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In 2020, many social rituals took place online or not at all. Zoom became a place for farewell drinks, graduations, anniversaries and even funerals. But digital conversations can feel stilted at the best of times, and even the loudest “Cheers” rings hollow in an empty room. Could it ever be otherwise? Kursat Ozenc, co-founder of the LA-based Ritual Design Lab, studies existing rituals and designs new ones. Here, he shares tips on translating physical rituals into the digital sphere.  

Why do we have rituals? Rituals are the bedrock of our sense-making in this world. According to Nick Hobson and his colleagues at the University of Toronto, they help us regulate emotions, our goal/performance states, and our connection to other people. From the outside, rituals could look irrational or non-functional, because they do not make “logical” sense. But rituals tell a story that can help us make sense of something, and move past it.