Travel, old PCs, and the meaning of words

I'm writing this on my phone, something I haven't done since I had a Blackberry

I am in Monte Carlo at the moment working at IMpower Fund Forum. Not in my central wheelhouse, but an event I have been to several times over the years.

I had planned on writing a post that compared the recent design trend of ‘sad beige’ (which I hate) and the long standing (it may have to do with SEO or using gen AI to write ?) trend of over the top positive LinkedIn posts where everything is a “game changer” and even minor adjustments in business models is labeled “genius”. (trust me, it would have worked)

Positive vibes only, bifurcated narratives where there are “winners and losers”, and emoji bulleted “trends and tips” may do well in our algorithmic age. But remember the song “Everything is awesome” from The Lego Movie was aimed at the parents in the theatre who've read 1984.

What Orwell got wrong was that control over thoughts, words, and meaning would be driven by authoritative governments. I feel what we are seeing today is that the corruption of words is driven by powerful players in the tech world (who then infiltrate formally democratic governments to make facts and truth suspect and the very concept of nuance abhorrent.)

But then my ancient PC decided to die and any plans for my carefully (and spell checked) post went out the window (where it probably jumped on a super yacht sailing through the Riviera)

So I leave you with this bastardised quote inspired by the late former journalist himself, Orwell.

If everything is awesome, one day you will be presented with something that is truly awesome and you will not have the words needed to describe it.

Words have meaning, use them with care. (PLEASE, PLEASE, read Orwell’s seven rules for writing, even if you only take fingers to keyboards sporadically.)

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Again, the song choice should surprise no one.