I joined Lyris roughly 13 years ago. On my arrival - I had the ‘swag bag’ waiting for me in which was a mouse mat …and 13 years later not only do I still have it but it travels with me to most places I go.

My Mouse Mat

Today I was taken by an article by 🔗 Scott Brinker - famed for his ‘stack maps’ - in which Lyris used to feature.

His articles arrives - and I either miss it - or I scan it - or I read it. On this occasion 🔗 1967 was the summer of love we will remember 2025 as the summer of vibes I read it - and - ummmm - no.

Umm - hell no.

…maybe one day I will follow this up with a more detailed reasoning why - but for now “yeah, no” is the only appropriate response.

Why?

1967 was music, movement, and meaning.

2025? Unless you live in a tech bubble (and clearly many do) I would suggest that when people look back from 2050, and ask how they remember 2025 - I suspect the answers or more likely to fall into categories such as;

  • That America lost democracy.
  • That the world slipped further into fascism.
  • That we tipped past the point of no return on climate.
  • That AI passed the tipping point - ushering in 50% unemployment. OR
  • That AI passed the tipping point - and finally - humanity is actually free to live, create, and flourish.

My bet? However it lands, it won’t be remembered as the ‘summer of vibes’.

I am assuming that Scott has one of his tongues in one of his cheeks - so I won’t get too uppity - but just one more question - how many of you look back to 2022 as the year of

  • The SPACs (and their collapse) - until their 2025 revival
  • Web3 (remember when that was going to save us?)
  • Cyber <fill in your ‘phrase du jour» it mainly created headlines)
  • The restart of the Ukraine War (potential start of WW3)
  • The end of free money
  • The arrival of ChatGPT

.. and this was just 3 years ago

That said - BIG doff of hat to Lyris CMO and all round lovely man - 🔗Alex Lustberg for being 15 years ahead of tech culture and capturing ‘vibe’ as part of The Lyris culture.