Sometimes, a second look is worth it: For the 23rd edition of our customer magazine ATLAS, we’re breathing new life into previously published articles – with fresh perspectives, new developments, and the benefit of hindsight. This piece refers to the article "Keeping the spirit alive" from ATLAS #11 (2018), which can be read in full here.

Then …

[…] Something most countries share today is a trend toward populism. Does that frighten you?
A bit. Unfortunately, the modern forms of communication, much as I value them, often serve as catalysts in this context. But that’s only one half of the story. The other, of course, is that these new technologies open the door to very positive trends. Take the youth initiative that has arisen in conjunc­tion with Brexit, for instance: “Let’s hug a Brit.” Obviously it employs humor, but this kind of thing helps us bridge the gap that populism is creating. It’s my impression that people are caring less and less about borders. And that would de­prive the populists of the oxygen they need.

What do borders mean to you, personally?
Growing up in Vorarlberg, borders were a big part of my life. Before the EU came along, we were locked inside a very small country. Borders are restrictive, they reduce your scope and your capacity for vision. Geographical limits some­ times put constraints on your thinking as well. On the other hand, of course, we all need to discipline ourselves in our everyday lives. Children need rules; I’m a strong proponent of that. And in both our private and professional lives, we need to stay within the confines of decency. Out on the road, people can’t just drive any old way they want.

How, from a mental point of view, do you maintain your discipline? Or, put differently: given the deluge of information you need to process daily, how can you separate the wheat from the chaff and know what’s important and what not?
I limit the number of media I concern myself with – but sometimes still feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. […]

… now

We have a need for boundaries and decency. This was among the points made by the CEO of Gebrüder Weiss, Wolfram Senger-Weiss, in our interview – and it has proved to be one of increasing relevance. In recent years, there has being growing concern about a lack of common decency in both the political arena and day-to-day life. And we are seeing a gathering groundswell of callousness and cruelty – especially in digital media – that children and young people, in particular, should be shielded from.

In the meantime, discussions are taking place across Europe about whether cellphones should be allowed in schools; in several countries, the decision has already been made to ban smartphones from classrooms, with scientific evidence to back it up. Various studies have shown that keeping smartphones out of schools improves the social atmosphere, aids concentration and makes bullying more difficult. So drawing a clear line has had measurable positive results here. And it confirms that putting in place considered boundaries is not always just about restricting; they are also something we need. Indeed, they provide the framework within which freedom can prevail.