The Gen Z Report

The Gen Z Report

Memoirs

On the Highs and Lows of Temporary Worlds

And the dysphoria of post-festival living

Ben Ulansey's avatar
Ben Ulansey
Aug 25, 2025
∙ Paid

Photo of the Philadelphia Folk Festival / taken by author on DJI Mini 3 Pro
Taken by author on DJI Mini 3 Pro

Each year at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, there’s a point at which a familiar question surfaces. “Why can’t life be this way?” a hundred different people at a hundred different campsites wonder aloud as music soars overhead, nighttime revelry breaks loose, and people assume the most vibrant versions of themselves.

As t…

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