Transcription
Enrico Segre in Milano
Rhoon, 30th july 1995
Dear Enrico,
Just a scribble. My life doesn't seem well organized as formerly. Commuting is time --as well energy consuming. And at the office my subordinate position did not permit me to order my thoughts during office hours. Apparently, there are periods in one's life that thoughts are switch off. Then the whole system is geared to survival and you act in your instincts. It's only when the basics of life are fulfilled that a human being thereafter is capable of adding a thin layer of civilisation over his egoistic, barbaric, wild and murderous inner nature
Daily we are nowadays being informed about the atrocities committed in former Yougo Slavia and there is no immediate solution. God, the must hate each other !
It is my opinion that without thoughts a human being has stopped to be a human being.Writing is clearly the end product of the thinking process. WRITING IS BEING! Sure, it is a bit philosophical, but not bad for the beginning of a letter. What are the thoughts which need some ordering.? For instance:
1) How will the world survive in the year AD 2020 when it will definitely lack the
leadership of John Major?
2) Today with a world population of 6 billion, we lack a proper distribution
system to give everyone his appropriate -rather equal share. If you accept
this, than God has condoned a system that all men are not born equal.
3) Can the world cope with a population of 10 billion people and if so, what
about 15 billion?
4). My estimate is that fossil fuel, taken into account the ever increasing need
for it, will dry up in say about 45 years hence. My question is: What will be
the rent of the top floor of the O & Y skyscraper in the docksland in London
by then.
5) If mass production can be realized thanks to robotizing --and computerizing
all factoring handlings whilst shedding more and more labour (and thus
purchasing power), who will buy the finished products in the next periods.
Dear Enrico,
It is hot and humid today and we are not in Pianello. It's a bit strange not to be in Italy in July. This year I have decided to skip the long summer vacation.
Last May I joined the Belgian General Bank and was asked to start up the branch in Rotterdam from scratch. The branch has no customers yet. I only incur costs without income. How can I afford to go on holiday?
Last week the branch in Rottedam started in a new office in the center of Rotterdam near Central Station. As I sit at my desk, I see the office building that housed the Lloyds Bank branch two years ago.
I was "despised and rejected (by Lloyds Bank Plc) and and acquainted with grief. (text from Handel's Massiah)" two years ago.I have returned (Ritorno Vincitor; Verdi's Aida) to Rotterdam.
I feel like some kind of Napoleon of the 20th century. When he was sent to Elba
(Amsterdam for me) and after his escape from Elba he returned to France (Rotterdam for me). Yes, I know that his ultimate defeat was in Waterloo, near Brussels, while I currently work for the largest Belgian bank.
Yesterday Reinoud returned from a four-month stay in France to better master the French language. We told him that after a 3 hour drive south by car you arrive at the border of France. It's ridiculous if you can't communicate with 55 million French people, about 50% of whom are women. We enrolled him in a three-month French course in Tours and a month in Nice to become more fluent in French. He returned home in good spirits
Floris works diligently to pass his exams while reading the tax legislation. Hopefully he will graduate in 1996.
Vera is central to our lives. She ensures that everything runs smoothly.
I hope you are all in good health. Thanks for the postcards.
By the way, I did the typed beginning of this letter all by myself using "Word for Windows". Imaging 12 months ago "I couldn't even type two words. I'm being catapulted into the 21st century by these new software programs
We miss you and hope we meet in 1996. Love, also from Vera, Adriaan
ITranscriber
A.D. Dirkzwager
