In cities across Flanders, scientists and other experts are engaging in dialogue with citizens on five pressing issues: democracy, energy, genetics, pensions, and the prison system. The tour, named CTRL-SHIFT-DELETE, aims to spark these discussions. We spoke to philosopher Johan Braeckman, who is a key player in the initiative and will moderate the session on democracy.
Suspicious cookies, an overloaded browser history: with a simple press of Ctrl-Shift-Delete, they’re quickly wiped away. People & Science and the Humanist Association, the VUB partners behind the CTRL-SHIFT-DELETE lecture series, use this keyboard shortcut as a metaphor for society. To address today’s and tomorrow’s challenges, we sometimes need to clear out outdated ideas and separate what’s essential from the trivial. According to Johan Braeckman, the series aims to do just that. “We’re inviting experts from universities and various fields to inform us and share their views. But we’re also hoping for participation and interaction with the ‘laypeople’ in the audience. The idea is for them to reflect and debate the evening’s topic alongside the experts.”
So, are you telling me you have doubts about the 'experts' too?
Johan Braeckman: “Ignoring experts would be disastrous. If we don't listen to specialists, then who should we listen to? On the other hand, it’s dangerous to leave everything solely in their hands. Experts can make mistakes and sometimes make decisions that are either wrong or outdated. We should always keep a critical eye, as science is constantly evolving.”
Progress, you might say.
“Take medicine as an example. The way breast cancer was treated not too long ago—sometimes with unnecessary amputations—would be unimaginable with today’s knowledge. Or consider lobotomy, though thankfully from a more distant past. At one point, people thought it was a good idea to cut into the neofrontal cortex of psychiatric patients through the eye with an ice pick.”
"The laws around euthanasia, public smoking bans, gay marriage... we can learn from those moments"
Which expert do you think made the gravest error?
“Shortly after World War II, mathematicians like John Von Neumann advised the U.S. president to strike the Soviet Union with nuclear bombs before the Russians developed their own. Luckily, the politicians didn’t follow that advice.”
You're moderating a talk on the health of democracy. What’s the central theme?
“All over the world, people are dissatisfied with how democracy functions. They call it a farce, feel like they have no say, and start yearning for an authoritarian leader, a strong man or woman to shake things up and do things differently. It’s on this discontent that the ideas of politicians like Trump, Orbán, Bolsonaro, Wilders, and Meloni are based. We need to take this trend seriously and try to understand it. As Spinoza said: we must not mock, lament, or condemn human actions but understand them.”
So what’s making our democracy unwell?
“Democracy means power rests with the people. In Belgium, though, our democracy leans more towards a partyocracy. We vote for seemingly clear programmes, but the result often turns into a complex and opaque web of policies. Another issue is that people are increasingly less informed by traditional media and other experts. That’s something we want to reflect on and discuss with CTRL-SHIFT-DELETE.”
Photo credits: Gwenny Cooman
Does CTRL-SHIFT-DELETE align with projects like David Van Reybrouck’s G1000 and 'We Need to Talk' by VUB professor Dave Sinardet?
“It’s less large-scale, but yes, we too want to engage citizens and foster greater involvement. Especially at a local level, there’s room for such initiatives. In Wetteren, where I live, there’s been ongoing debate about the location of a new bridge over the Scheldt. I hear locals complain that everything is decided behind closed doors by politicians and expensive external consultants. It seems like a good idea to organise citizens’ forums for this type of local project, with randomly selected panels. There are plenty of models for this, though it requires time, money, and expertise to do it properly. Citizen participation should not degenerate into populism.”
Should these panels be allowed to make real political decisions?
“That’s something to be cautious about. You can hold a politician accountable at the ballot box, but not a randomly selected citizen. I would hope that citizens involved in such panels would gain a better understanding of how difficult a politician’s role is. They need to be aware of countless issues and take thousands of factors into account, and often, they’re unfairly criticised. After all, many politicians are just people for whom politics is a calling and an honest commitment. We really need to give this noble profession more respect. Social media have made it too easy to tear down policymakers.”
Speaking of elections: Flanders has done away with mandatory voting for local elections. Good idea?
“I don’t think so. I’m all for freedom and autonomy, but going to the polling station once every few years isn’t exactly unbearable or overly controlling, is it? It’s a cliché, but elections are still a celebration of democracy. Not every obligation is a negative thing.”
For inspiration on future societal changes: what are your favourite CTRL-SHIFT-DELETE moments from recent history?
“Women’s suffrage, only in 1948! The smoking ban in public spaces. Same-sex marriage. The three laws from 2002 on euthanasia, palliative care, and patients' rights. Each of these was heavily debated, with politics playing a positive role and the public deeply involved. We can learn from those moments. Politicians need to be brave. And the public shouldn’t complain so much when they’re unhappy about something. They can enter politics themselves or join the debate—at our CTRL-SHIFT-DELETE lectures, for example. I’d say: come along, be constructive, inform yourself, and feel free to challenge the experts. Who knows, they might just adopt your ideas.”
People & Science and the Humanist Association are hosting the CTRL-SHIFT-DELETE lecture series in various cities across Flanders. Among the speakers are several VUB figures such as alumnus Christoph Busch (Hannah Arendt Institute) and emeritus professor Patrick Deboosere (demographer). The first lecture takes place in Bruges on 4 October. More information can be found here.
The world needs you
This initiative is part of VUB's public programme: a programme for everyone who believes that scientific knowledge sharing, critical thinking and dialogue are an important first step to create impact in the world.
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