May 20, 2020

Cologne | Germany

May 20, 2020

I feel a little bit like in the calm before the storm. I feel that the first the first huge winds of the storm are coming because the climate, the social climate is getting more tense. So I watch the demonstrations that are going on with sorrow and the polarizations that are happening. And the insistent questioning of scientific expertise. And I think the fight for clear and good news is going to be difficult.

On the other hand, I hope that this polarization is not going to gain much momentum right now. And I feel that the bigger part of society and in my immediate surroundings, people are more keen to leaning into gentleness, into solidarity, into sticking together. Most people I know are are OK with the rules and believe in science. Nobody can say that they are the best decisions possible but that they are made with the best intentions.

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 16, 2020

Hamburg | Germany

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 16, 2020

I think we need more stories of what we need less of. In our economy and our society is always more, more, more and sometimes less can be can be beautiful. I know that I'm in a very privileged position because we don't have to worry about food and we're safe here in Germany.

But I had this one moment, I think three weeks into the shutdown where I stood in front of my closet and asked myself, what do I need all these clothes for? I've literally worn only two pairs of sneakers since all this started, and I'm very happy with that. And, I think we should create stories of how we can be happy with with less.

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 15, 2020

Congresbury | United Kingdom

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 15, 2020

But how can we be in this age of like way more than 2000 years in our civilization or in our existence and there's still this imbalance of what it is to be human. Or this very different experience of what it is to be human. The experience of what it means to being human might be the same, but what you get back is different. Yes. So you are giving in similar way, but what the world gives you back is remarkably different. I guess that's what I'm sort of seeing in the cracks and paying attention to on the edges.

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 15, 2020

Berlin | Germany

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 15, 2020

That long term vision of how we operate our systems, how we educate our people, what services we provide, how much it's going to cost, how we provide housing, what are the basic necessities, how do we stop things being stripped away? How do we manage the environment and make sure that people can still move and have these amazing experiences, but we don't fuck the planet up with dirty, disgusting planes.

And I think the answer is you have to take it out of the short term thinking and you need to put in your politics and your structure some long term plan. That can't be voted in and out on the whim of a party. A commitment, an intergenerational commitment. Essentially, that would be my ultimate dream.

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 15, 2020

Berlin | Germany

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 15, 2020

And then there's the whole environment stuff. We learned that we can actually do something to stop the climate crisis. Because we have been forced into this situation that actually have made our behaviour more in line with sustainable behaviour. Obviously, we also feel it comes with a lot of sacrifice, as I said, but it is nothing that we really can't sacrifice. We can actually solve the climate crisis, if we approach it the same way as we have the Corona crisis.

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 15, 2020

Berlin | Germany

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 15, 2020

The whole society has learned a lot in this situation, and I think I'm also have been the mirroring those learnings in terms of our own vulnerability. How even though we have build our lives and society, especially in the Western developed world, around being able to control every aspect of our life down to the nitty gritty: how many hours of sleep to get traced by wearables and so on…

And then, something like this happens. And suddenly the whole your whole life is different. I can't recall an event where I have experienced that to that degree. And I think it teaches you something about your own humbleness. It teaches you a humbleness towards life, towards what it means to be in control of your life, what actually matters in your life? How losing control can also bring great insights.

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 14, 2020

Abtenau / Austria

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 14, 2020

What's really touching me right now is the new narrative developing in the last maybe two weeks or three weeks. The narrative which says: "As long as we don't have a vaccine for Corona we will not enter normality again”. So it looks like that's the new stuff of controlling: telling the people that we can only reach normality through the vaccine. And it's a very different situation. So I think, right now, we are negotiating what normality could be. In these negotiations, I think we have to be very, very sensitive and looking very closely at what is offered in the discourse about Corona.

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 14, 2020

Berlin | Germany

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 14, 2020

And I would like people to more see that in their own neighbourhoods, in their own society, in their own territory where they live – there is already everything. And that today we search far away. We bring products from far away. Take it from far away. It's all this economic thinking. And I hope also politically and economically, we come up with a whole new structure, a whole new thinking.

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 12, 2020

Nantes | France

Jacques Chlopczyk

May 12, 2020

I think that what I want more is people being in touch with each other. People talking to each other and taking care of each other, being there, if it is needed. Even if this person is not perfectly aligned with your political opinion or something else. And also to be more aware of situations. For example of violence. People around us, they're suffering a lot sometimes.. Of loneliness, of violence, of things we don't know. So I want more of taking care of each other.

And personally, I would love to have more time for me, more time to get in touch with myself and to really have this time to calm down.

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 28, 2020

Mannheim / Germany

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 28, 2020

This is a good question. More focus on the things that are really important and stop the nonsense and bullshit stuff. To be more present and enjoy the things that you have, that we have. I mean, in Germany, we can be very happy. The situation is much better than in other countries. But also in our family, we enjoy being together. We do things we haven't done before, like gardening, for example.

Yes, more gardening. Less media, more people. And enjoying the moment or being with someone became more special to me right now. I value more being with someone.

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 14, 2020

Baturyn | Ukraine

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 14, 2020

Well, I'm living here in this very remote place. I'm learning how little the state capacities are and the social capacities are to address pretty much any challenge. So you have to rely on yourself or die – just because the infrastructure is really weak, the level of professionalism is very low. Access to services is nonexistent or very poor.

So I've been really focused on how to pile up the energy inside to deal and address things on my own without relying on other people or state or the government or whoever. But what I guess I want more is just feeling the outside support. And the feeling that you are not alone and if the challenge comes, someone will be there to support or help. Like in these extreme times.

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 10, 2020

Tübingen | Germany

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 10, 2020

At the moment, I can feel that we all somehow experience the value of the place we are living. And also, I think connected to that idea is the idea of establishing community where we are able to live in these environments together and are able to form the places we are living at together in a form that makes us all comfortable. I think that the communities in places could become stronger and could be forced bye projects that are set up by local governments to connect each other in the places we are living in and make strengthen existing projects and more visible to communities.

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 9, 2020

Linz | Austria

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 9, 2020

I'm dreaming of a way of living with each other, of a way like that economy and politics that is not harmful to our earth and to nature. So that in this future, we have a very strong connection to nature and we realise that we ourselves are really part of nature. We are nature somehow. Not only somehow, but we are nature. So we have developed a very good way to interact with animals, plants and everything that is around us. And I have a sustainable way so that we don't consume more than we can and that earth's gifts provide.

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 6, 2020

Freiburg | Germany

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 6, 2020

It's very easy at the moment, it's just having a healthy child. Which is due soon. So my daughter will be born in the midst of the Corona crisis. The projected date is on the 28th of April. So it can happen any day. And my wildest dream and wildest hope is just simply having a healthy child in my hands in three of four weeks.

And my wildest dream is that she will get equal pay, that she will have all the possibilities, that she can pursue everything she wants to pursue. And that she will have a world that is that is ecologically in a good state and also economically in a good state. And that's what I wish for everybody, not only for my daughter.

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 2, 2020

Mannheim | Germany

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 2, 2020

First thing, what comes to my mind is about to myself, not about the society. I started writing recently and I have a lot of joy with it, and I would be happy if that would be something that I could keep up in the future. A new practice through which I'm able to express myself in written words.

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 2, 2020

Jundiai | Brazil

Jacques Chlopczyk

April 2, 2020

It's like being in a movie. Seriously. I really don't believe that. I did not process everything completely. It's like I'm in automatic mode. You know, waking up, working, cleaning and cooking and things like this. And then time to time wondering what thinks to do. Will I read this book? Will I watch this series? Will I start drawing? Doing some exercise here and there. Now then I am concerned with my mom. I will block some time and that's it. But it's completely weird. It´s not like reality.

Jacques Chlopczyk

March 31, 2020

Marafa Magarini | Kenya

Jacques Chlopczyk

March 31, 2020

I know that in any way, someday I will die. That I know. And because I am aware of that, it does not matter what will take me home! Maybe I fly, maybe I walk there or maybe I sleep and I find myself there. I don't know. So there is no way I can be afraid, fearful or panicking. I am aware that I will go there.

So the thing is how do I prepare myself to go there? How do we prepare ourselves to go there? Do you want to go there with panic? Do you want to go while crying? Do you want to go there with a lot of fear or do you want to go there peacefully? It is how you make it! So take that with full awareness and let others be aware. We have to be aware that it is here. That we do not have to panic. That we do not make our future hostile, because of this fear that we are going to die.

Jacques Chlopczyk

March 27, 2020

Mainz | Germany

Jacques Chlopczyk

March 27, 2020

One is a basic income for everybody, a basic salary. Without being tied to any conditions. Because it really helps unfolding the true character of human beings. And they want to be useful. They want to use their time with stuff they really love to do. And you can contribute the best way to a society when you do what you love. And that would really revolutionise society.

And of course, another big dream is that artists get more respect by politicians and by the state. I think they are important for keeping the democracy and and the climate in society fresh and fruitful. That would be in my wildest dream that everyone gets basic salary and artists are respected even more and supported even more by the state for their projects.

Jacques Chlopczyk

March 26, 2020

Heidelberg / Germany

Jacques Chlopczyk

March 26, 2020

I learn a lot and as I already mentioned I experience a sense of meaning. And this is not in an abstract way, but how I rearrange my priorities. And I ask myself if anyone in this world would do the same job as I do would that be a good world? And I learn through this question a lot of about myself. I ask myself, who am I in this world?

And I also find myself being more encouraged and to speak my point of view in a bolder way and I have the courage to be more focused on things that really matter, I think. Or to quote Britney Spears, I'm stronger than yesterday.

Jacques Chlopczyk

March 26, 2020

Hamburg / Germany

Jacques Chlopczyk

March 26, 2020

I'm very much enjoying what it makes with the neighborhood. I opened a neighborhood bonfire and it's like a market place. And I enjoyed that, because normally people do not interact and communicate in this way and not share what they have to offer or so on. So I love to see this kind of solidarity. We are sharing.

And that money is losing significance. But let's say I mean, I'm, of course, an existential crisis working on my own as a freelancer. There is no income in a way. Really reduced income and I have to find ways to get through this time. But in a way, I have the feeling that, putting this aside, money is losing importance. I don't know. It's rather where to get goods, or about relationships, or about infrastructure and care. That's also something I enjoy quite a lot.