Recent thoughts, and a conversation, made me wonder if I am in a comfort zone, at least in my non-professional life. Some of it is probably FOMO, since there is so much literature on how growth continues by stepping out of the comfort zone. But it is worth a thought, and probably a good way to provide direction on life ahead.
As technology continues to accelerate changes, asymmetry, complexity and uncertainty have become the underlying themes across the world. Using nine themes, Joi Ito and Jeff Howe provide both perspectives and food for thought on the kind of adaptive thinking that is required to survive the future.
The pressure test being carried out thanks to a virus induced lockdown has resulted not just in shifts in consumer behaviour, but a trend among brands to espouse social causes. In an earlier post I had commented on the challenges of brands becoming “woke”, but what is the long term impact on consumption and brand building?
A political novel written in 1935 that’s prescient about how an authoritarian regime could actually take power in the United States. Though it begins with a democratic victory, it soon becomes a “corporatist” regime with its own paramilitary force called Minute Men. Through the struggles of Doremus Jessup, a liberal, we see the journey downhill. The references to real life personalities might require some research, but a great read nevertheless.
Our paradoxical needs – to “stand out” and “belong” are both a result of different combinations of happiness, contentment, self image and ego. Ways to make our lives meaningful and/or relevant. Is it possible to live even without that agenda?