Topics of Week 15

What seems like a technical regression is actually Generation Z's new status symbol: the flip phone. Under the keyword "Digital Detox," an increasing number of young people are trading their high-end smartphones for simple "Nokia bricks" without touchscreens, apps, or constant notifications.

While the Swiss Federal Palace debates AI regulations and tech giants compete for every second of our screen-time, a segment of the youth is pulling the plug. The message behind the dumbphone comeback is clear: in 2026, true freedom does not mean being connected everywhere, but rather regaining control over one's own concentration.

Deliberately cutting the digital umbilical cord is becoming a statement against the endless feed—ironically, among digital natives.

The freefall began as early as March 2001, when the SAirGroup stock price plummeted unchecked and confidence in the «flying bank» imploded. Corporate management had tripped itself up with the fatal «Hunter Strategy», as the billion-franc losses of Sabena pulled the flagship down with it.

On April 2, 2001, Mario Corti finally faced the world press. The image of the lone restructuring manager, who had to announce a record loss of 2.9 billion francs that day, was seared into memory as a moment of collective helplessness. It was the final struggle before the total grounding of Swissair in October.

Images of the grounded MD-11 fleet are more relevant today than ever. They serve as a visual monument to the end of Swiss invulnerability. From the collapse of Swissair to the downfall of Credit Suisse, the same lesson remains: when national icons become global playthings and management loses its sense of reality, the state remains the only last resort—it is a trauma that persists to this day. The lesson of "too big to fail" was not written in an SNB boardroom, but on the tarmac of Kloten.

Further historical highlights

For the first time in the history of modern Switzerland, the generational balance has shifted fundamentally: for every 100 youths under the age of 20, there are now 101 people of retirement age. What demographers have predicted for decades became a statistical certainty this week. The youth surplus that characterized Switzerland since the 19th century is finally history; Switzerland has officially become a country of seniors.

Figures from the Federal Statistical Office confirm this historic turning point: at the end of 2025, Switzerland counted 1,811,000 people aged 65 and over, while only 1,802,000 were registered among those under 20. While both groups each account for about one-fifth of the total population of 9.1 million, the pendulum has shifted.

More figures.

What shook humanity's worldview in 1968 as Earthrise is finding its technological continuation today. The new images from the Artemis II crew from lunar orbit evoke memories of the iconic Apollo 8 image but add a spectacular accent of their own: instead of a rise, the new motif documents an earthset behind the dusty horizon of Earth's satellite.

While the 1968 original emphasized the fragility of our home, the flyby of the 'Orion' capsule shows Earth as a fading point of light in humanity's rearview mirror. The crew experienced phenomena of unprecedented visual power: in addition to the earthrise, the astronauts observed a solar eclipse where the sun - viewed through special glasses - disappeared directly behind the moon.

The earthset behind the moon is a visual reminder: from far away, our world is not only boundless but also frighteningly small. A change in perspective that is more necessary in 2026 than ever before.