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ePaper created 2015-01-28, 14:04:45 | version 1.34.00
profile 14 schueco.com 17Interview determine, and it also differs depending on the culture. What the Swiss, for example, consider minimal would be considered opulent in a dif- ferent context, in other coun- tries. I think you have to define the minimum in relation to the maximum. Of course, it can be defined in terms of material goods – food, a place to live, a bed – but we are living in a particular cultural context. The minimum is also dependent on how people live within a culture. Not being able to go to a concert, take part in a sporting activity or visit a res- taurant means you are simply excluded. These moments are difficult to quantify. P R O F I L E : But aren’t the desire to abstain and the yearning for simplicity related to a general change in values? K a r i n Fr i c k : Yes, of course, they are a characteristic of a mature culture. Western society has reached quite a so- phisticated level. If you are not in need of anything physically, then you try to transform your- self mentally through ascetism and abstention instead of amassing further riches. P R O F I L E : How is the economy reacting to this development? Karin Frick: At the moment, the economy is reacting by fal- ling back on the growth mar- kets, those countries in which the hunger for material luxury is still great. It is orientating itself towards these emerging markets, with the major ma- nufacturers leading the way. The second aspect is that it is creating new offerings with objects for connoisseurs, hand-crafted, skilfully created and regional products. It is also important to replace prod- ucts with »experiences«. For example, staying in a chalet or a week-long tour in the Alps with a mountain guide then takes on a much greater sig- nificance than staying in Du- bai, and you also gain a much higher social status as a result. Such offerings are developing here in Europe, where a spe- cial emphasis is placed on the experience and much less on vulgar materialism, whereby you have to say that the requi- rements placed on the prod- ucts have increased; a reduc- tion requires the maximum from the little that you have. Of course, with fewer goods, I expect a high level of quality. P R O F I L E : From fully automated building techno- logy to the »intelligent« façade: in construction, where do you see the boundary between the use- ful and the simple? Karin Frick: At the moment, you can still see the technolo- gy. But in the near future, all of these things will be »invisi- ble«, completely hidden in the walls. Then they will be easily operated and controlled using your smartphone. Currently, technical aspects are very pro- minent in terms of perception. But that will change. Let’s be honest: I would maintain that even a life of self-sufficiency is not »sim- ple«. In the absence of tech- nological aids, everyday life was certainly not easy for our grandparents. The so-called »simple life« is often mis- judged; our homes are heat- ed. Lighting the fire or wash- ing the laundry used to be time-consuming and compli- cated. So the wealth of tech- nology that we have today has ultimately made our lives con- siderably easier. P R O F I L E : Steve Jobs said: »Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.« The design of Apple proves that. What did Jobs do differently to his competitors? K a r i n Fr i c k : From the outset, Jobs gave his Mac a simple user interface. That’s the point. For complex techno- logy, we need an interface that is easy to use. Or the Internet: in the past, only computer ge- eks knew where to start. With the introduction of the first browser, it became accessi- ble to everybody. Steve Jobs integrated operability into the design. From a number of but- tons to one button. True sim- plicity is complex! P R O F I L E : Do you live a life of »simplicity«? K a r i n Fr i c k : No, I love complexity and I cherish crea- tivity – »creative chaos« is my motto. I am also that person who opens 100 web pages and leaves documents open. I am very comfortable with that and really get along very well. Karin Frick is Head of the Think Tank and a Member of the Executive Board at the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute in Zürich. As an economist, she researches and analyses trends and countertrends in business, society and consumption. Karin Frick studied at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) and has held positions as editor-in-chief of the quarterly publication GDI IMPULS and as Managing Director of the Swiss Society for Futures Studies (SwissFuture).