A Strip Tease and More
I’m all over the place these days, as in my internal wavelength is super erratic. (You, too? Hmm…) So, I’m just going to go with it and take advantage of my attention deficit and paroxysms by throwing a little springtime smorgasbord at you all today.
Now, where should we start…
The Sound of Silence
How about a few words on silence? (That sounds, basically, weird, doesn’t it?)
Well, stick with me. My friend Erik Kingston posted the following on LinkedIn and it’s worth reposting here:
“A recent interview with South African actor John Kani—who was beaten and imprisoned under Apartheid—had a comment that struck me as worth repeating. Here's an excerpt from the interview:
"He wrote and stars in ‘Kunene And The King,’ about a Black nurse taking care of a dying white actor. Kani says there are white South Africans who think they didn't do anything wrong during apartheid if they didn't physically harm anyone.”
Kani's character responds:
"What we'll remember most is your silence."
I think I’ll just let that one speak for itself.
Strip Tease, Anyone?
Back when I was doing a lot of corporate work, I used the practice of livestock branding to convey some of the core tenants of successful modern-day branding: Your ranch’s brand had to be unique so that it couldn't easily be copied by rustlers. It had to be readable at a distance while the livestock were moving. You get the idea. That’s my entrée to this week’s “rebranding moment,” whereby Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants to rebrand the New York strip cut of meat to the Texas strip. Good luck with that. Oh, and by the way, Dan, don’t you have something else to be doing with your time? (Or are you just trying to live up to the role that is defined as Lieutenant Governor?)
Parental Discipline:
So, who wants a couple more scoops of Ben and Jerry’s? We dedicated the last issue to the feisty yet lovable ice cream maker, but the hits just keep coming.
Parent company Unilever axed Ben & Jerry’s CEO David Stever earlier this month. Ben & Jerry’s alleges this action was a result of its political activism, in stark violation of its social mission. Looks like a rocky road ahead.
After reading last week’s Ben & Jerry’s story, alert reader Cory Ames reminded us that Ben & Jerry’s had been spotlighted for child labor in its dairy supply chain back in 2023. As Ben & Jerry’s is a B Corp, he wondered if we’d ever seen a response from B Lab, the nonprofit that operates B Corp certification. (We haven’t.) Here’s a link to a New York Times story about alleged child labor use by corporations, which included Ben & Jerry’s, as well as a response from the company.
Word of the Year?
Yeah, I’m handicapping a front runner: Dismantle. Middle French, with a first known use in 1579, and on a real hot streak nearly 500 years later as it seems to be popping up everywhere. Unfortunately. And, double unfortunately, I think it has staying power. How 'bout you? Any WOY candidates?
The D-words are on a Roll:
It's not every day I come across a word that’s completely foreign to me, but here’s one surfaced by reader Andrew Boardman's writing in Dear Designer, his own fine newsletter: Détournement. It’s an interesting word, a method of situational propaganda first developed in the 1950’s. Brand marketing expert Douglas B. Holt characterized it as “turning expressions of the capitalist system and its media culture against itself.” I went down a rathole on this one and got exposed to situational pranks, the punk movement, and culture jamming. You can jump into the same rathole beginning here.
Happy or Not, Here We Come:
Yes, the annual World Happiness Report, which makes some smile and others shudder, has just been released. No surprises here as the United States slipped to 24th in the world on the happy meter. The role of societal benevolence in creating happiness gets starring treatment in this year's report, as it should. Oh, and note to self: Dining by yourself is not good for your wellbeing.
Okay, then – take your hands away from the keyboard, Russ. Sure, I could keep on going but should probably be mindful of your time, so I’ll wind it down now with a simple wish: Hope you find someone to have lunch with today.
Godspeed, friends.
Russ
💬 Think About It
“When you come out of a storm, you won’t be the same person that walked in. That’s what the storm is all about.” Haruki Murakami
🤔 Survey Says
I am seeking (always, always seeking) to figure out how to best use my professional time and experience on this planet for maximum impact. I’d appreciate your input. I’ve crafted a one-question survey that will take you less than a 60 seconds to complete. More like <30 seconds. Please help me out by taking the survey. Thank you.
Find the Most Meaningful Work of Your Career
Our partner One Work has you covered with meaningful work that goes beyond a paycheck, a cubicle, or a weekly team Zoom call. You'll find purposeful jobs like those below, along with many more at the One Work job board.
• ChargePoint - Looking for some juice in your career? Well then why not get all charged up at the leading designers and manufacturers of EV charging stations . Senior Project Manager, Campbell, CA.
• Quality Bicycle Products - Attention all bicycle + B Corp freaks. Work on a Brand Support team that owns the customer experience for specialty brands like Salsa, Surly, 45NRTH, Bosch, Benno, Mahle, Fazua. Ride on! Brand Support Technical Representative, Bloomington, MN.
• ProPublica - Use your tech and data skills to uncover abuses of power and betrayals of the public trust at one of our favorite and most essential publications. Computational Journalist, REMOTE.
• Swipe Out Hunger - Most people don't associate college with hunger, but turns out there is a shockingly high level of food insecurity on our campuses. Here's a toothy role on a dynamic, mission-driven team. Vice President of Mission, REMOTE.
Need help in some way? Have a story idea, question, or request? Perhaps a social entrepreneur we should interview? Let us know – We're here to help. Just reply to this email with whatever you've got. We'll see you next week.