And now his speech became, without her noticing it, cultural-historical; it became almost – and that was nice – musical, because it picked up and varied motifs.
“Sharing, planning, community,” he said. “Showing becomes sharing. Sharing becomes language. Language becomes history. History becomes community.”
He made a small hand movement, as if stringing the words together like pearls.
“Something arises at the campfire that brings happiness to this day: belonging,” he said. “We are not just individuals. We are group beings with a nervous system.”
Hans saw how some guests smiled involuntarily, as if they had briefly seen a campfire inside themselves, although they were sitting in armchairs.
“Endurance, running, movement competence,” Dr. AuDHS continued. “The human being is a mover. Not necessarily an athlete, but a being that functions through movement – physically as well as psychologically. Movement is not just fitness. Movement is mood regulation.”
Hans thought of Zieser, of the rack, of the barbell, of the simple sentences: “Building muscle is simple, but hard.” And he thought how strange it is that one finds “mood regulation” in the muscle.
“Use of all senses,” said Dr. AuDHS. “Reading tracks, hearing, smelling, touching, seeing – and thereby experiencing sensuality. That is not incidental. Sensual experience is a part of a fulfilled life. A life without sensual depth quickly becomes… flat.”
He said “flat” and let it drop a little, as if it were flat itself.
Hans thought of Venice without knowing why: of water, of smell, of beauty, of a sensual depth that is at the same time an abyss. He thought of the man – the other Gustav, known from stories – who becomes ill in a city of beauty. And he wondered whether beauty is always illness if you want it too much.
“Art and specialization,” said Dr. AuDHS, “a community that can afford artists is a community with surplus – and with soul.”
Here, esteemed female reader, esteemed male reader, one could, if one were malicious, have pointed to the stage, to the grand piano, to the music room itself, which exists as a luxury space: as a sign of surplus. Dr. AuDHS did not point; but the room did.
“Specialization later becomes a profession,” he continued, “but originally it is: having time for something in order to become really good at it. And becoming really good is a source of pride, identity and meaning.”
Hans thought of Tonio, of the artist who stands between worlds, and he thought: “becoming really good” is also a form of loneliness.
“Clothing and aesthetics,” said Dr. AuDHS. “From protection to adornment. And from that arises our sense of beauty – on the body, in landscapes, in design.”
Morgenstern smoothed the fabric of his sleeve quite unconsciously; it was as if his body obeyed the word “adornment”.
“Cooking,” said Dr. AuDHS, and his voice took on a hint of enjoyment, as if he were tasting the sentence. “A civilizational milestone. Cooking is health, organization – and a culture of enjoyment. It is: raw material becomes meal. Meal becomes community.”
Hans thought of the yellow powders, the green powders, the red teas, the bitter drops – and thought that cooking in this world has become mixing, weighing, ritual. That too is organization.
“Security,” Dr. AuDHS continued, “security is not an end in itself. Security lowers stress. And stress is one of the great opponents of health and happiness.”
Hans thought of his diastolic number, of the “high normal”, of the term that sounds so harmless and yet is like a small threat.
“Trade and communication,” said Dr. AuDHS. “Exchange only arises when both sides see a benefit. Communication is the key to this – and to this day a driver of development.”
“Eroticism and partnership,” he continued, and one could sense how the room took on a different temperature for a moment, because eroticism, even when spoken of scientifically, always puts something physical into the room. “Bonding, closeness, sexuality – not just reproduction. Also stress reduction, stability, quality of life.”
Hans saw how the couple next to him held hands a little more tightly.
“Imagination and creativity,” said Dr. AuDHS. “Stories become theater, opera, film. Creativity is not just talent. For many it is a basic need: to create something, to express something, to shape something.”
Here, Hans thought, lies Tonio. Here lies the wound: the need to create – and the longing simply to be.
“Leisure,” Dr. AuDHS continued. “Leisure arises – and with it the possibility not only to survive life, but to shape it.”
Hans thought: Up here, in this Sonnenalp, leisure is institutionalized. You pay for it. You buy yourself the possibility not to survive, but to shape. And you call it a program.
“Social competence and peacefulness,” said Dr. AuDHS. “Peace minimizes stress. Empathy and politics – that is, intelligent interaction – remain key qualifications.”
He paused briefly, as if wanting to add, without saying it: and some of us, Morgenstern, are just now learning that anew.
“And quite crucial,” he said, “adaptability. Our species has spread because it can adapt. That is not only evolutionary. That is a life skill.”
Hans felt how the word “adaptation” touched an old place in him: adaptation was what he had refused in the war. Or was it what he had done when he withdrew?
“Until twenty-three fifty-nine,” said Dr. AuDHS, “the summary is therefore: We are built for a life with movement, community, meaning, challenge, regeneration and conscious shaping.”
He raised his head as if seeing the clock, and there was something in his gaze that was almost sad.
“And then,” he said, “comes the last minute.”
