The style is the entire human being

Recognition doesn't come by itself. We work hard and like to show our achievements. Generally people are recognised because of what they know and because of what they do. Truth en goodness are the invisible gold we chase. However, in this time of efficiency, one component is often forgotten: beauty. It is not only important what we say and what we do; it is equally important how we do it.

A nice story not only requires a good plot and a good structure, it is also requires a good storyteller and a good format. The shape and the style is also important. Style is the little extra that we do to please our fellow human being with the things we make and do. Style appears in our Culture with capital C: the great arts like architecture, painting, sculptures, etc... The ancient Greek had a Dorian and an Ionian building style. But style also appears in our culture with small c: the daily lifestyle: clothing, dining, writing letters and blogs on the Internet.

Looking at 'style' today and comparing with ancient times, one could ask the question what happened to style? It seems like impossible to recognise a contemporary style, whether it is style in the great arts or style in the daily life. In today's society, there doesn't seem to be a common denominator anymore. The only thing we could say is that style is no longer a collective item. Style is no longer the characteristic of a society; it has become the most individual property. Style is now 100% determined by the individual. We live in a society without style, yet full of styleful people. And perhaps that is then our 'contemporary' style.

Traditions

Traditions are an important element of our culture and our identity. Our traditions are a little bit at risk in this time of business and busy-ness; they don't seem to fit well in this age where time is more important than beauty.

And yet, I think traditions will become even more important than they already were. First, they have the potential to unite people from very different background in the same local culture. They can play an important role in the integration of newcomers in our local society. Secondly, they are the best antidote against modern diseases like loneliness, burnout and depression.

Luxembourg, a country that needs to integrate a lot of newcomers, is a smart country. I was very happy to see that Luxembourg keeps many of its traditions alive (liichten, buergbrennen, klibberen, etc..). Here is my first video on this blog: the burning of the 'jackstraw' (Stréimänchen) in the town of Remich on the Mosel bridge.

See my earlier blog on lifestyle.