Do We Need Civil Society or a Better Society?

I have to apologize my readers. I missed my weekly duty. I’ve been busy saving Europe: event with Ashton, reform of the European financial regulation and final phase of the European social innovation competition. You know I do it for all of you.

However, I must tell you about two episodes of my trip to Paris. Have you ever had the feeling you lived in the society everybody wish he/she wanted to be part of?

Last Saturday locked myself out of my home. Like every Saturday morning I left for my 1 hour run as I always do every Saturday wherever I am in the world. You know I’m ageing so the packaging has to be kept in shape to keep selling the goods.

As I came back I realized I had taken the wrong key. Luc – my host – had left for his country house. I knew I was in trouble: I left my blackberry at home. I can’t call anybody. I don’t have the address of anybody either. I tried ringing the neighbours but nobody answered. I was alone with no money – i.e. neither water nor food –  for the whole day. Luc planned to come back that night.

My last chance was Ullrich, my friend the journalist of Der Spiegel. He wrote an amazing article on me at the World Social Forum in Nairobi. He gave me an appointment for lunch. I didn’t read the address exactly but I remember it was next to one of the corners of the Louvre.

So I went to the Louvre hoping to find the right restaurant. There are just four corners of the Louvre.

I was right and God helped me. I found Ullrich who fed me, spent half of the day with me, and endowed me with 50 euros. Then I enternteined my self for the rest fo the day. It’s not difficult in Paris. You know what I mean!

When I went back home Luc had already prepared a delicious dinner: foie gras and champagne. Such a deserved  reward for a tough day!

This is not all. The following day Luc and I went to visit Rouen, the medieval city where the evil English burnt Saint Jeanne d’Arc. As we arrived we rushed to see the tour of Jeanne d’Arc. Oops, I left my jacket on the train. I’m lost: I left everything in my jacket: passport, wallet, credit cards and eurostar ticket.

I didn’t panic – my blackberry was still with me – or start to pray but we want to the station. The guys at the lost objects office kindly took note and asked to wait for an hour to have an answer. An hour later – while we were having a marvellous lunch in the best restaurant in town: this time sausages and andouillettes de Lyon – they called me on my blackberry confirming they found the jacket at the next station and a colleague was coming back with it.

I just had to go back to the station an hour later. I took three boxes of chocolate to reward such effective public employees.

This is exactly the kind of society everybody wants. You find help when you are in trouble. Both friends and public instituions are ready to help you.

These episodes made me doubt about my job and the professional civil society. Do we really need it or do we need a better society?

Probably yes: we need civil society because we can’t have a better society… unless you are as lucky as I was.