This is an experiment. It’s a challenge we trust our readers will rise to. In search of a form that does justice to its age, it lays bare the horizontal dimension running through any set of conversations.

A simple swipe is all it takes to navigate: up or down, left and right.

Every conversation stands for itself and can be read in full as usual. Yet whoever dares foray to the left or right will rediscover the same subject through a different lens. These links interpenetrate our conversations like a weft traversing manifold strands of warp. A simple swipe is all it takes to navigate: up or down, left and right.

These connections are sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious, and always handcrafted. They sedulously uncover a fundamental layer common to all discourses where silent assumptions reveal themselves and contradictions come to the fore, where ideas betray their provenance and, possibly, even that which isn’t said becomes transparent. Thus arranged, the figures assembled here appear in their two roles simultaneously: as both spectators and actors in the world theatre – “Zeitgeister”, if a German pun may pass unpunished.

To forestall any misunderstanding: An enterprise so youthfully presumptuous is destined to fall short of its noble ambitions and can be a productive failure at best. And needless to say that – as with all invitations (ours at least) – any gathering of 21 people will owe no less to chance than to choice.

This volume was published in German on the 1^st of February 2021.

And yet, the questions perturbing us not only since last year do not lend themselves to definitive answers and tend to be drowned out by the present. To investigate and explore them without inhibitions or prejudice is a privilege of youth, perhaps. This volume was published in German on the 1^st of February 2021.

In 2020, a preceding project on the European elections called »Das kleine Einmaleins der Europawahlen« (German only) was awarded the Altiero-Spinelli-Preis by the European Commission. We thus found ourselves in the fortunate position to be able to cover the minor expenses incurred with our own independent funds. All else has been taken care of by our spare time and effort.

These conversations have been a most gratifying pastime that only our readers’ joy can duly requite. Those willing to delve into it may find, if nothing else, delight.

Lucius Maltzan
& Simon Nehrer

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