We are creatures of habit. Our bodies are shaped by what we do routinely, over and over again. Many of the things we do daily are in the realm of the unconscious: we don’t think about them, we just do them. Getting up in the morning, brushing our teeth, taking a shower, the way we prepare our breakfast, tie our shoes, and a million other things.

While the world is changing constantly, change today is happening faster than ever. We seem to be at an inflection point. History is unfolding in front of our eyes: a global pandemic, a near-global economic shutdown, global protests, endless money printing by central banks, censorship by central platforms - the list goes on.

We will have to let go of old habits, of old patterns, of old ways of doing things. Both individually, and as a society as a whole. Transformation is always painful, especially if parts of you that aren’t working correctly anymore have to die off.

To uproot an old habit is sometimes a more painful thing, and vastly more difficult, than to wrench out a tooth.

Samuel Smiles

While changing habits is indeed difficult, remind yourself that it is possible. In the words of Benjamin Franklin: “Each year one vicious habit rooted out, In time might make the worst Man good throughout.”

We can do better. We have to do better. I will do my best to do my part. That’s all that anyone of us can do, really. The question is: will it be enough?

Translations

• German translation by Der Geier

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