Opposed to opposition

Germany's word of the year for 2011 was "Wutbürger" or 'angry citizens'. With so much societal confusion and intransparency in today's times, many citizens are responding with outrage. In his book. whose title translates as Knee-jerk Opposition: Blockading Our Children's Future (German title: Einfach nur Dagegen – wie wir unseren Kindern die Zukunft verbauen), Gerhard Matzig, editor at the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, criticizes this statist stance, calling for an attitude of openness towards the future and innovation in society.

While the world is confronting global threats like pollution, hunger, terror and financial crises, in a wealthy country like Germany people spend their time opposing the building of train stations, operas, airports and solar arrays.

In Stuttgart, technology haters and anti-progressives made headlines with their "Oben bleiben" opposition movement, while in Bavaria the 'powers that be' tried to take farmers' pastureland to host the 2018 Winter Olympics (which didn't work, the Winter Olympics are being held in Korea instead).

In "the world's biggest complainer country", according to Matzig, an anti-everything movement is spreading that is increasingly mired in negative rhetoric, and heavily populated by members of the 1960s protest generation that used to believe in progress, but now reject any change as an unacceptable encroachment on the public domain.

The author agrees that shutting down nuclear power plants is important, but is amazed to see how those who disagree are defamed and shouted down. What is particularly odd is how opponents of nuclear power at the same time protest against the laying of cable needed to conduct power generated by wind and solar energy. It just doesn't add up.

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Howsoever difficult and debatable the issues may be, Matzig rejects rejection, seeing no future in such disaffection with the future. He argues that people should have a sense of excitement about and confidence in the future, and imagination and creativity to quell the typically German angst and hysteria coming from this benighted crowd.

Matzig believes this collective worry, hesitation and opposition can be explained on the one hand as a fear of public health threats, but also by a phobia against technology and a general attitude of opposition that is provoked by the terrifying imperative of economic innovation. Demographic shifts and the aging of society are furthermore making for a senile culture of protest.

As a father of three, Matzig is concerned about the future of younger generations. Allergic attitudes toward technology and progress and a false hope of waiting for problems to work themselves out should not be allowed to blockade our children's and grandchildren's future. It's about awareness of responsibility and an optimism-driven fight for the future to counter the latent egotism in angry citizens' attitudes.

This entertaining and easy-to-read book gives pause for thought; published by Goldmann Verlag, price 17.99 euros.

SPACER