About the concept
What is a “square”?
square
noun [ C ]
UK / skweər
(1) a flat shape with four sides and four angles of 90°.
(2) informal : a person who prefers to play it safe and does not like new and exciting ideas. Someone who is unadventurous or dull. Example “He's a bit of a square.” (negative)
Manifesto
Squares are conventions that exist but you can’t remember why anymore. Squares are the societal boxes that people want to put us in. Squares are the people who say “that sounds weird”, “don’t rock the boat” or “stick to what you know”. Squares are a flat shape with right angles, with everything in perfect balance.
We come in all shapes and sizes, we cannot be summarised in one word, like a job title. We are limitless, fluid and ever-changing. Our lives can be messy and beautiful and things don’t always need to be linear or to make sense. We are curious, we create our own rules, we question the status-quo and most importantly, we seek joy. We love to play. We thrive on new experiences, learning, growing and exploring alongside others.
So, let’s embrace the fun, live curiously, and celebrate the joy of new experiences.
We are not square.
Our ethos
We believe in the power of community and the importance of creating environments that foster growth, relaxation, and creativity.
A little bit of history
The negative use of “square” as rigid or conventional can be traced to 1950s and 1960s North America, with the rise of youth culture and jazz as a new musical form. It is said to be inspired by the rigid motion of a conductor's hand gestures in a regular four-beat rhythm, shaping a square, and it became synonymous with traditional values and lifestyles. The term came to criticize those who could not embrace or understand the growing counter-culture and became a popular expression of derision of the mainstream in the beat generation, evidenced in the works of Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs etc.