A Mental Shift
The last few weeks have been very interesting. I've discovered that I am more passionate about being European than I expected. Supporting our own tech and products is crucial for our continent's growth, and we should strive for a “Europe first” mentality.
Europe is home to around 44 countries, making it culturally rich in food, language, movies, shows, and more. There are fantastic products, both tech and non-tech, as well as cultural offerings. We have so much to learn from each other, whether it's language, recipes, or music.
While we may lag in areas like tech and social media, I believe this is partly because we look up to the USA too much. Our data gets collected, sold, and used to improve platforms, often making them more addictive. I'm not advocating for data collection—far from it. At least Europe has strong rules and laws around data protection. We should educate ourselves and others about being careful with our data.
That's why I made a mental shift. I removed certain apps and replaced them with European-based or open-source alternatives. Some of these new apps are even better than what I had before. The key is to try them out for yourself and find what works best for you while being mindful of the data you share.
Randy.