Prosperity and satisfaction do not fall from the sky E-Book

Ludger Wentingmann

• Herausgeber: novum publishing
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 267

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

How can our society and the entire world become fairer and more liveable? Ludger Wentingmann explores this question at various levels. He looks at the political tasks that urgently need to be tackled - from financing pensions to a more sustainable, resource-conserving economy. But he is also interested in people and their needs, both as individuals and as part of society. He describes how genuine communication can succeed and what it demands of the individual. Wentingmann advocates empathy, honesty, optimism and the courage not to look the other way when things go wrong. Because even if the world is becoming ever more complex and less transparent, only we can change it for the better.

Leseprobe

The human being, an individual actor, traveling on many paths

A few years ago, I was in the Allgäu with my family over Easter. On Easter Sunday, with glorious sunshine and blue skies, we took a cable car up the Breitenberg. The higher we got, the more our view was blocked by low clouds. At the end of the closed gondola station, we took a chairlift further up the mountain. At the end, when we got out, it was still cloudy. The only way to the mountain hut on the summit was on foot along a narrow, snow-covered path with steep inclines. It was no longer fun. But we wanted to reach our destination, the small restaurant on the summit. A little below the summit, we were rewarded with sunshine, a blue sky and a wide panoramic view above the clouds. This reminded me of the song by Reinhard Mey: "Above the clouds, freedom must be boundless."

Looking back, I learned that it is worth having a goal and not giving up, even if it is exhausting. Yes, for many things in life and especially for decisions, it is an advantage to have an unclouded view, a clear view of things. This works better with a little distance, also in terms of time. Extreme emotions or so-called snap decisions can be avoided in this way. In today's fast-moving world, waiting and letting things sink in is no longer the rule in many areas, or is becoming less and less accepted.

The German ISS astronauts Alexander Gerst and Matthias Mauerer had an optimal view of our planet Earth from space. And they did so several times a day. They report on the visible, sometimes very dramatic changes to our habitat. From a distance and with an unobstructed view from above, perceptions are unclouded facts that we cannot avoid. A "business as usual" approach is often preferred out of habit and convenience. Sooner or later, this has consequences that can be very serious and painful. Setbacks, crises and chaos situations have many faces and no one can ultimately avoid them. People with a rather pessimistic outlook on life are less successful in turning things around. Optimism, courage and drive are personal strengths that everyone can use to improve their lives. However, our mentalities are very different, with individual influences on success and happiness in life. Weaknesses can be turned into strengths by working together, with the "you". It is solidarity that welds people together, especially in times of crisis, and inspires them to enormous achievements.

You don't have to be a clairvoyant to recognize the changes in our living environment. First of all, you need an interest and the serious will to use your own skills and resources to recognize what is going well or badly. Whether in the private sphere or in our society or in the context of the entire global population. Looking at facts and developments, not with rose-tinted spectacles, but with truth and clarity, based on reality. And not with excuses or resignation: "What can I do as an individual, as a small cog in the big world machine?" By looking away and remaining silent, the individual remains powerless. We need allies who hear our warnings and complaints. The "Fridays for Future" movement, which began in Sweden with the strong, admonishing voice of Greta Thunberg, has created a veritable avalanche in a positive sense worldwide. People are beginning to rethink our living space, the earth. The cause of Fridays for Future is seen as necessary and right, but there is still a lot to be done in terms of changing our daily behavior.

Since my youth, I have always had the urge to help shape something in our society and, if necessary, to change it. I didn't want to remain silent when something went wrong or was unjust. When I was young, I often lacked the courage to persevere in discussion and confrontation with other opinions. My strict upbringing at home and my behavioral mentality probably played a role here. Later, at a management seminar at the bank, the moderator and psychologist confirmed my great need for harmony, which tended to make me peaceful and reserved. I thought about this for a long time and resolved to develop myself further and simply try out some things. Over the years, I learned that it takes confronting different perspectives and expectations to achieve clarity and progress. This gave me courage and strengthened my self-confidence. For my involvement in my job, in associations, in the Catholic Church as a deacon and in local politics, it was always important to me that it was worthwhile to bring in your own ideas and contributions and ultimately find good solutions by working together.

I was no longer embarrassed about making mistakes. I realized that making mistakes is very human. Admitting a mistake openly, without repressive tactics, is a personal strength and not a weakness. That's why I've always consciously said about my mistakes: "I apologize and offer to make amends." I have always received positive recognition for this. The frequently used phrase "I apologize" is a request for leniency and forgiveness. Or to put it another way: "Please be merciful to me." A request to others, who have not been guilty, are asked to act. Even if it is only a matter of accepting the admitted mistakes of others. However, where serious mistakes are committed through gross negligence or even deliberately, the responsibility for the consequences always remains with the perpetrator. This means making amends, if possible. For example, resigning from an office or management position in good time and foregoing a severance payment. And in the case of major offenses, accepting a court conviction with appropriate penalties. Here, unlike in dictatorships or autocratically run states, we can be proud of our judicial system.

Sometimes you just have to try something new and, if necessary, take a step back. Anyone who claims that they don't make mistakes has ducked away or is hiding behind others. With creativity and courage as well as support from a team, mistakes can be avoided and progress can be made. It is clear to me that I have to familiarize myself with the facts and arguments and consider the possible consequences. From preparing credit decisions at the bank, I am familiar with the phases of "fact clarification/analysis" and "perspectives" with scenarios ranging from best case to worst case. I have gotten into the habit of taking a close look at the facts and not announcing approval or rejection with snap judgments. In today's everyday life with communication via email or WhatsApp, prompt feedback is expected. With a little patience and reflection, the sustainability value of decisions increases. The expectations of email and WhatsApp senders regarding immediate feedback should not always be followed immediately. A short interim message such as "I'll check or clarify this and get back to you" is beneficial for communication and the matter in hand.

As I have reached retirement age, my interest in social and economic developments has continued to grow. The billions announced boldly by politicians are put into perspective when I convert the sums to one year and to the citizens affected. As a banker, I have always had to deal with figures and analyzing and evaluating facts was part of my daily work. For example, tax reliefs summarized over several years often become peanuts for the affected citizens when put into perspective. Our modern society has adapted to achieving the most striking public impact possible without much detail. This leads to misjudgements and sooner or later to major disappointments.

Journalists prefer headlines that have an impact on the reader but convey little concrete information. In the small-print text below, I then read who made what statement or who contradicts whom. Controversy, misjudgements or misconduct dominate our news. We humans are primarily susceptible to the negative. Along the lines of: others are no good. Jesus already laments this in the Bible: "You see the mote in your neighbor's eye, but not the beam in your own eye." A human mechanism to present oneself in a better light. Along the lines of "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?"

Our society does not need a competition for popularity or a ranking on the popularity scale. We need politicians and interest groups in business and society who, in view of the massive sustainability problems of climate, hunger, war, etc., do not gloss over anything and look constructively and honestly for good solutions. People can decide for or against this. Individual responsibility for possible consequences remains. Both for the individual and for the community as a whole.

People see their "I" and also need the "you" every day

Every day, we are all confronted with the fact that this world is neither fair nor perfect. The news in the print media and on radio and television brings world events into our living rooms every day in an unprecedented variety and transparency. Despite all the negative headlines, a beer or a glass of wine with the ritual nibbles tastes pretty good in front of the television. We are very familiar with images of destroyed cities, such as those we have seen for years in Syria and, from February 24, 2022, in the European Ukraine or in other war zones around the world. It was not until the intense influx of refugees into the supposed paradise of Germany in 2015 and now in 2022 from Ukraine that the hardships of the war refugees touch us personally. Suddenly, the suffering is no longer far away from us, but present through people close to us. It touches our hearts. The daily news and images in July 2021 about the dramatic destruction caused by the flood disaster in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, with many deaths and property damage amounting to several billion euros, also affected us and led to great, sometimes spontaneous solidarity. We always feel empathy and a willingness to help when the plight of others touches us at close quarters. Crises and emergencies unite people and strengthen the will and drive of the community.

In life, people often choose the more comfortable path of looking away and suppressing things. Sometimes out of concern about being overwhelmed. I also experience the attitude "What's it to me?" A selfish attitude and ignoring shared responsibility for the success of the community and solidarity. The motive may also be personal dissatisfaction or a resigned attitude to life. However, if they themselves experience helplessness, the outcry is quite loud.

Detached from the lively discussions about Chancellor Angela Merkel's motivating message in the fall of 2015 ("We can do it"), citizens demonstrated their responsibility in this global world. They simply practiced humanity. A need that is deeply rooted in each and every one of us. It is about recognizing appreciation. And for this we need a human counterpart. In other words, we want to be respected and loved for who we are. This applies to every interpersonal relationship. It is very painful when basic human needs are not met. Everyone is an individual with their own strengths, but also with their own rough edges. We often find the latter annoying, and sometimes they can even be very hurtful. Strengths that affect us from the outside with arrogance and dominance can cause us to feel irritated, intimidated or even angry.

I remember the saying "where there's wood, there are chips". I realize that when decisions are made, solutions are found or something is developed, there is no guarantee of success and perfection. The demand is there, but who can fulfill it? No one on this earth is perfect. We somehow experience human limitations and our own weaknesses in various facets every day. Today's modern man is neither better nor worse than all the generations before us. Time and again, our words and actions are tainted with the stigma of imperfection. There are many reasons for this. For example, people are forgetful and make mistakes for a variety of reasons. I experience one of the greatest potential weaknesses in communication with our speech, thoughts and actions. It is our emotions that play a major role in determining communication and cooperation. Talking about feelings is itself a huge challenge. We are accompanied by the fear that we could be misunderstood or even laughed at. Nobody wants that. So we use mechanisms such as excuses, lies, silence, changing the subject, smiling or even looking at things through rose-tinted spectacles. This provides protection on the outside, at least in the current situation. The emotional situation on the inside may be calmed for the moment. But everything that is suppressed will sooner or later come to the surface again and then in greater strength.

The philosopher and author Richard David Precht said in a WDR talk show in 2011:

"Humans are incredibly adaptable animals. But they are also incredibly good at lying to themselves. This is an ability that sets humans apart from all animals. No animal is as good as humans at double-entry bookkeeping when it comes to morality. In other words, we crutch (lie) and put the world to rights by constantly comparing ourselves with others and considering them to be worse than ourselves. And then we are suddenly much better than others."1

1Richard David Precht, Mon Talk, www.wdr.de, WDR 2, 08.02.2011.

Human imperfection works both internally and externally. How often do we regret unjustified accusations or our wrong actions? We get angry with ourselves and yet find it difficult to openly admit our misconduct. Instead, we distract ourselves by focusing on the weaknesses of others. Feelings such as envy or resentment often play an open or subliminal role when living together. We feel disadvantaged. A colleague at work once told me that his son came home from his friend's house one day and reported enthusiastically: "Dad, Michael's parents are really rich and drive a Porsche." The father replied: "You see the Porsche and it's a great car. But you can't see whether the Porsche was just borrowed or bought with debt." People always look first at what we can see with our eyes. Many other things in the background remain invisible. That's why we often allow ourselves to be dazzled.

At the bank, I met customers who were really rich, but who were outwardly modest. Conversely, I have also met customers who got into debt just to show off a little luxury to the outside world. The value of a person can never be measured by what they are or what they have. When I look in the mirror, I only see my face. I can be satisfied or dissatisfied with it. It depends on my expectations and wishes. These are also shaped by comparisons with other people. A certain degree of modesty and gratitude for life tends to promote our feelings of happiness. This all-round satisfaction can also help me to be a little more relaxed overall. In recent years, I have realized that many external symbols of wealth are no longer so important to me. I now only see my car as a practical everyday object. Regularly washing the car and polishing the shiny chrome trim is a thing of the past. When I go shopping, I often ask myself: do I need this or is it not that important to me? I used to accept all invitations because I thought I had to be there. On my 50th birthday, my boss at the bank asked me if anything would change for me now. I said with an inner calmness: "Now I can say what I think and what is important to me." I added: "Okay, of course I'm not allowed to attack or insult anyone personally." Treating yourself and others with respect and care is a high standard and can never be achieved perfectly in the reality of everyday life. Just knowing and making an effort to do so is a good way forward.

We deal with all of these issues both privately and professionally. In my professional life as a credit advisor, I have not only been confronted with the facts, but also with the people I have often looked after over many years. For me, the figures for or against the provision of a loan were always just one side of the coin. The person and their needs, as far as the bank was able to meet them, were always one of my priorities. Of course, I also always had my employer's targets in mind. My way of achieving these goals was not the rhetorical sales pitch, but an open and fair relationship based on partnership. This very lively and trusting relationship enabled me to work quite successfully for my customers and for the bank over many years. And of course I was also very happy about my own successes. This also strengthened my motivation and satisfaction.

Tomorrow is different from today. Challenges require foresight and courage

"Yes, always, again and again the sun rises. Because there is no such thing as darkness forever. There is no such thing." A song that spreads confidence and hope. This is how the late Udo Jürgens sang it. For him, the light and shadows of life also belonged as reality in his song lyrics. That made him authentic. His singing touched the audience. Ups and downs, joy and sadness, new beginnings and resignation, success and defeat are all part of our lives.

Our planet Earth has been revolving around the sun for billions of years. Year after year with time units of months, days, hours and seconds. Day and night. And everything seems very tiny in relation to the boundless universe, which mankind is constantly trying to explore further and deeper with interest and ever more powerful technologies. It seems that everything has a time of becoming and a time of passing away. And in between are great changes, which we call evolution for our earth and which have not yet come to an end. We humans in our development as Homo sapiens have only been around for a few million years. A very long time, but even that is relative.

Just as the universe and our Mother Earth are constantly changing, so is every single person on Earth throughout their life. Nothing stays the same forever. In the animal and plant world, the forces of evolution have ensured that the necessary adaptations have made survival possible over long periods of time and generations. New insights and adaptations are often required on a daily basis.

People with great abilities and their own will do not always behave wisely and responsibly and focus primarily on thepresentand less on the future. "I live now and want to enjoy my life!" That's good for now. Clinging to old traditions and the "that's the way it's always been" pattern of behavior alone blocks necessary progress. There is a saying: "If you don't move, you will be moved."

The composer and singer Udo Jürgens, who died suddenly in December 2014, also sang songs about the future. The song "Ihr von Morgen" is particularly topical with regard to the problems of the world and in particular the use of earthly resources and the climate.

I have a special relationship with this song myself. On the one hand, because the topic also concerns me for future generations. And because I have always been touched by the content and melody in our men's choir during rehearsals. For me, it is a wake-up call and a message to those living today. In our choir's concert, this song by Udo Jürgens was very well received with long applause. That was nice for us singers. But I fear that the message of this song will quickly become dusty in everyday life. Shortly before his death, Udo Jürgens probably intuitively gave us all an important last message today.

In the modern world of the 20th and 21st centuries, serious, global changes have occurred at a rapid pace. The purity of air, water and soil is under severe pressure all over the world. The enormous population growth, mobility with its environmental impact, a life with increased leisure and prosperity and the consumption of earthly resources such as oil, gas and many mineral resources are enormous. Once consumed, they can no longer be used. Imagine the consequences if the entire world population lived as consumption-oriented a life as people in the affluent countries have become accustomed to in recent decades.

All people on this earth should have the same rights and living conditions. A beautiful wish that will probably never become reality. Everyone wants to be treated respectfully and fairly by others. A high standard that we humans never live up to perfectly and permanently. Selfish behavior and personal weaknesses are part and parcel of imperfect people at all times.

Human beings are born naked and helpless as infants. It takes years for them to grow up and develop their personality. The period of puberty as a gateway to independence is just as difficult for parents as it is for their daughter or son. Parents learn to let go by handing over responsibility to their child. Sleepless nights and understanding a different path in life require trust and tolerance. A great challenge for parents. Young people need time and space to get to know their character traits and mentalities. Trying things out, making mistakes, experiencing dead ends and defeats ultimately strengthens them for life. An A-level and a degree do not determine happiness and success in life. People have different mentalities, abilities and interests. Where these can largely be lived freely, personal satisfaction grows; individual "happiness.

Everyday life - family, work and leisure - is very different for all generations because the framework conditions change and can be very different. I myself, for example, belong to the post-war generation, which was able to grow up without war in a liberal democracy with a permanent increase in prosperity. In the 1950s, after the Second World War, I grew up sheltered on a farm with four siblings. Everyday life was dominated by hard manual work in the fields, milking and feeding the cows, even on Sundays. For my siblings and me, it was a matter of course that we helped with light work on the farm. Driving the tractor, especially with the old Lanz Bulldog, was also great fun. As a teenager, there was no chance to sleep in on Sunday mornings after a party because the cows had to be milked. I didn't like that at all, but I accepted it. Helping out on the farm was not questioned in those days. It was common practice. After starting my career with an apprenticeship as a bank clerk, I felt very satisfied because the contact with customers and the activities were my thing. At the same time, I developed an interest in voluntary work in churches and clubs and later also in local politics. My commitments were successful and my reward was joy and satisfaction. Because the work suited my inclinations and I enjoyed it. Joy and commitment, combined with courage and foresight, are the basis for success. And I have always enjoyed it.

In addition to enjoying my work, I was also successful and earned a good income. My first salary in 1970 after my apprenticeship was 486 Deutschmarks, which is 248 euros in today's currency. Going on vacation or flying was not affordable back then and not yet common. As a realist, I accepted this without disappointment. This was followed by decades of strong economic growth in Germany with good collectively agreed pay rises and good career opportunities for me. Despite growing prosperity, I retained a certain frugality and far-sighted expenditure planning that I had learned as a child.

As a banker in the field of lending, I was repeatedly told that a loan makes it possible to buy a car or take a trip and thus lead a more comfortable life. However, a loan has to be repaid and therefore reduces current liquidity and freedom for new expenditure in the future. Living on credit with a loan is certainly sensible and necessary for building or buying a house, but not always for short-lived expenses. Money that is spent today will be missing in the future. This applies to the state as well as to all citizens. Getting into debt is therefore an anticipation of prosperity.

The past decades have been characterized by growth in almost all sectors. The economy expanded from year to year and exports of German products all over the world are now huge. Made in Germany has become a real export hit. Globalization has made many things possible here. But where there is light, there is always shadow. Some lifestyles and the unbridled exploitation of earthly resources did not lead to the hoped-for rosy times.

People's mobility has increased enormously in every country in the world. The airlines' flight connections span the globe. Flying is fast and has become affordable for everyone thanks to competition between providers. Cheap offers, such as 69 euros to Mallorca, neither cover costs nor contribute to environmental protection. Vacationers and young people in particular take advantage of these offers and it is an enrichment for global togetherness. The people of the world, regardless of their skin color and origin, are moving closer together. This is a good thing on the one hand, but it also causes greater environmental and climate pollution worldwide. The more than eight billion people currently living on our finite planet consume more resources in total than our planet can bear in the long term.

For suppliers, low prices are the battle price for market share and sales volume. This makes it necessary to cut costs in other areas. Employees are feeling the increasing work pressure as a result of labor-saving work consolidations. In recent years, wage increases have often only been achieved with very moderate results following strikes supported by trade unions. Both public and private employers tend to cap the large cost block of "personnel costs". Rising bureaucracy and increasing complexity increase the pressure on employees and increasingly lead to excessive demands and even burnout or internal resignation. This is also very evident in the care professions, such as in retirement homes and hospitals. These professions are associated with a special empathy, which further increases the pressure to perform when staff are understaffed.

Life on our planet has changed in many ways. Life expectancy has risen significantly thanks to increases in prosperity and major medical developments. This trend seems set to continue, which means that new socio-political challenges need to be solved. Everyone wants to grow old, but not be old. A longer life does not come for free. In addition to preventive health care on our own responsibility, the costs for the healthcare system have risen sharply with more and more treatment options. Most of this is paid for by health insurance. However, the money always comes from us, the citizens. Whether through direct health insurance contributions or through subsidies from tax revenues.

Our pension system is also a social achievement. It is supported by a community of solidarity and the contributions paid into it over decades. As we are generally all getting older than previous generations, a higher retirement age is only logical and necessary. A major reform is urgently needed to secure the pension system in Germany for those who are still younger today. A pension level of only 48% of the last income is not a sufficient basis for living in old age for large sections of society. The pension system is already being subsidized with more than 100 billion euros a year from tax revenue and thus kept alive. An increase in pension contributions or a reduction in pension levels has been necessary for years. As this is unpopular and involves social hardship, politicians do not want to impose this on us citizens. The motive is the politicians' fear of not being re-elected. The traffic light coalition that has been in power since December 2021 wants to make the pension system more sustainable with a funded support system. How this is to be achieved in concrete terms is still unclear. The approach of changing something here is definitely necessary and right. However, this will tie up billions in additional funds that will no longer be available for our customary prosperity.

Further challenges for our society can be seen in the need to renew the infrastructure in all areas of government responsibility. Whether in building construction or civil engineering, everything has to be regularly maintained and renewed at some point. A prudent businessman would take precautions and continually renovate or build up reserves in the amount of depreciation (loss of value). In total, this adds up to annual sums that are nowhere near financially viable from current tax revenues. It is quite obvious that an investment backlog has built up here in recent decades that urgently needs to be eliminated. In fact, we have been living beyond our means for years. In the meantime, we have reached a situation in which our society cannot and must not continue as before. There are various options.

Firstly,our levels of government, from local authorities to the federal government, are taking out new loans and increasing overall debt. This shifts the financial problem onto future generations. This would not be responsible and therefore compliance with the constitutional debt brake is just and necessary.

Secondly,the architectural design standards could be reduced to an appropriate level. Urban planning requirements and the persuasive power of the planning architects often lead to attractive but cost-increasing design elements. In tenders for planning offices, building practicability and the most cost-effective building maintenance possible are initially required. In the course of further detailed planning and subsequent changes, the construction schedule and cost plan very quickly get out of hand. Beautiful, colorful 3D views and appealing construction models are more popular with decision-makers and citizens than several hundred pages of tender texts. What people need is more important than overpriced public investment.

Thirdly,many new buildings in city centers take a very long time from planning to completion because the archaeological ground investigations are very intensive and time-consuming. In addition to the cost of archaeological work, delays in the start of construction lead to considerable price increases. For some private builders, this becomes an incalculable risk. This is the case in North Rhine-Westphalia, for example. Archaeology must not be placed above the basic needs of citizens. After all, the financial strength of local authorities is already severely weakened. Cuts in social benefits would be irresponsible. Where new buildings are not being built underground, old building foundations, for example, should remain untouched. There should be limits where archaeology is given free rein to use shovels and paintbrushes at the expense of landowners. This requires the courage to adapt, the serious will of politicians and appropriate regulations from the authorities.

Fourthly:Intensify the involvement of citizens in determining the construction standards. For example, when renewing residential and residential streets. Where residents are asked to pay for road renewals, they should at least have a say.

Fifthly,today's tender regulations for new construction projects are complex and complicated. Due to the digitalization of tender documents with countless details, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain a complete overview of compliance with all relevant principles on many hundreds of pages. Incompleteness often becomes apparent during the construction phase. This means that demands for perfection lead to confusion and ultimately to risks and additional costs.

The smooth and fair functioning of our modern, high-tech and IT-supported society is becoming increasingly complex and therefore more vulnerable for us humans. Expert knowledge and support must increasingly be called upon. What is humanly manageable and controllable in some areas is often lost when it affects the whole. The AI (artificial intelligence) of digital control technologies and systems can already relieve us humans of a great deal of tasks, but humans must understand everything and retain the final decision-making authority.