$44.50
I was recently forwarded a Freakonomics podcast episode called ”Why Do Candles Still Exist?”. They framed the question through a lens of technological obsolescence. Candles provided light, but now we have electricity. Aren’t candles obsolete then?
The discussion chipped away at the edges of the answer: There is something primal about a flame. Scent can change our mood. Candles look nice.
But I found myself shouting at my car dashboard like a lunatic:
CANDLES ARE CULTURE.
Photo: Keap / Chris Brooks
Consider this: Why do we pay astronomical amounts of money for weddings? Why do we buy art to put on our walls? Why do we invest in fashionable clothing when we could keep just as warm covering ourselves with old rags?
Humans have cultural needs beyond food, sleep, and safety.
If you ask me, candles are the perfect cultural piece for this moment in society and technology when we are struggling with isolation, distraction, addiction, and behavior manipulation.
Candles are a trusty companion.
They aren’t technically alive of course, but their gentle flicker serves as a reminder of our self-directed intention.
Unlike a chatbot, the candle has not been coded with an ulterior motive (for a chatbot it’s to maximize “engagement”). The candle simply echoes our inner voice back to us. Steadily, calmly.
Candles are clocks.
Over this past decade thousands of Keapers have shared with me how candles help mark transitions: into creative work, focus, self-care, relaxation, alone time, or social time. The candle creates space for a new part of our day. It creates helpful boundaries. We need these rituals to feel alive and fully human.
Candles are an emotional compass.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t be a jerk when I have a candle burning. Its presence creates an atmosphere of intentionality. I show up differently.
Candles are connection.
They help us connect to ourselves, to our loved ones, to a sense of time and place, to the seasons, and much more.
Those are just some of the reasons we still use candles in the 21st century.
Let me know if this resonates with you.
Have a great week!
— Harry from Keap, Steward-Owner