...Being able to have a good meltdown may give you wrinkles, but it's definitely better than Botox. Few things are as liberating as experiencing failure and getting over it. But don't take that to mean we should idolize failure. Losing shouldn't be the new kind of winning...
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The question of the good life is eminently philosophical because it is eminently human and can transcend the horizon of everyday life. It concerns us all, and Plato said it: the good life is the examined life. That means a life where we ask ourselves the question of what a meaningful life is. But I see where you're going with that question. A philosopher shouldn't give answers about how exactly to lead a meaningful life. It should never be a matter of someone telling you Do this and don't do that, have a family or don't have a family, have this job and not another. The philosopher, I think, should cultivate the awareness that we sometimes overestimate the contents of life. Life is, after all, random, and one doesn't usually have much control over what happens to one. Your effort and duty - and this is what a philosopher might point out - is to find yourself in what has happened to you.
What question occupies your mind now?
The theme of freedom has always been important to me, and I remind you of this with the somewhat provocative title of my new book, Nothing is Allowed. But I will say up front that while I am concerned with freedom, I am certainly not one of those who talk about a new totalitarianism. I think we still live in a free society. But that doesn't mean, in my opinion, that you or I in particular are free. In fact, we do a lot of things out of choice rather than freedom. We don't set the terms of our lives, we live under the terms of the system, and the system shapes us to want or not want something. That is why the question of freedom is crucial: Where am I? Where is society? And where am I just reacting to stimuli?
What exactly are you interested in in the question of freedom?
I'm not so much concerned with freedom of speech - although that is of course also a very important topic, I think that the public space is impoverished by some opinions because people tend to take fixed positions - but rather whether people can be free if they are not concentrated. It's something I observe phenomenologically in myself. If you can't concentrate, Google is sending you left to right, top to bottom, and so is your colleague or employer...
If I argue that for a lot of people, perhaps in the case of the climate crisis, sounding the alarm is the only possible way of communicating because they feel that dialogue has failed?
To that I say: We see where alarmism leads in Germany or Scandinavia. Society is retreating and choosing parties that do not have a green agenda high up. I am afraid that alarmism and the attempt to educate the population may lead to us switching to the complete opposite and becoming disgusted with the issue for good. Just look at Germany, where green politics has traditionally been very popular. And today? It is slipping into the background. On the other side are the Swiss, who praise the fact that it works well not to shout at people and tell them we are quitting, but instead to encourage them in a positive way.
How do you think to work with the fear that may be behind the whole mood?
I think that if we consistently induce fear, we will just have it. Yes, we may indeed end up as humanity soon, who knows, but if we put it that way, many people will give up on being frugal and caring for their immediate surroundings because they will think that it's probably not worth it. Which would be a mistake. If we just call for global change, all we're really left with is anxiety.
Without a global consensus, do you think it will work?
I think we overestimate our power, and at the same time we underestimate it. We overestimate it when we think that man could "save" the planet. I don't think that's going to work. But we also underestimate our power. If we take more and better care of nature in our immediate environment, we can make a difference. Wouldn't it be nice to take more care of natural diversity? This is a topic that is close to everyone's heart and that anyone can influence. And they can also see concrete results over time. Our country is not a champion of natural diversity...
The approaching end of the year is associated with reflection for many people. Is there a question we should ask ourselves?
First of all, I would say that I wish everyone the best of luck in getting to the end of the year. But otherwise, I wouldn't burden this period with too many questions. Rather, I would sharpen my gaze on what we can let sprout in our lives and focus on how to let hope in. If one does want to ask a question, it is this: Isn't hope something I can contribute to myself? Where could I lurk for it? A philosopher puts it nicely: If you don't bet on sports, you can't hope for something nice to happen.
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