ENVIRONMENT

Bt let me introduce you to one of the hotspots in my daily life, a local coffee-shop, called “the Shop”. You can go there to drink a cup of coffee, but they sell socalled “soft-drugs”, marihuana and hasjiesj. This is the typical Dutch-coffeeshop, unique in the world. Even though in some countries pot is legalised. For recreational and medical purposes. But it also stimulates other attributes of man, creativity or musical awareness and learning of course. Marihuana makes people aware and conscious; it enlightens them. But for most users, these effects are ignored and not ignored.

An out-cast layer of society gathers here. Some are passers-by, others became regulars over the years.

I am one of them, going there to read, watch television, observe and talks to the ones present. An hour of two at the most I use my study and observations, to keep a diary, which you are reading now.

At this moment all of them think that they are free.

Which they are not.

Many of them have turned in to some kind of arche-type or model. So have I, I have modelled myself as a teacher, writer and philosopher. I am not free too, not being possible to control and change a situation for a long time.

Even a lecture is limited in time and part of shower of information and impressions. My message is soon forgotten.

Seems hopeless, does not it.

I don't think so. A lecture f.i. is a learning-process for me too. Repitition, as in advertising, is a powerful tool when adressing your students. You have to realise not to present yousel as an authority or teacher. They have seen enough of that, they think. They are free.