Without effort no results seem to be achievable in individual as well as in social life.

If, for example, a goal has not been achieved, then it is often said that the necessary effort was lacking. In counselling sessions, learners are often advised to try harder. This appeal (“Try harder!”) usually leaves them quite helpless. It seems to be the case that effort can neither contribute to understanding as a virtually unquestionable principle of life, nor that avoiding effort is feasible. The idea behind this dialogue is that we understand ourselves better when we clarify what it means to make an effort.

This question was the topic of a Socratic Dialogue  on Carnival 2019 in Würzburg.

Text and facilitator: Veit Siegmund

Image: Georges-Pierre Seurat – The Watering Can – Garden at Le Raincy