Looking beyond the crisis

I see the world from unusual and unexpected angles. It’s the way I am. You might say the underlying mission in my life is to depict those unaccustomed perspectives, whether it be in novels or photos or articles, such that others can experience the world differently and in being moved by what they see or hear, possibly learn from it.Read more

The responsibility of prevention

En français plus bas…

As a liberal country, Switzerland is proud to bank on individual responsibility as a rampart against the spread of the COVID virus. Yet the only responsibility granted people is to follow state-advised restrictions, restrictions that, in their rigidity if not their apparent arbitrariness, are not always self-evident or effective.… Read more

A cloud and a girl become one

Clouds

Asking strange questions and looking at the world from unusual perspectives seems to be my specialty. Here’s one. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to move from being an eternal, omniscient, omnipotent entity to a single body constrained by human perceptions of space and time with a limited life span and a severely veiled understanding of the world, not to mention the pain and suffering?… Read more

What’s in a name?

The then Kate Tempest performing in Geneva.

As a novel writer, people’s names are important. A character called Imogen is hardly likely to react the same way as one called Lucie. Just say the two names out loud. The different sounds immediately conjure up contrasting traits.… Read more

Sleepwalking on the road to chaos

De-trumped!

… the manipulation of reality using words and images till reality is no longer anchored to anything but the will of the powerful …

In an excellent little book H.G. Frankfurt writes about bullshit (1). The concept is particularly pertinent at the current moment although the word may be misleading as it is regularly misused.… Read more

A sad day indeed

GB-EU passport

On the eve of the official UK departure from the European Union, I am filled with profound sadness. I don’t share the opinion of those who think the debate will magically go away. It will never disappear. There are fundamental tenets involved in the adhesion to Europe that we must continue to defend.… Read more

Greta the Great!

Greta

Greta the Great. No irony is meant by the title. Few adults can claim to have been such a powerful advocate for social change confronted with the climate crisis. Few people have been capable of mobilising so many, in particular the young, in such a short time.… Read more

Jean-Luc Godard remade

Version française plus bas.

Don’t let an assistant enthusiastically tell everybody how you work, especially if you are a well-known artist like Jean-Luc Godard, who has a reputation for forging new and difficult paths. It might unwittingly give an impression you don’t want given.… Read more