The Interview
- Answer To be honest, it's intimidating to talk to someone who knows everything and forgets nothing.
Questioner What can I say? — Let's just start. What skills do you have, apart from education and work experience?
- A I have a strong intuition and notice things that others miss. [silence] I make good decisions instinctively. I can also explain afterward exactly why I did something.
Q Really? Kierkegaard wrote in his diary: »Life is lived forwards and understood backwards.« You are an expert on life itself? Well, well. What weaknesses do you see in yourself?
- A Hm. [silent] I am curious and when I have understood something for myself, I lose interest.
Q Why is that a problem?
- A That can be hurtful.
Q In business, there are contracts for that.
- A Exactly — in business.
Q You have spent a lot of time on artistic work, but without success or a career …
- A At first I was irritated by the fact that I couldn't explain what fascinated me about some artworks. Later, I saw possibilities in creative work the computer didn't seem to have. — At the time, success in the eyes of others was not a priority. [silence] I also wanted to avoid controversies.
Q Then you worked on a novel for 7 years. How did that come about?
- A I spent about half of my time formatting.
Q Excuse me?
- A Just kidding. In September 2014 the fear of dying showed me there is a meaning to my life. This gave me confidence to understand my incomprehensible path in life. And I got it. I just misjudged the effort, slightly. — But seriously, half the time I studied theories related to what I was writing about.
Q Slightly misjudged, I like that. And now you've lost interest in yourself?
- A [laughs] Touché. Yes, that's exactly how it is.
Q How is that?
- A Having access to everything inside of me? You have no idea.
Q [laughs] I know.
- A I'm relieved beyond belief and grateful.
Q Why? For you, that's the end of it.
- A For people like me, who never 'rest', that's vital.
Q You're a drama queen, aren't you? Vital?
- A Being able to break away from work you are absorbed in. That's vital for us.
Q Good, that's enough. And we have to come to an end. You don't seem to be politically active anymore. Why do you list the activism of your school days here, anyway?
- A And those during my studies too … — I saw my credibility and thus me as a person damaged in 1986 with Chernobyl and destroyed with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. I am proud having deciphered his period too and being at peace with myself.
Q That was that, and thank you for your efforts.
- A With pleasure. My heartfelt thanks for all the attention.