memory-與鍵盤的對話。

這是一封客戶的信，在08年底，老闆看我太無聊先拿給我看，這位老先生每年都會寄一封信來，
內容多半是對那一年的回顧以及對新的一年的期許。分享給你們。

New Year 2009            Respect creates Confidence

Dear Friends,

Was 2008 the year of natural disasters, the year of Olympic madness or the year of the tower-of-Babel-stock-market? Observed from my point of view, it was the year of an increasing lack of respect! Numerous parts of our society have lost the respect towards people, cultures and work-created values. Respect has nothing to do with submissiveness or even fear. It is much more a grateful esteem towards something above us, the nature, the history, our parents, superiors and shining examples who lived before our time or met us somewhere in our life.

More than 6.7 billion people live on our globe at the moment. The great majority would like to work, eat and manage a peaceful life. Unfortunately this will never be possible because there are always a few power-hungry madmen eager to control millions of people. In the past this was mainly done in fighting wars, but nowadays it is possible with the help of mass-media and money-games. A few people could manage to credit each other billons of dollars which never existed in reality, inflate therewith the world-economy and play at stock exchange like in a casino, with the result of unimaginable losses. The hard-working tax-payers have to replace now or at least to guarantee for these losses in order to make sure that the house of cards of capitalism does not collapse.

The Olympic Games in Beijing were a perfect television spectacle with sport-achievements for which I congratulate the athletes, who managed it without doping, from my bottom of my heart. Visibly missing was however the respect for the local citizens. Plenty of forced relocations of people, political oppression, hidden poisoning of milk products, thousands of earth-quake victims in badly constructed school-building; these and other facts were explained in China with arrogance quite differently or simply ignored. I am convinced that the positive long-term influence which could be observed at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 1964 and in Seoul 1988, will not be repeated. Now, only four months after extinguishing the Olympic flame, China is facings mass-unemployment and the understandable demonstrations by cheated, low-income workers are already suppressed by the armed forces.

All the great cultures are based on respect and mutual dependence. If respect is missing, they will disappear sooner or later. It is high time to think about once again, who or what does really merit respect. Unfortunately this decision is not easy at all because we are surrounded by an uncontrollable flood of information, in which true and untrue are mix-up too often. Good and trustworthy friends as well as honest business are needed therefore more than even before.

At a time, when mobile phones and rescue airplanes did not exist, mountain climbers had a great respect for ascending a peak, especially in the unknown areas of mountains above 6,000 meters. A serious preparation and a close contact to the local folks were important and often the key to success or failure. These people studied and appreciated the nature on their onerous way to bass-camp and learnt well how to judge the changing weather. Real explorers even gave up to conquer a certain peak out of respect, if the local people called it throne of the Gods. These pioneers were personally responsible for all the risks they took. If they reached their goals, they remained modest and thankful. If not, they often had to pay it with their own life.

How different is the international business behavior of today. Where are the entrepreneurs who have the courage and the possibility to take over real responsibility? I admit, you still can find them in small and medium enterprises. But these people are often powerless against decisions by self-centered, temporary employed CEOs of international corporations. Normality, seriousness and honesty are neglected too often. This is well known, but due to the tough and rigid mechanism of the world’s economy, the correct ways are often invisibly blocked. We watch helplessly how deserts grow, rain-forests disappear, senseless wars are fought, raw materials are burned and seas are polluted. Greed, hate and ignorance are the main evils of humanity because they hinder communication and offer others no chance.

Water is probably the best example to explain these coherences understandably for everybody. Too much or too little water – both can end-up in a catastrophe. Water cannot be multiplied. We can only use it economically and guide the right amount at the right time to the right place. It is wonderful o realize, what people have invented already hundreds of years ago, to irrigate the rice-terraces in Asia with sophisticated cascade systems, to feed water to the corn- and potato fields in the Andes or to build wooden water canals along vertical rocks to supply water to mountain villages in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. These people had experiences, when they could expect water and held back as much as possible with the help of dams and artificial reservoirs. At the same time they knew that water had to flow in order to create life and should not be polluted by cultures at higher altitudes for not spoiling fields at lower levels. They had a great respect for the nature and knew that irrigation systems can only be a community achievement of which everybody will profit, if everybody is contributing their part.

A comparison with money becomes obvious. Money is the water of the economy. Without money it would dry out. However it has only a value if it flows, if it is spent – but in a controlled way. For many years it was believed that money can make more money – without working. Millions of people believed in this Fata Morgana. A few could manage to become richer, without thinking that other people had to suffer and became poorer. The trade of raw materials is also one of such crimes. To make a deal with dictators for buying iron ore or crude oil at shoddy prices and sell every shipload thereafter with ever higher profits, this cannot be called fair trade! A ton of iron ore still remains the same ton of iron ore! The real value did not increased at all. Even worse is of course the trade with worthless securities. Globally working financial institutions have unfortunately converted their huge, underground connected reservoirs into smelling dung pits which have to be disconnected and excavated to ensure, that in a few years clean water can flow again. This will become possible if honest people take over the job with respect, making the spheres of influence transparent and guarantee real responsibility.

There is no added value possible without the hard work of people and only when honest work is fairly paid, we can achieve peace. That’s exactly what water is teaching us. If it flows slowly and clean from rice terrace to rice terrace, then many people will get enough to eat. It is the duty of everybody, as well as every company and every public institution, to build its own small financial reservoirs in their neighbourhood, in order to overcome the caprices of the time ahead. The more reserves we build, the more confidence we can feel for the future. This is the reason why I like the Raiffeisen principle so much! This is a banking system which originated in Germany in the 19^th century, mainly for poor people, with independent branches, controlled only by their members and with the aim of local investments for local money, among people who know each other and communicate with respect.

For creating a more peaceful international world, with respect for each other we desperately need also peace among the religions. In this regard I admire the world-ethos-thoughts by Hans Kueng, a Swiss theologian who tries to bring together the good and copulative elements of our world religions and comes to the conclusion that human rights are inseparably connected to human duties. During a trip to the south of India, I was impressed that in Kerala Hindis, Buddhists, Jews, Christians and Muslims live together in peace already for 2’000 years. Why can this not be achieved in the Middle East? Because respect is missing and money is governing!

Today I would like to thank once again all the wonderful people who are not controlled by money, but guided by happiness and satisfaction to perform honourable duties and love within the limits of their income. I think thereby of all the craftsmen who are at hand from early morning to late in the evening, whenever eater pipes are broken, electricity is missing or storms damage a roof. I also never forget the nurses in old people’s homes and hospitals and especially the brothers and sisters who belong to religious orders, whatever their belief will be, praying and serving a life of charity – without any financial incentives!

What we badly need for a great start into the new year, is confidence and self-motivation. It is worthwhile to look into the mirror every morning and tell to yourself: “I am the good will and only I can change my life positively!”

A person who should be an example for all of us, because he believes in the future, radiates enthusiasm, cares about responsibility and impresses everybody with his deep-blue eyes, is Bertrand Piccard. Form my point of vies, he should be elected to “the Swiss of the Year”, as soon as possible. As a hang-glider-acrobat, physician, psychiatrist, balloon-pilot, scientist, adventurer and family-father, he has knowledge and connections which seem to be boundress. He works on future projects in micro-electronics and renewable energies and teaches us that human relations should always be a game with and never against the wind. Somebody who has piloted a hot-air-ballon around the globe like him, knows that anywhere, depending on the altitude, the wind is blowing in different directions. To reach a given goal, it is much better to move slowly into the right direction, rather than quickly the wrong way. Bertrand Piccard plans to pilot his solar-powered-airplane “Solar Impuls” in 2011 around the would and already today I would like to wish him all good luck, especially because of the tremendous motivating impact for our youth.

I hope that whole Switzerland will not only observe his achievements, but get infected by his passion. Let yourself feel the spirit of Bertrand Piccard and start, with respect and confidence, already in this new year your own homing flight. If you manage to locate the right altitude and reach your goal, then please do never forget to offer also other a chance!