“We have to accept that politics, the economy and society are in the deepest crisis since the Second World War. If we don’t acknowledge that, we will not get out of this crisis.” With these words, GDI Executive Advisor David Bosshart began his presentation at the European Foodservice Summit’s digital talk.
The winners and losers of the crisis, however, are unequally distributed. It is often a battle in the style of David against Goliath. The outlook for young people, for example, is bleaker than it has been for a long time. According to the US Federal Reserve, in 2000 the under-40s still had a share of 13% of their country’s wealth; today it is only 6%. Google, Amazon and Facebook, on the other hand, are the big winners.
In his talk, Bosshart emphasised that the crucial question is whether we really want to learn from the crisis and push for major transformations, asking: “Can we use the crisis as positive shock therapy?” The biggest danger, he said, is when reforms in agriculture, health and retail fail to materialise. We tend to sit back and relax.
The knowledge gained from the crisis is only of limited use for change, says Bosshart: “We also have to believe in a different future.” Believing in something is much stronger than data, facts and evidence.
You can find out more about the balance between fear and hope, the greatest danger for society and the prospects for the catering industry in the video of his presentation: