CURRENT MISSION

The world is not enough, but it is such a perfect place to start, my love! And what would life be without challenges?

ABOUT ME

I am an independent thinker, tutor and writer. Having fulfilled all of the dreams I had at the dawn of my adult life, I'm currently preparing to face greater challenges. I seek wisdom and good answers to what I consider the ultimate question, "What can we do to make our world a better place?" The CouchSurfing Project is certainly one of them and has provided me with some inspiring insights, as so far I have hosted approximately 35 people from several continents at my home. There could hardly be a better proof of how much this world has changed in the last century or so.

Nevertheless, who sincerely cares about what is happening around him or her should not take such wonders for granted. Let us not forget that as recently as several generations ago the same world was replete with barbarism almost beyond comprehension. It is even more important to remember that at that time only very few people were able to see that barbarism as it really was rather than something they had been conditioned to accept as perfectly normal and ineluctable. And even among that handful of past visionaries most would probably have been amazed by how much the early 21st century zeitgeist has changed if they had lived long enough to compare it with their earliest memories.

This simple yet consequential observation is a warning as well as an encouragement to lead a conscious life and raise the awareness of our fellow human beings. Whether we wish it or not, day in and day out we are all teachers for everybody else around us. By our own example, we can infuse others with either indifference or caring, ignorance or reason. Therefore we are all responsible for the magnificent world we live in. And by dint of adequate consciousness-raising we can become much more than just slaves of past circumstances, mere drones trained to repeat, often thoughtlessly, the patterns already present in the environment that originally spawned us. This is the essence of a truly humanist philosophy, which I stand for and aim to promote here as well.

As a young European living in the beginning of the 21st century, I have to acknowledge the great change for the better which has occurred in this part of the world, but that doesn't mean I'm anywhere near content with the status quo. In fact the presence of so many great achievements makes all everyday examples of human pettiness, mediocrity and narrow-mindedness seem even more egregious. And it galls me beyond measure to think of other, less fortunate regions, where people still regularly suffer from plagues hardly conceivable within the European Union and thus stand a poor chance of realising their full potential as conscious beings.

Cynics will surely say that no matter how much you care about the world around you, there's little you can do as an individual to improve it. I agree that without proper understanding of reality and human nature, without profound strategic knowledge, even the greatest dose of idealism and goodwill is useless. However, too many modern philosophers, in particular secular humanists, tend to forget that a complex problem can hardly ever be solved by the same mind that originally caused it. In other words, since the status quo is usually the result of particular patterns of thinking and their limitations, in order to effect a change one needs to reach beyond those limitations and think in a completely different way.

It is we who must be the change we wish to see. Whenever we notice there's something awfully wrong with us or the people around us, we should assume it is so because of the system that created us or them, not in spite of it. If we feel weak and our efforts to realise our ideals seem futile, it is most probably because our own approach is flawed, not because the world is so bad. Understanding this defines the difference between wisdom and utopianism or mere wishful thinking.

Even with my sanguine and highly idealistic view of life, I cannot escape the observation that most people who regard themselves as idealists and claim to rebel against each and every of their environment's myriad evils in fact copy 99% of the behaviour of those they purportedly rebel against. As a result, while some of their actions and conclusions may be right and worth supporting, they are in truth little more than the pot calling the kettle black. Moreover, I know perfectly well that I myself haven't been totally free of this imperfection, as despite all my pursuits and strained efforts to make my perception of reality as accurate as possible, I, too, am but a product of history that has its obvious restrictions.

In any case, changing the world has never been my ambition. I simply refuse to be just a cog in a soulless machine brutally stifling all that is humane in humans. There are things I will never be able to change, but I want my message to everybody willing to ally with me in making good use of similar ideals to be clear: We don't have to let cynics and barbarians foist their cynicism and barbarism upon us, we don't have to let any stultifying ideologies or institutions govern our lives, we don't have to let ourselves be cozened into believing that the only path we can follow is the one already frequented by our forebears. While the rest of the population on earth might not care, we who do care and are not afraid to admit it are fully responsible for every single day of our lives and thus should not act in any way that makes us weak and helpless.

But how exactly can all that be achieved? Well, answering this question is the greatest challenge in my life and it may be one in yours as well if you care to join me. My approach could be summarised in the following bit of advice: While looking for effective ways of making our world a better place, let us focus not on what should be extirpated or overthrown, but on a distinctive alternative to ignorance and irresponsibility - an alternative we can be creating together practically every day, which so far has been conspicuous by its absence, even among secular humanist thinkers I deeply respect.

PHILOSOPHY

Teaching truly intriguing things, but only to those who really want to learn. Exploring the most ethereal subjects in the universe, but only when it helps to become a more aware and loving man. And smiling, because it makes this world so beautiful! :-)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

It's been over three years since I registered on this awesome website. Over that period I've hosted nearly 40 people and learnt a lot about others and myself in the process, especially since some of my guests came from places as remote as SE Asia or North America. I've gained far more than I originally expected when I was told of this idea by one of my students, including some friends and insights into lots of things I used to be totally ignorant of. For that - and for a lot more - I wish to thank every single one of the people who surfed my couch: those I spent many unforgettable hours with as well as those who were just looking for a place to stay or were hardly able to communicate with me because of the language barrier. You all have my gratitude for making my life richer.

Anyway, I'm not hosting any more as I've just sold my flat in Kraków. For the time being I'm staying in Upper Silesia (approximately 80 kilometres west of Kraków) until I can find a place suitable for establishing my new headquarters. This doesn't mean you absolutely can't meet me, however. If you are interested, be sure that I'll always be willing to read or hear an appropriate response to the following challenge:

Teach me what I'll remember in my darkest hour,
Make me stand in awe of your passion and your power,
Inspire me with your kind heart, your smile and your wits,
Let our great shared enthusiasm thrill us to bits,
Show me round a world which is colourful, safe and sane,
Take me on a tour of reason's most rightful domain,
Where we can really be ourselves rather than pretend,
And our own flaws are all against which we must contend,
Fill my soul with more fresh visions and unflinching zest,
For this is my challenge for you, which is not a jest!

Interests

• writing
• perfumes
• environment
• drones
• teaching
• history

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