I, Joachim Haacke , am a student and constantly experience how challenging it is to maintain friendships fairly or to recognize what role I play in relation to which people. On the other hand, as a political science student, I think a lot about the problems we as individuals and our societies face, and how we can address them fairly.
Honesty is a value that guides me in life.
I believe that you treat others with sincerity when you are also sincere with your own feelings and values. Acknowledging your own emotions and point of view is crucial for making decisions. Even if you later doubt them, you can be certain that you made them from a place of inner conviction. I think this can give you self-confidence, especially when facing difficult life decisions. On the other hand, I believe it's important to be sincere with others. This way, they know where you stand and what they can expect from you—but also what they can't. Especially in friendships, I think this is a cornerstone for fair and respectful relationships.
Empathy is a value that constantly challenges me.
Sometimes I struggle to anticipate and appropriately acknowledge other people's emotions regarding a particular topic. It's especially challenging for me when dealing with feelings I don't know or barely understand myself. I don't always succeed in empathizing with these unfamiliar emotions and doing justice to the other person. In such situations, I can unintentionally come across as lacking empathy, and my behavior might be perceived as hurtful or disrespectful.
Understanding is a value that our society should live by more.
I believe we can live together more peacefully if understanding for others is more firmly established as a societal value – especially towards those who act differently, live differently, or come from a different background than ourselves. In this context, I consider it important to perceive people as individuals and not lose sight of their personal emotions. Even if I hold different beliefs or reject certain behaviors for myself or for society, I can still show understanding for individual actions. In this way, my own actions and reactions towards others remain humane and respectful.
