{"id":54481,"date":"2026-08-22T17:28:23","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T15:28:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.turner.nl\/uncategorized\/column-by-peter-de-bruin-contraction-soup\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T17:28:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T15:28:26","slug":"column-by-peter-de-bruin-contraction-soup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turner.nl\/en\/blog-en\/column-by-peter-de-bruin-contraction-soup\/","title":{"rendered":"Column by Peter de Bruin | \u201cContraction Soup\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Column by Peter de Bruin<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"Shrink Soup\"<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In his column, Peter de Bruin combines two ideas that are frequently discussed these days: we are heading into a period of decline, and we are searching for meaning. Is there a connection between the two? Yes\u2014the fear of decline causes us to cling tightly to our possessions and prevents us from making the transition toward meaning. \n\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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I remember a Donald Duck comic from a long time ago. Donald was competing in a contest to see who could make the most bubbles in the soup. It was just a matter of adding plenty of butter. More butter, more bubbles. Donald had plenty of butter\u2014which, of course, he didn\u2019t share with anyone else\u2014and won easily. Or so it seemed. Until he added one last scoop of butter. All the bubbles merged into one big bubble, and so he lost the contest. <\/p>

You hear about population decline<\/strong><\/h4>

You hear a lot these days about (the fear) that we\u2019re heading into a period of contraction. It\u2019s also seen a bit as a \u201cpunishment\u201d for the unbridled growth with which we\u2019ve depleted our planet over the past few decades. It\u2019s gone. That\u2019s well known. However, we can\u2019t begin the transition until we understand the underlying causes. Such as the fear of decline, which causes paralysis. What\u2019s the story there? <\/p>

Growth isn\u2019t a bad thing. It\u2019s essential, it\u2019s in our DNA, and it\u2019s completely natural. All flora and fauna \u201cdo\u201d nothing else. There\u2019s always room for more, better, smarter\u2026 And there\u2019s also something selfish and competitive about that. The sun for one tree is shade for another. That, too, is nature. It forces us to stay sharp and make the most of our talents. <\/p>

We humans\u2014in business as well as in society at large\u2014have elevated growth to an art form. And made possession the norm. Not only has \u201cI have more than you\u201d become an implicit measure of success, but we\u2019re also quick to put up fences around it\u2014out of fear of losing what we have. This isn\u2019t even illogical at its core. After all, in the Middle Ages, when tribes harvested more than they needed, they stored it away for the coming winters. Naturally, you wouldn\u2019t want other tribes to simply take your hard-earned bounty. But these days, we\u2019ve gone a bit too far. Possessions have now become an end in themselves\u2014just like Donald in the comics. <\/p>

You hear about finding meaning<\/strong><\/h4>

At the same time, you often hear that we\u2019re searching for meaning. Meaning, as the English so aptly put it, \u201cwhat you mean\u201d\u2014as in \u201cwhat you signify, what you truly intend or imply.\u201d Beyond the breakdown of religious and ideological barriers lay our freedom, which most of us fill primarily with possessions rather than meaning. We share our possessions less and less. We do, however, share the success stories we (think we) achieve through our possessions. The upcoming vacations are a prime example. On social media: a rat race to the most beautiful destinations. Nobody wins that race. Not even Donald. <\/p>

Still, growth isn\u2019t the problem. Nor is ownership. There\u2019s nothing wrong with either of those things. Our problem is that, with growth having gotten out of hand, we\u2019ve lost sight of the purpose. Ownership comes first. And so it is that the fear of losing what we own is greater than the desire to do something \u201cmeaningful\u201d with it. <\/p>

The fear of decline is our biggest problem. Because of it, we stay stuck in our old ways: owning, collecting, and putting up fences. That blocks the path to transition. <\/p>

“Shrink Soup”\u2014maybe a good theme for the Donald Duck editorial team. As few bubbles in the soup as possible. Then our comic hero would have just won\u2026 :). <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Meet the Author<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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