survey, titled “Social Isolation,” revealed that the number of people who say they have no close friends, tripled in the last decade. To make matters worse, fewer people are willing to go out and make an effort to meet others.
The average American adult hasn’t made a new friend in five years, according to a New York Post article. Why does this happen? Well, a survey revealed that the top reason is shyness. Forty-five percent of the people surveyed in the study claimed they would seek out more friendships if they had more opportunities to do so.
The hardest part of striking up a conversation is finding something you both can talk about and developing camaraderie with others. RADTAGZ delivers a subtle way to show others who you are, your interests, to notice others who share something in common, without ever speaking a word. Our hope is that you make new connections over common ground. And, it happens without the need for a cell phone.
Fashion With A Purpose
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” - Mahatma Ghandi
Fashion should never just be about looking good; it should be about feeling good and doing good. That’s precisely why RADTAGZ was made. RADTAGZ is a brand dedicated to encouraging people to drop their reliance on technology and start to connect with others out loud and in person.
It’s a radical concept (no pun intended) to start saying hello to people we don't yet know, but we passionately believe it will lead to better mental health and a friendlier world. We can do it. We can make every day more fun and interesting, and we will! We are determined to outfit the world with Radtagz showing solidarity for a friendlier, more open-minded, way of life for all!