He stands tall in presence and energy, a modern thinker who presses on with relentless focus. Rob Riemen, now in his sixties, embodies a life devoted to philosophy—contemplating life, reality, and what awaits humanity if dangerous nationalism resurges. As the founder and president of the Nexus Institute, he champions philosophical and cultural dialogue, promoting global intellectual reflection and critical discussion.
Riemen’s source material is rooted in the wisdom of the past and the poetry of inherited thought. Yet the interpretation he offers is strikingly contemporary. He observes a rising nationalist current as a threat that culture must confront to steer the world back toward the democratic traditions that sustain pluralism and human dignity.
His concerns about the erosion of humanism emerge across four interconnected studies in his latest Taurus publication, The Art of Being Human. This volume also presents related explorations such as Nobility of Soul, a forgotten ideal, and To Combat This Age, which together illuminate the origins and survival of wars while warning against present dangers, including the manipulation of truth through social media and online platforms.
Riemen’s message reverberates as a call to intelligence. In his view, every book becomes a message in a bottle—an attempt to transmit insight across time. Throughout the discourse, ancient thinkers surface as enduring anchors. Nietzsche’s lessons, revitalized, function as blueprints for understanding current turmoil and resisting destructive trends.
Discussions move to Madrid, where the author engages with audiences as both a practitioner and a poet who reveres classical philosophy to illuminate today’s conflicts. In this frame, the struggle to ennoble life takes on the cadence of a physical and mental discipline, akin to athletic endurance and lyrical craft.
Question: How does this moment look for humanity?
Answer: There is a dangerous surge of violent nationalism that threatens to undo much of what humanity has built. Yet the capacity to forge a united human community remains, contingent on a recharged political class. Leadership capable of genuine contest and open, robust debate is essential. Intellectuals bear heavy responsibility to illuminate the power of ideas. Too often, scholars quote each other in ways that hollow out universities and public discourse. The antidote lies in reclaiming bold, original thinking that can shape humane policy and culture.
Question: Values persist, yet politicians and intellectuals struggle to rise above them…
A. The political class often mistakes power for value and gravitates toward money and influence. The only path forward is a shared agreement on what it means to be human and to preserve civilization. Lies that undermine public life must be exposed, and scapegoating—against Jews, Muslims, or any group—must be rejected. A revival of critical thinking is needed, one that rekindles kindness and a responsibility to improve the society in which people live.
Question: What specific hazards threaten today?
A. Entertainment and distraction dominate, and while cinema is cherished, a culture of escapism, a drug culture, and a money-driven world erode humanist ideals. It is no accident that far-right movements reemerge with deceptive politics. Courage and sustained effort from all citizens are necessary. Democracy requires participation, accountability, and a vigilant mind that detects danger. Without that critical awareness, obedience becomes the default path.
Question: You pose many questions in your book; some echo ancient philosophical inquiries. What questions will you ask today?
A. Some obvious ones arise: Who am I? What truly matters in life? Which decisions should be made, and what are their consequences? Spinoza reminds us that saying yes often implies saying no to other possibilities, and every choice ripples outward. How can one make wise decisions? The pursuit of wisdom—rooted in culture—is essential, especially as modern schooling sometimes veers toward superficial comfort. Democracy thrives through education and informed, courageous citizens who do not take truth for granted.
The shift from a quality paradigm to a quantity-driven one is a recurring motif here. Economists are portrayed as high priests measuring life by utility, yet life itself is richer than numbers alone. It is the depth of experience, the texture of human encounters, that truly matters.
S. in A. book pre, To Combat This Age reflects the long-standing dangers inherited from history. The question remains: how can today’s evils be confronted effectively? The author notes that his reflections began around 2010, during the visible return of fascism, and draw on the cautions of Camus and Mann. In 2023, wars persist, democracy remains fragile, and new challenges—social networks, disinformation, and manipulated realities—demand a different political class. The aim is to foster an intellectual milieu that can pave the way toward a more stable, humane future.