Every morning when I wake up, the next day goes through my head just as quickly. What exactly does my agenda look like today? How much time can I use for what, how much energy do I put into what, and who do I need for what? Can I reach them directly, or do I have to schedule an appointment through a secretary first?

Because I do a lot of international work, I also constantly have to deal with time differences all over the world. As you probably already know, I work a lot with Indian companies and organizations. Think of "The Nation First" by Abdul Jalal (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adv-abdul-jalal-ba330040/), or Lekh Magazine by Lukesh Umak (https://lekh.co/). I also think of my valuable collaboration with Anthony Nayagan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-nayagan-7a339b118/), the wonderful man from the United States who will soon radically change the education system in the world.

People expect something from me, and I think that's only right.

The value of sincere feedback and loyal readers

Just like for you, every day of the year is of great importance to me. Every day I see the number of followers and readers grow. I personally would find it very difficult to disappoint these people. I have many loyal readers, of which I would like to put one in the spotlight today: Dan Sabbah (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-sabbah-031069169/). Thank you, Dan, for visiting my profile so often!

I think that everyone in this world who works finds his or her work important and likes to receive positive feedback on it. After all, we grow through feedback.

What I do find very important is that this positive feedback is really sincere. I always say, "Positive feedback is best when it comes directly from someone's heart." Isn't it wonderful to receive a sincere compliment? And aren't you, like me, so nice as to give the person who gave you such a great 'feather in the cap' a compliment in return? But an honest and sincere compliment.

Unfortunately, there are also 'other' people walking around in our common world. People who only hand out compliments to benefit themselves afterwards or take advantage of the person who thinks they receive an honest compliment. I call that the negative use of someone's positive intention.

Do we use each other, or do we build together?

A while ago I read a statement from an unnamed well-known personality. This person said, "Life is actually very simple: you use them, or they use you."

What do you think of such a statement? I really had to let this statement sink in. You too? Life is actually very simple: you use them, or they use you...

But a few minutes later, unfortunately, I couldn't completely disagree with it either, especially in our current year 2026. I see this phenomenon happening more and more often in our commercially driven world. Yes, there will probably still be plenty of people on this earth who have a beautiful, pure disposition. But at the same time, more and more people seem to be adopting the way of thinking that in the past was thought to be at the disposal of the 'cunning merchant' or the cunning 'grocer'.

The role of the modern merchant and grocer

Haven't we all gradually stepped into the role of the hard merchant or grocer in order to better defend our own interests? Isn't there more and more purely commercial behavior ingrained in our daily dealings with each other? Aren't we constantly negotiating with each other, even in our personal relationships and daily conversations?

Take a look at the current market: aren't buying rules, small print and warranty periods increasingly aimed at deceiving the other person instead of protecting him? Don't you also regularly have the feeling that you have to 'fight' harder and harder simply to get your way?

Could it be that the fast-paced digital world plays a major role in this, or in general the change in the way we communicate with each other in this day and age? Companies and government agencies are increasingly able to hide behind an impenetrable, too high wall of protocols, chatbots and forms. And doesn't that ultimately lead to you and I being more and more inclined to want to get the most out of it?

Where is the boundary in a hardening society?

Is the bottom of that jug getting deeper and deeper, or has the bottom now been reached, causing casualties on all sides?

If the statement is true that life simply comes down to "use or be used", aren't we as humans constantly engaged in a silent battle with each other? Has this been of all times, or is our world really becoming harder and more ruthless by the day—no longer taking into account the feelings, wishes or interests of another?

Who has the redeeming answer to this? How can we go back together to the human scale, to sincerity and to a simpler life in which we build on trust instead of calculation?

I would very much like to hear what you think about this. Will you let me know in the comments?