The systems we can’t see

First, let me set the scene…

Last week, we explored how email marketing (often overlooked), is a quiet yet powerful system of influence, trust, and behaviour shaping that reflects how all effective communication works, whether in business or life: It is still worth noticing what influences you?

This week, tariffs, the stock market, and AI — honestly, I’m counting down the days until these ‘trends’ wears off…

Dear Younger Self,

This week, I went for a walk.

It was one of those walks where your thoughts only start to make sense once your body’s in motion. I’d been feeling mentally crowded, like there was too much noise and not enough clarity. Eventually, I realised what I’d been circling around all week: tariffs, the stock market, and AI. A strange trio, maybe, but they all feel like systems that quietly shape our lives without ever fully explaining themselves.

Tariffs are funny (to me, at least). On paper, they’re just taxes on imported goods, meant to protect domestic industries. But lately, it feels like every time Trump gets screen time, a new tariff board appears. Less strategy. More spectacle. And still, the impact is real: supply chains tighten, prices jump, markets wobble.

The public often doesn’t see the mechanism — just the rising cost at checkout or the delayed package. It’s like walking into a room that’s gone suddenly quiet and not knowing who said what. But you can feel it.

Except this time, it’s not just a feeling. You see it. You see it in the closures, the price hikes, the stock delays. You see it too much. Honestly, I’m counting down the days until this ‘trend’ wears off.

Speaking of stock delays… quick side note. I’ve never invested more than $500 in the stock market. Just a tiny bet on the S&P 500 because someone once told me it was “safe.” But even from that distance, I can sense how fragile the whole thing is. It’s less about value and more about confidence. Speculation. Mood. We treat it like science, but it behaves more like emotion.

Then there’s AI. I had a conversation with a friend who works in cybersecurity, and the whole thing drifted into slightly eerie territory. The government might not be “using” AI directly, but it’s definitely involved. They outsource projects, drip-feed data to contractors, and keep things distant, careful, and untraceable. What really got me was hearing how law enforcement might already be using AI to identify suspects, interpret behaviour, and even influence bail decisions. Quiet tools making loud decisions.

All of that: the systems, the policies, the speculation — hit differently after this weekend.

I was meant to send this letter last night. It’s now Monday. I was physically ill, mentally fogged, and very much recovering from a night that reminded me I’m still very much alive. So consider this your human delay notice. But I’ve got a good story to back it up.

Saturday night was something else entirely. I played a basketball game where I was borderline hyperactive, lost the ball a bunch, but we won. We had injuries, foul-outs, a chaotic lineup, but it was fun. Afterward, I ended up at a teammate’s place with a bunch of girls from the team, and the night got wild. Think: drunk Jas, chaotic laughter, mixing substances, and a morning that absolutely required two Panadols and a full reset. I haven’t let go like that in a long time. It reminded me that while I write about complex systems and AI and economics, I’m also just 21.

And I’m still figuring it out: Living. Fumbling. Recovering. REPEAT.

So yes, this letter is late. But it’s arriving with everything I’ve got. Thoughts about the big, invisible things and the joy of the messy, deeply human ones.

Until next week (on time, I promise),

Love,

Le Hare

P.S. Jiya! If you’re reading this, stay safe but have the best time in Japan. Thank you for being part of the reason I do this. You lit the match on so many of these ideas, and I hope this new chapter gives you everything you’ve been chasing.

Get your highlighter out…

Originally, I intended this section to share key takeaways from my letter. Instead, I’m highlighting the “lifelights” of my week; the destinations or event that were quite memorable.

Bornga Korean BBQ Restaurant - I took myself on a date. I used to do this a lot when I was younger — even when I was in a relationship. Back then, the main reason was simple: we didn’t have wifi at home, so I was burning through my data either way. I needed to get out of the house.

Lately, I’d fallen into a slump. Late nights, even later wake-ups, no energy to train. My body felt sore and achy, and all I did was complain about it without really doing anything to change it.

So, I left. I figured I’d take myself somewhere nice, grab a good meal, and finally power through the mountain of work I’ve been putting off. Of course, no work got done. But I journaled, I sketched, I ate some really good food — and honestly, I felt so much better. Sometimes, that’s more than enough.

Nonda - On Friday night, I had dinner with two of my closest friends. We used to work together. One is moving to the Gold Coast, then heading off to Japan. She’s launching a vlog, has set up an ABN, and is building something for herself. The other is someone I’m collaborating with on a creative project. We’re all doing our own thing, trying to build, to grow, to figure out what we want. Sitting around that table, talking about our dreams and side-hustles and how wild the last few years have been, I was reminded how lucky I am to have people in my life who push me forward.

We even ended up talking about tariffs over wine and chips. (Yes, really.) We’ve all worked in marketing for e-commerce brands, and we’ve seen firsthand how global tensions filter down into shipping costs, manufacturing delays, and even entire markets closing. One of the brands I work with had to shut down its US store completely. That’s not small. And it’s all connected: COVID-born businesses, attachment to control, the rising cost of running things, and the silence from governments while brands scramble. The dominoes don’t fall cleanly. They crack and spin and make noise in places people don’t even realise are linked.

Matcha & Cherry Drizzle Blondies

275g all purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
1.5 tbsp matcha powder(15g)
170g butter, melted
190g light brown sugar
245g granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 cups cherry juice

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan-forced).

2. In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and matcha powder. Set aside.

3. In a small saucepan over high heat, add the cherry juice and 100g of sugar. Stir every 2–5 minutes until the liquid thickens slightly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and melted butter until smooth. Then, mix in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated.

5. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined.

6. Pour the batter into a greased or lined square baking pan. Drizzle the cooled cherry syrup over the top and use a skewer or knife to gently swirl it through the batter.

7. Place the pan in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 160°C. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

8. Let cool in the pan before slicing. Enjoy!

For a quick dopamine hit…

I’m a bit of a screen addict.

I constantly find myself staring at a screen, but like many of my habits, I aim to transform this into something beneficial — not just for myself, but for others too.

So, here are this week’s interesting discoveries I came across online that I think is worth your time: