The Open Society Foundations measured the mood in 30 countries around the world. Result: Fear of political violence is increasing — and young people are becoming increasingly disappointed with democracy. What problems are people around the world most worried about, what expectations do they have for the future, and what…

But with anything and everything worthwhile, it takes time, dedication and consistency — You don’t have to take my word for it. A philosopher thinks so too. I just read a book by Rebekka Reinhard — it’s all about being good. She says it’s the best way to become happy and resilient. I’ve been practicing the art of being good for a while…

The odd mix between the greatness of Tolstoy, Pushkin, Dostoyevsky and the fear of appearances — Russia is part of Europe, at least the Western part, although one could argue whether this is a purely geographical term that has very little to do with “European values” such as democracy, the rule of law, tolerance, pluralism, willingness to reach consensus, etc. Anyone who met with dissidents in…

Why? Because it tastes good and looks good — Is it a drink or a dessert? The answer isn’t quite that simple. While the specialty is served as a dessert in Italy, the combination of coffee and ice cream is offered as a drink abroad. But what everyone can agree on is the preparation: hot espresso is poured onto…

We’re Cool — About two years ago, Generation Z started a pants revolution. Some will still remember it. It started with videos on a social media platform. Back then, kids started making fun of skinny jeans on Tiktok. The jokes, of course, came at the millennials’ expense. Because they were stuck in their…

Painful decisions can be reasoned and justified, but not negated and denied. — Painful decisions can be reasoned and justified, but not negated and denied. There’s this scene in Darren Aronofsky’s film The Whale starring Brendan Fraser. His heavily overweight character Charlie clashes with his teenage daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink) when she accuses him of abandoning her and her mother. Charlie tries to…

Unconventional Gathering in Saudi Arabia Marks A Shift In The World Order — A meeting in Saudi Arabia about a war in Europe? It is a sign that the world is changing. Because not only the usual suspects were sitting at the table here. 40 countries came together for the Ukraine conference in the Saudi port city of Jeddah over the weekend. True…

Happy 80th Birthday Billy, Dalfred, Askeby, Huvudroll Meatballs, Godmiddag.. — The company is celebrating its 80th birthday this weekend. Founder Ingvar Kamprad built Ikea from scratch and made it the largest furniture retailer in the world. The numbers are impressive: Ikea operates 460 shops in 62 countries and employs around 231,000 people. Most recently, the company achieved sales of 45…

We know the power of Social Media but reminders can’t hurt. For next time. — The University of Vienna published an international study that shows the extent of the influence social media had on the election campaign three years ago. Social media algorithms are powerful. Tiktok knows what makes the user tick and what attracts them, after only a couple of videos. Instagram and Facebook…