Flower Power Revisited

After the tragedy happened in Japan people started to think a bit more about the use of nuclear power and it’s potential risks. I don’t wanna start writing about it now since I could fill a whole book with this topic.  But what really circles around in my mind is that the discussions about how we can compensate for nuclear reactors in the future is often missing a really important fact: If we save energy in the first place most of these discussions wouldn’t be necessary. I asked myself a lot why people still ignore the fact that we have to reduce our use of energy and other ressources. And that we should try to minimize the carbage and the use of ressources we can’t refill or controll. Sure there has been a change lately but it’s still far away from what is necessary to compensate for what we already have done to nature. I talked with a lot of people about different ways to save energy and ressources and some statements, experiences and ideas gave me an idea. When I asked a friend what’s so funny about driving a Toyota Prius. He joked back at me:”Well, because men don’t drive mowers!” I know he was joking but I have the opinion that there was some serious truth in it as well. I talked to another friend and he told me that some of his friends and acquaintances call him stingy because he tries to save energy at home. And this, I have to say, came from well educated, intelligent people! This made me really pissed off but also puzzled at the same time. How can it be that it is not positively accepted to live by high ecological standards? And what needs to be done to change this fact?

Well I came to a conclusion that might not be the solution for everything but it could help a great deal to move in the right direction at least. Give enviremental thinking and living a new image! Fire the old marketing director or hire one for the first time!  So far living an ecological life has had a special kind of view and status in our society. A status that doesn’t fit most of us. It was often connected to a certain philosophy and a lot of selflimitation. The general view was that you can afford less since everything is pretty expensive plus that you have to reduce the comfort in your living. Why? It sure had been that way for several years and there are still some higher expenses to be made. But what the producers usually don’t mention is that you actually can save money by living enviremental, that it not often has to be more work for you and most of all that it is fucking sexy and modern to life a conscious and balanced life! What needs to change is the image people have in mind when they think about fairtrade producs, electronic cars and shoes not made in China by children or way to low paid workers. I believe that a lot more people would be willing to spend their money in those kinda products if it would come with a status that fits them. This of course needs some rethinking and restructuring. Sure it is good to know that you are a good person for eating only regional produced food but this is not what most people want to be seen as. So I say give them what they want! Put some more work into design and image building. An electric car should be something that you can show your buddies to get some impressed nods and claps on the back and something that girls looks after when you’re passing by! And not only the ones already looking for a potential father for their future kids. Girls should get some clothes that look awesome on them and still are produced in an ecological way. Their friends should immediatly asked them where they bought this hot shirt they’re wearing etc.. I mean most people are willing to spend plenty of money on technical stuff, clothes, cars, houses and much more. So why not spend these money on ecological things since it’s not always a financial reason? I’m sure if they would be accetped and anvied for it, they would! People can often be triggered with saving money. “Geiz ist geil!” as they say in a German commercial. Use the same tactics as the big companies do! Show them how much they acutal can save at home for example maybe combine it with a nice fancy gadget you can use. Change the name! It has been done over and over again by the government, the industry and your restaurant near by. Give the child a new name and image to get away from old prejudices that presses it’s  real potential down. Try something new, young and fresh. Something that goes with the time, maybe some english word. It worked fine for a lot of others so far.

Let’s try to make a change, cause Eco ist sexy!

The Hole In The Wall

I remember just a few months ago how people around me were discussing social platforms like Facebook. Especially facebook. There were mainly two different parties. The ones who thought it is ok to use Facebook because they could see positive aspects like staying in touch with a lot of friends at the same time and being up to date about their lifes etc.. The other fraction often saw for example a flaw in the quality of information people were giving. There were plenty more points I could line up but I don’t want to repeat or warm up the old discussion here. For me it is more important to point out a change that has been going on for a while now but for some reason hasn’t been pointed out in my surrounding. In my experience Facebook has developed in many positive ways. I remember not long ago it was kind of like a no-go to post too personal information. Maybe because it had the feeling of placing your inside on the town halls black board. Especially since you had no influence of who acutally would be able to read this information or not. I was facing this question myself when someone really close to me died. I had to question myself if this could be misinterpreted by others. But I decided in the end that I had the need to share this moment in my life and I wanted to share it with someone who cared. It is normal to write about someones death in the newspapers where everyone can read it. But it was not that normal and accepted to do so in a platform that kept me in touch with people I care about. Pretty strange in my opinion. So I made the decision to ignore the normal way of post-behaviour and to write about my loss. What happened gave me such a positive feedback on what I had done! Plenty of messages, posts and replies from people I love and who wanted to give me support and strenght. This was worth more than 5000 of condolence cards from people I don’t even know. I might have been more sensitive for these kind of messages after this experience but I still have the feeling that messages about someones state and feelings have been more accepted and used in the past months. I am really glad about this development. But not only the personal feelings found their way into the “system”. It has become a platform for statements and movements! People unite through facebook, twitter and Co. to follow a cause or believe. It’s a way to reach thousands and millions of people with your messages. Topics that mainly got ignored in the past or barely got any reaction at all if someone posted it on his or her wall have become quite normal and accepted now. People inform eachother about political situations and their point of view concerning it. When Egypt fought for their rights and a better future the government understood that one of the greatest danger for reuniting and gathering people together was the internet. People were sharing videos, pictures and texts about the situation in Egypt every minute. A flood the government couldn’t stop since it already had passed all borders and lines. Of course people will be and already are trying to manipulate platforms like Facebook to spread their own information and make their profit out of it. And in a way they will be always successfull since there are plenty of people who will fall for them. But it’s a natural process. Like viruses will evolve to survive. And we will find a way to minimize their influence and damage like we already are spreading news to protect ourselves from loss of privacy and other things. Even Facebook itself understood the need of their users to set up lines so everyone can decide what to to share with who, since the spread information became more personal but the created network is moving into outer circles someone don’t want to included in everything they are doing and thinking.

Sure there are still risks with using social networks and someone still might share useless information about what they had for breakfast but the good thing is you can always ignore all this and focus on the “new wave” which is filled with policital statements, groups of same interests, people opening themselves for you and a lot more.

 

The old travelling checks in the Box..

…that never got used.

I’m an immigrant! With the age of 24 I moved from Germany to Sweden and have lived there for 3,5 years now. A lot of people here don’t ask questions about how things are done in Germany because they are sure to know enough about Germany to know or because these two countries are so close to eachother that there can’t be much different. I use to tell some stories here and then when a conversation contains topics that are different in Germany as school system, healthcare or employment regulations. Often my listeners get big eyes in surprise about how such important parts are done in a pretty different way. Of course there are plenty of small things too like food, conversations and hobbies. There is so much to see and to learn even from a neighbour country. And I for myself have to admit it was a real eye-opener for me too. I become more open and tolerant. I don’t take things for granted that they have to be done a certain way. There are many many ways and we have the choice to pick what’s suits us best. I wouldn’t be able to same this country is much better than the other one and I woudln’t dare to either.

That’s I think it should be a rule that everyone has to live at least for half a year in another country. Becauce I believe that to be open minded can’t be completly achived by teaching in theory. You have to see it and experience it yourself! And I think the best way is really to life within another culture. Holidays don’t count in my opinion because most places you see are alreday modified to the tourists needs and expectations. So give everyone the chance to discover something new I’d say. And as usual I think it’s the goverment’s duty to clear the way and make it possible. Some schools are already giving the chance to study a year or a half in another country. That’s a good start! I’m not really sure if I would say everyone should spend that time somewhere else during the last years of school or if I would say they should even get the chance after they’ve finished school. Cause this experience in a bad case could lower the students grades. So they I guess it should be up the everyone to decide when to take this chance. But I would recommend it in the age between 17 and 25 cause I think it really could help you for your personal and career development.

The little bandage kit in the box

This and last week at my work they held first aid lessons for everyone employed in the company. Sadly this didn’t included hired workers like me. Of course this started some discussions between some of us and I totally agree that we also should be worth an education to be able to help others in need. But most talks were about if the company itself or the company that rents us should take over the payment. I would go a little further to be honest. The question if a company can afford to educate their employees shouldn’t even have to come up. I would like to see a law that the state has to use some of the tax money to give every citizen as lessons in first aid. And not once in a life time! At least every second year until it is stuck in our heads and after that people should be able to complement their knowledge by visiting more specialized course that suit their own needs. Special treat for children insuries and illness, chemical damages, even animals if this is what you are spending a lot of time with. This should not replace doctors and nurses, but I am sure a lot of lifes could be saved and people get quicker and more adequate help from others that way. How many times haven’t I heard “I didn’t know what to do when I saw it happen” or “I screamed for help in panic but they just stood there and watched!”. Sure there will be still people to shocked to help or just won’t care. But I am sure that if people really know what to do, they would feel more confident to act quick when needed.

The box with the official stamp

There are a lot of things that were discussed when it comes to the goverments duty and what should be a personal right for each one of us. A lot is about money, food, education and other things and I totally agree that each person should have everything they need to survive and live a good life. Apart from those big general discussions I sometimes get my mind stuck in much smaller things. Things that might seem unimportant in comparison to all generall need people are trying to secure. And I agree with them especially when it comes to poor countries where even the most normal resources for us still are a part of luxury. So my ideas might be more kind of a fine tuning after the main goal is reached.

One thing I think should be a rule in every country is the right to get a paid day of from work during ones birthday. This might sound childish and silly, but I truly believe that if you are doing it right people, companies and maybe society as well could get profit from it. This day should be a day to remind every person how good it is to have them! As some of us are already doing it in private I would like to see the idea spread throughout other parts of our life. How good shouldn’t it feel to hear from your company, boss and working collegues to hear that they are glad to have you with them. That you are a very important part of society and for that you own a day to just do what is best for you. I think a lot of people would get more confident in themselves and their doing and might be more motivated to do a good or even better job then they did before.  Sure this is not as easy to do as it seems. What about people who have their own company, what about people who work as doctors, fireworkers etc and are needed that day? Those questions also have an answer but I just wanted to give a quick view of this thought for now.

I have more ideas about what should be standard in the small every day life but those I will tell you the next time you’re lokking into the box with the official stamp on it

Cheers

Tanja

The sign at the door

Well well. So I finally started my first blog. Typical for me to wait a long time and then suddenly hop in while some of the first already have grown  tired of it and are on their way to other things. But too be honest I really didn’t know what to write about before now. I don’t like people much who are just talking to listen to their own voices. So I prefered to keep quite as usual. Until now! This year a friend of mine and I annouced as the year to try things out, to not be afraid and just dare! One of the things I usually didn’t dare was to speak what’s on my mind. I’m not talking about problems or feelings. But when it comes to discussions I am usually aware of my surroundings and their opinions and trying to keep the balance. Or if a thought crossed my mind I kept it too myself. Maybe because I was afraid people would laugh at me or call me stupid. Well since a lot of things as changed and I want to develop I want to use this blog to overcome my fear of speaking my mind. Maybe the comments left behind will give me the insight that most people were trying to give me: Speak your mind and you will see that people will sometimes share them or at least find them interesting and sometimes disagree but it will show you that it is ok to not agree on a subject. I will try to write in English since there might be people reading from different countries. But I am still not trained in it so you have to excuse my misspelling and use of wrong words sometimes. Don’t expect to get a new post every day since I am not writing about my every day life but you are warmly welcome to leave comments and feedback!

Hugs

Tanja