Jonas Gahr Støre praises Jürgen Habermas because he built his philosophy on conversation, interaction, and dialogue. The opposite of the use of power. But Støre is not consistent. He is waging war in Ukraine. There is not much dialogue towards Russia. Here, an entirely different philosophy comes into play, yet Støre sees no contradiction. He remains the sovereign. Støre is participating in burying the message he praises in Habermas. In this way, the world becomes different. Yet European leaders cling to the notion that it is Trump who is destroying the West.

On the passing today of the German philosopher and sociologist Jürgen Habermas: We have lost a wise man who nearly reached 100 years of age and who helped shape ways of thinking and value foundations for half a century – not least within the political development in Europe. Habermas was concerned with the open, public discourse as the core of democracy. A good society is built through openness, recognition, and respect for one another’s arguments and viewpoints. It is only through communication and interaction that we can find solutions that serve the vast majority. He emphasised that interaction and dialogue are something other than the mere use of power. Good decisions are made on the basis of a broad foundation of knowledge and deliberation. In this way, Jürgen Habermas defended the ideals of the Enlightenment – something we also need to be reminded of in today’s turbulent geopolitical landscape – with much false news and a discourse that can be brutal and exclusionary.

Jonas