Would it help?

A short philosophical thought today: "Would it help?"

One of my favorite questions in life, facing difficult situations - the idea is to take a bit of distance to the emotions that ride ourselves in crises and a potent instrument, at least for one, to calm down and be cool. Be pragmatic. Being pragmatic means being flexible and adaptable - someone who can adapt, can survive almost everything. 

Watch and learn.

Btw: Given the situation, I have stopped to watch the news non stop - I do tune in only once a day, around 18.00 in the evening - early enough to still calm down before going to bed after the latest updates on new catastrophes and doubled numbers of dead people and failed businesses, and late enough in the day to have spent it trying to get some routine going, apart from working from home and wondering, if my hairdresser David 's business will survive the lock down for more than 3 weeks ( yes, the one I once wrote a blog about, years ago...). 

You have certainly seen the film "Bridge of Spies"? It is a good movie, worth to watch, for me mainly because of the stunning performance of Mark Rylance - yes, I am a fan of Mark Rylance and cannot wait until the next series of Wolf Hall is coming out.. He is such a good actor and such a humble person.  Lourenco and I met him in London, after seeing "Farinelli and the King" - kind and normal and no star stuff around this man. Clever eyes, warm smile. A human being.  Fantastic actor.

Anyway. In Bridge of Spies he is The Spy - being caught and put in court. Standing there, waiting for the verdict to be announced, whether it is death penalty or a sentence for life, his lawyer, played by Tom Hanks, asks his client: Are you not nervous to be sentenced to death? And his reply is one of the most impressive replies which I know. 

He simply looks quietly at him and puts the question back: "Would it help?"

This is stoicism as Epictetus or Marc Aurel would have it:  pragmatic, not over exited, not under exited, just clear and present and calm. What else can a thinking person be in such circumstances?

I therefore invite all of us to stay calm, be vigilant, take our responsibilities and ask ourselves, before sending on the 45th horrible video on people raiding shops in France, of crying nurses and doctors and of army lorries transporting off the countless poor people who have died in Italy.... Would it help?

But then  I might be terribly old fashioned and not in tune with the new world.. I prefer to keep calm and crack the 45th stupid joke, while knowing very well indeed how serious the situation is and what is necessary and my responsibility to do: Staying at home, staying in touch with friends, family and colleagues, keeping spirits high and carry on.

And play this disc with the Viennese Waltzes  - very loud!!