LET’S BE FWENDS ISSUE #1:

It’s not about the New; It’s about the Good.

And everybody is good at something.

Austria - for example - is pretty good at Paid Time Off.Which is weird. And strange. But probably it’s all a matter of perspective. If you dig long enough, you’ll find something you’re better at than anyone else. Cyclists know that, we make up our own categories all the time. „Sure, I was 68th overall, but adjusted for age, gender, weight, bike color and saddle type, I totally crushed it!“

But what you’re best at is not really who you are - in this sense, this map is terribly misleading. You can’t define Austria by „Paid Time Off“, and if you paint the USA as World Capital of Spam mails, you’d probably miss the point.

The same goes for people. What you’re good at is not who you are. It’s worth keeping that in mind.

Use, Non-use, Food and Circular Design.

If food and loss and waste were its own country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter. (by the way ofmy friend Kat)

I think that’s shocking (and depressing), but I don’t think it will surprise anyone. Which makes it just all the way more shocking. And like a Mandelbrot fractal, this pattern of “make - use - dispose” (or non-use as it is the case with food) is present on virtually any level of our economy. I once read that everyday the inhabitants of Vienna (largest Austrian city) throw away as much bread as the inhabitants of Graz (second largest city) consume. On average, every Viennesethrows away 40kg of food that would have been fine for consumption.

This throwaway attitude is one of the pillars of our economy, and it’s everywhere. Growth depends on it. It’s just that with food we’re more sensitive about it.

If you want to do something about it and break out of the linear approach to growth (and nearly everything),check out the new guide to circular design by IDEO. And if you’re in Vienna,the upcoming Vienna Biennale definitely has to go on your calendar.

A Twitter account to follow

Present&Correct are a brilliant store for incredible office supplies and theirTwitter account is a real gold nugget. Follow them, you won’t regret it.

Favorite Movie Quote

Spence: You ever kill anybody?

Sam: I hurt somebody’s feelings once.

(Ronin, 1998)

On a more serious note, from the same movie: „Whenever there is any doubt, there is no doubt.“

That’s pretty good advice for an action thriller from the 90ies.

That’s it from this edition of Let’s be Fwends. If you made it down here, please high-five yourself.You’ve beat the gold fish. With ease.🐟