BAGGAGE CLAIM

installation

Online dating platforms became a popular way to meet new people. However, in search of a perfect match, it is easy to become a target of emotionally manipulative behaviours, often referred to as “mind games”. According to recent studies, one of the reasons why mind games like “ghosting”, “catfishing”, “breadcrumbing”, or “hot and cold” gained popularity online is the lowered level of accountability for ones’ words and actions when interactions do not take place face-to-face.

As dating app activity exists solely in virtual space, it can be hard to realize the real-life consequences of mind games. Baggage Claim gives a physical form to the emotional baggage that is left behind from engaging in manipulative behaviours. While users are affected differently by interactions online, mind games can have long-term impacts on their sense of self-worth, create attachment anxiety, and affect their ability to trust others.

Baggage Claim is a visual representation of the unhealthy communications strategies that became prevalent in the technological age of the Internet. It serves as a starting point for a much-needed conversation about the negative impact of mind games on users of online dating platforms, as well as a means for a reassessment of our behaviours.