{"id":54560,"date":"2026-08-22T17:29:51","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T15:29:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.turner.nl\/uncategorized\/column-by-peter-de-bruin-lunchbox\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T17:30:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T15:30:18","slug":"column-by-peter-de-bruin-lunchbox","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turner.nl\/en\/blog-en\/column-by-peter-de-bruin-lunchbox\/","title":{"rendered":"Column by Peter de Bruin | \u201cLunchbox\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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We\u2019re doing well, but will it stay that way? And what is the value of money, and what\u2019s the difference between wealth and well-being? These are interesting questions to discuss across generations at the holiday table, as Peter de Bruin notes. <\/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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\u201cWhere did you go this summer?\u201d is the most frequently asked question right now. After the pandemic, traveling has once again become second nature for many\u2014preferably for long trips to faraway places. Through social media, we get to witness each other\u2019s adventures. I\u2019ve been on the road, too\u2014with my family. It was wonderful and delightful. In Morocco, we experienced extremes: from staying with a poor Berber family high up in the Atlas Mountains to a luxury resort that, believe it or not, had a swimming pool in the desert. <\/p>

Our vacation, full of contrasts, certainly had an impact. We had some wonderful and thought-provoking discussions about wealth, well-being, immigration, and money. For my children\u2014some of whom are in school, some of whom are going through puberty\u2014vacation is indeed something they take for granted. For me personally, however, this isn\u2019t the case. I wasn\u2019t taught at home how beautiful, educational, and perspective-broadening it is to discover the world. That\u2019s not a criticism\u2014it simply wasn\u2019t part of my upbringing. But I do think it\u2019s important. <\/p>

There are more differences like that between the 1970s and today. Largely driven by technology\u2014think of that single landline (bakelite) phone in the hallway, versus a smartphone for everyone today. But just as much driven by money. There was no money for new socks; they were mended with a needle and thread. And so, back then, we used to make a couple of sandwiches every morning to take along in our lunchboxes. These days, it\u2019s more common to buy a fancy sandwich for lunch. <\/p>

The differences between generations (then and now) and locations (there and here) made us, as a family, realize during this vacation just how good we have it. And that it\u2019s not as obvious as it seems. Things could be different \u201ctomorrow.\u201d Given the many transitions our society is about to face, that\u2019s almost inevitable. After all, \u201cif we want everything to stay the same, everything must change*1)<\/sup>.\u201d We\u2019re not going to be able to pull that off. <\/p>

For example, to keep the indoor temperature the same, the air conditioner has to run harder and harder. The energy that this consumes further warms the Earth (even when accounting for alternative energy sources). That\u2019s why we\u2019d actually be better off adapting. We should get used to the heat instead of fighting it\u2014following Darwin\u2019s lead. <\/p>

Okay, back to our conversations at the dinner table during vacation. Everyone quickly agrees on the limited value of material wealth. You can buy a house, but not a home. And a rich person isn\u2019t someone with a lot of possessions, but someone who doesn\u2019t need much. Yet money is highly valued. As a means to buy freedom, healthcare, etc.\u2014for yourself and others. And as a means to express your value as a professional, a craftsman, an employee, and so on.<\/p>

This reveals a valuable interplay between freedom and responsibility. So you have to earn freedom\u2014through responsibility\u2014toward yourself and toward others, with money as a medium of exchange. Every day, we face that choice to act responsibly. After all, life is about how you deal with things that happen to you (loosely based on*1)<\/sup>). <\/p>

Back to the vacation. Or rather, back to the reality of work. I hope you\u2019re still able to enjoy the summer vibe. I\u2019m proud of the insights we gained during our vacation, but I\u2019m under no illusions. None of us is going to start heading out the door every morning with a lunchbox from now on. It\u2019s important that we tackle our other responsibilities. <\/p>

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*1) ref: Lampedusa, 1958<\/em><\/p>

<\/em>*2) ref: <\/em><\/p>

– Edith Eger, Holocaust survivor and author of *The Choice*, which explores how everyone can ultimately choose freedom;<\/em><\/p>

– Viktor Frankl, ibid., and author of *Man\u2019s Search for Meaning*, who said, \u201cNo one can take away my freedom to choose how I respond to circumstances.\u201d<\/em><\/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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