Editor’s Letter – Winter 2023

As I write this note, Auckland has recently had another wet state of emergency, and a dramatic lightning strike. Economic storm clouds have also been hovering for some sectors. And as I look through the papers, the headlines seem to be a combination of negative stories about both. Both weather events and economic headwinds have dealt a tough blow to many people who deserve attention and assistance. However sometimes I think that we can also paralyze ourselves into a negative stupor based on a diet of negative news stories.

As it stands right now, I think the world is pretty amazing and I’m grateful to be here. And while humanity is getting a bit of a beat up for our environmental impact and ideological divisions, we also have a great capacity for creation, innovation and connection. So let’s also spend some time focusing on these things as a bit of a balance.

History has shown us time and again that some of the greatest success stories have their roots in economic downturns. And regardless of where we are at in the economic cycle, there is always time to celebrate beauty, innovation, design and craft that has evolved over thousands of years and connects us each to the rich tapestry of human history. That helps put the newspaper headlines into perspective.