Why do we know less in a "know-it-all" society?
Everyone has the world in their pocket today.
Not sure what quinoa is on the menu? Ask Siri.
Too shy to try and speak French when travelling in France? Google Translate.
Not sure what "lyocell" means on the t-shirt label? Take a pic and ChatGPT will make you sound like you have a PhD in textiles.
Bored? Scroll and scroll and scroll. Without leaving home we've seen the weirdest animals that exist on the other side of the planet.
The great thing is that we are much more informed when we need to. Being less ignorant helps us understand the big issues our planet and society are facing. Inequality, depleting natural resources, extreme weather and natural disasters – we know that things are not right and something needs to be done. We care more about the environment and we know it has an impact on our society.
Yet, in a world of information explosion we seem to know less than we ever did. No one knows anything deeply anymore, we just know the top-line answer which is simply the most referred to (hence, AI believes it's statistically more probable that it is correct or socially acceptable to inform you).
How do we know that we are doing our part when it comes to our daily choices in what we eat or wear? We don't, really. We rely on honest brands telling honest stories. We tend to doubt big corporations more, and trust small, local businesses. People that passionately tell you where they source their fresh fruit for their juice, or how they work with local family producers to make your clothes. Small businesses often help us "do good when consuming".
Have you ever thought about how tremendous the impact of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have to our global development? At any point in time, small and medium-sized businesses employ around half of the population. If every SME made a positive impact to the environment or a social challenge, the power of our wallet can definitely move the needle in the sustainable development that is needed for our economy to be more equitable, inclusive and regenerative.
In the book "Who Said Your Business Is None Of Our Business" we explore this fascinating relationship between the "know-it-all consumer", SMEs, and our global sustainable development goals. We will also break down how these SMEs, from tech startups to local bakeries, apply complex sustainable business models without us realising - and the impact it has, using relatable everyday examples.
Slowing down in our modern world is a luxury, and I invite you to take this luxury with us to live slower, and more intentionally. Let's spend some time to understand our influence in a more profound way, and consume more consciously, starting with this book.
Kindly guest written by Amber Wan the author of "Who Said Your Business Is None Of Our Business".
