Ordinary zine is a balm against doomscrolling

The zine is a hotchpotch of writing and art, with their latest issue featuring everything from poetry to tarot readings to lively opinion pieces on drug decriminalisation. “We ask those who contribute to interpret the message of Ordinary in their own way, which is why it can feel quite eclectic, but also authentic,” Ella explains. The result is a thoughtfully put together zine which feels like a much-needed balm against the overwhelming pressures of modern life.

We spoke to Ella and Mary about Ordinary’s origins, drawing inspiration from the counterculture, and the power of radical acceptance.

Please could you tell me a bit about how Ordinary came about? What was the inspiration behind it?

Ella: The initial idea behind Ordinary was to inspire presence and gratitude, and to do this by noticing and appreciating the ordinary things we often take for granted. The present is all we have, and too much time spent worrying about the future or dwelling on the past is time wasted. But presence isn’t easy to cultivate in the face of personal anxieties and grievances, and especially not in the age of social media and the 24-hour news cycle. This is part of the reason we chose to make Ordinary a print magazine. Reading something physical is a commitment. Giving yourself 20 minutes to an hour to sit and read, with no open tabs or notifications to distract you, can feel somewhat radical in this day and age.

Mary: Ella and I created our first issue of Ordinary last spring in one week, but for me it had been a long time in the making. Despite the past five years being an extremely tumultuous time politically and economically, the chaos has allowed us to envision the possibility of a new world. It created space for movements to build. Through engaging with community and self-inquiry during these past couple of years, I’ve been able to create meaning in my life beyond what is expected of me from society, and Ordinary is my expression of this.

There’s so much variety in Ordinary – you publish personal essays, tarot readings, poetry. Ella, what would you say is the common thread which links all these pieces of writing together?

Ella: There is a lot of freedom in deciding what fits into Ordinary and what doesn’t, which is why it can feel as though the themes are quite broad. Ordinary is an expression of our response to the current state of the world, or at least our perception of it, and in that sense it is all quite personal.

Overall, we want reading Ordinary to feel like taking a long, deep breath. Anything that inspires presence, gratitude and contemplation is an Ordinary piece. Tarot, for example, is a great way to inspire introspection, while essays about nature or spending money are interesting ways to look at how we are shaped by both the world around us and our own decisions. We also like to encourage a different way of relating to one another. Through our recent feature ‘Common Ground’, for example, we encourage people to disagree amicably – a reminder that we are not so different after all. Ordinary is not about telling anybody how to live, but encouraging people to wonder how they could be living differently. 

“I think a lot of what is published in the media becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. People are told they should be pessimistic, and so they become pessimistic” – Ella Glover

I really love that the magazine has quite an optimistic, positive ethos, in the face of what is quite a bleak time politically and economically. Do you hope the zine can offer an antidote to young people’s pessimism?

Mary: We are not trying to tell anyone how to live their life or what is right and what is wrong, rather we just want to shine a light on what is. From that place of radical acceptance, we can move forward to deal with whatever is happening in the world that requires our attention.

Ella: This was one of the main factors in creating Ordinary and deciding what it would be. As a journalist, I have a lot of thoughts about the state of our clicks-based, profit-driven media. The news is constant and often unhelpful. There is a consistent focus, driven by consumerism, on what’s next. There’s no time to digest information. Trends are over as soon as they begin and there is a hefty focus on outrage – a much more lucrative emotion than peace! – which fuels conflict and division in the real world. With Ordinary, we have made a conscious decision to avoid anything divisive. We don’t publish news and we don’t bother with what’s trending.

I think a lot of what is published in the media becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. People are told they should be pessimistic, and so they become pessimistic. But one thing I have learned in the last few years is that although we cannot control what happens to us, we can control how we respond. It might sound like a cliché, but taking this responsibility drastically improved my outlook on life. This isn’t about forcing myself to feel positive about a negative situation, but accepting what I can’t control and concerning myself with the things I can.

The zine is so beautiful! Mary, could you tell us a bit about how you put it together, or where you draw your inspiration from?

Mary: Thank you! Creatively, I’m deeply moved by counterculture movements of the past, such as the late sixties or early nineties. Moments of time that created movements of hope and peaceful collective action. I look to figures and independent media from those eras for stylistic cues.

I also prefer to allow our contributors to have complete aesthetic freedom when creating, whether it is photography, illustration, collage or painting. It’s more important for me that we create a space for our contributors to be able to express themselves freely. It’s validating as an artist to have your expression recognised and respected for exactly what it is. It also makes it much more challenging, but also more fun, to bring the zine together as a coherent piece of work than if I gave contributors strict stylistic briefs.

What are you thinking of for the future of Ordinary? Or are you just seeing how things go for now?

Ella: We try not to concern ourselves with the future. It’s a joy to connect with people who are willing to express themselves creatively in pursuit of a shared ideal, and we hope to continue to grow this community of people who understand and agree with Ordinary’s message. It’s really nice to watch Ordinary grow and change. It honestly has a mind of its own, and we are just along for the ride. 

Mary: Yes – we strive to be responsive rather than proactive, leaving strategy behind in pursuit of feeling. We feel each moment as it arrives and respond accordingly. The only power we have to shape the future lies in the present moment. That being said, we are launching ‘Radio Ordinary’ soon, which will be a radio show on Brixton Radio. So if you’re looking, you’ll find us riding the cosmic airwaves soon, so to speak.

Ordinary Issue 05 is available to order here.