Ik weet niet, dus ik ben

The search for meaning and purpose is as old as humanity itself. We thought we would find the answers in religion, in politics, in the free market... But we found there mostly chaos and war and inequality and more questions. Thank God, we invented computers and after a long rattle and squeak, they had the answer: 42. Right. Back to people, to scientists. They had to know, right? One of the greatest scientists of the last century, Stephen Hawkins devoted his life to constructing a theory of Everything and discovered that there is not one truth, one beginning, one time or one universe. He provided the scientific proof that we don't know. So there we are. Helpless. Frightened.

In this essay, Lucas De Man explores the threats to the human in times of fear and algorithms and argues for the power of not knowing and not having to.

Lucas De Man (1982) got his MA Literature in Leuven and then went to the directing course at the Theaterschool in Amsterdam. After this, he further developed into a cultural entrepreneur with an innovative approach. As creator and artistic leader of Stichting Nieuwe Helden, he has for years been creating space for (de-)meeting, moments when you encounter yourself, the other and the world, moments when you don't know together.

Published in the ‘Karakters’ series, pocket-sized stimulating literature, a collaboration of Studium Generale, HOGENT, Theater aan Zee and Academia Press.