Elegancy and erudition, a breathtaking keynotespeech by George Steiner, triggering and profound discussions by the speakers, as well as Russel Sherman playing Ludwig van Beethoven took care that this day became a first-class choice. Although one could learn and achieve more wisdom in thoughts, also questions arised and kept unanswered.
Orpheus, the Sirenes, and (the power of) music, derailment of capitalism, bio-engeneering: the desire to create superman was brought up during the Nexus-conference.
Nexus, always on lead about the future of Europe and European civilization, arranged people from the continents US, Europe and Asia to discuss the role and values of the continent: science, technology, social engineering on the one side and the idea of civilization on the other side.
Europeans don't understand how much US differs and how negative they think about Europe. After WW-II it was questioned that civilization had to be rescued from Europe and not European civilization.
And why does Asia not boost the Korean problems herself? How about Asian harmony in Birma? Was the Kosovo war so legal? Looking at Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs, the financial crisis, Irak, Afghanistan, US is not a superman, but a Frankenstein. It created catastrophes instead to combat these and in the mean time, a new superman arised: 'the world-changing modest Chinese manpower'. Europe and US are lost in introspection, but elsewhere in the world people are busy to work into the modern world. Looking at Palestine, western values are seen as of false bottom in the whole world, except in Europe.
Art or music cannot improve the world. 1,3 Billion Chinese, 1,2 billion Indian people and 1,3 muslims will provide that the world does not come to an end.
The fragments from the movie 'Die Blechtrommel', consisting of the replace of Beethoven's portrait and the boy with the tin drum (symbol for true anarchism) impressed those present, because trend of present events looks alike the past. It becomes serious, but now we can recognize. Can we and political polities be wise enough to prevent misery? How can we deal with values without imposing them? Politics is not just to be elected, it is also difficult to execute.
Europe, its systems and leadership, place of sunset? |
