
Stefan Sagmeister: Finally, something good.
From Long Now by The Long Now Foundation
March 12, 2026 · 1h 9m
About this episode
Stefan Sagmeister discusses the duality of the world's state and the importance of perspective in understanding human progress.
"The world is terrible, and the world is better," Stefan Sagmeister said. "Both can be true." It all depends on perspective. In his Long Now Talk, Finally, something good, Sagmeister urged us to zoom out. The faster the news cycle spins, and the more we scroll, the more we catastrophize. Meanwhile, the things that improve tend to do so slowly and quietly. In this visually stunning talk, Sagmeister takes us on a journey through his body of work, transforming long-term data on human progress into striking works of art.
People in this episode
Guest: Stefan Sagmeister
Topics covered
- perspective
- human progress
- art
- news cycle
- catastrophizing
Keywords
- Stefan Sagmeister
- human progress
- art
- perspective
- news cycle
- catastrophizing
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