With the declaration that the world is facing a new beginning, Prof. Schwab has admitted that he is one of those people who think that the point is not to overcome the global economic crisis and then continue on as hitherto. We need a fresh start, a new beginning. But how is this supposed to work? We can’t just drop everything and start over somewhere at an uninhabited island or a pristine green meadow. Together with others, free from all of what is burdening us today.

We think this stipulation to start anew should be understood in a way we often explained in our terms in our BriefLetter publication: The new beginning mentioned here has to start in our heads. We have to declutter our thoughts and free ourselves from any static opinions and agendas. We have to shake of dependencies and give up our all-dominating faith in numbers. The French president Nicolas Sarkozy said in his inaugural address in Davos, we should stop to believe statistics too much. A restart means showing the door to prejudice, creating scope for development, breaking open constriction, ripping open doors and windows and letting fresh air into our environment. To set our sights on the impossible. Trust others more once again. Starting anew also means to show courage for manageable risks and to pay more attention to truthfulness. And let this truthfulness have an effect on the decisions to be made. Truthfulness sets us free and to be free is a necessary prerequisite for a new beginning.

During a conversation about the topic new beginning someone asked the question: “What happens if we postpone the new beginning, let’s say till after the current crisis has been overcome and our heads are clear for something new?” My answer was: “We see the crisis only as a stage on our way to a changed world. And he, who does not know the destination, will not find the way there.” In other words: “He who does not jump far enough now, will not conquer the trench between today and tomorrow.”