The German language is really beautiful. It might well be true that its sound is not as melodic as that of some Romanic languages. But the words really have huge power. With small prefixes, you can open up all kinds of various meanings and a huge treasure of nuances.
For instance, you have the judge, German: Richter. He has an office where he can judge (“richten”). Besides, you can also “scharfrichten” (have an executioner), you can prepare things (herrichten/hinrichten), you can teach (unterrichten), you can carry something out (verrichten), discharge of something (entrichten), adjust (zurichten), organize/relate a message (ausrichten).
You can also destroy (vernichten) – but that is clearly not in this category: mistake. Sorry. It has nothing to do with “richten”. Linguistically spoken, “richten“ (to judge) probably has something to do with justice. Or at least that is what it should be about.
But all those words with prefixes “xxx-richten” have a shared dark side to them. I do not like to be executed or prepared, neither do I wish to be subjected to final judgment. “Scharfrichten” sounds evil. In “unterrichten”, you find the word “unter” (under). You are “instructed“ in something or about something. Carrying out a service sounds rather hierarchical, the same is true if you have to discharge of something. And I do not enjoy being adjusted. And if someone does some “ausrichten” for me, then I can think of better expressions.
Apart from the judge, we have the mediator (Schlichter). And this is basically (schlicht) about mediating (schlichten). I do not know if “schlicht” has something to do with “schlichten”. But I find “schlicht” (moderate) great and the same is true for “schlichten” (mediation). Neither can I think of any variants of “schlichten”. There is no “entschlichten” or “verschlichten” or “ausschlichten”. Some way or other, I think this is a good idea, too. Simply “schlichten”!
Then I ask myself what kind of society I would prefer? A society of mediators or a society of judges. One where you judge or one where you mediate?
The answer is easy to give …
Now some of you might counter: “But isn’t that utopian, a society of moderators, instead of a society of judges!”
But that is not something that upsets me. Firstly, I believe that at least we in our cultural circle are well under way in this respect. Secondly, I believe utopian ideas exist in order to become reality one day. Remember, for instance, that in our society men and women are equal. Who would have believed anything like this could be possible at all 150 years ago?
Consequently, I dream of a violence-free society where we shape our future through co-working, co-operation, col-laboration, co-living , co-creation und com-munication at eye-level.
And until this is reality, I am happy if the judge protects me from the executioner.
RMD
(Translated by EG)
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