These people need more exercise and maybe need to cutback on the bottle.
12
I fear my earlier comment was rejected bc I liberally used an interjection starting w/ "F" (even if I obscured it w/ asterisks).
This video unmoored me. It left me feeling as if I've lived my entire life on the surface, rather than at any depth.
Who are these people and how, in G-d's name, did the director elicit such vulnerability?
For a moment, I wondered if they were actors reading lines? Who speaks w/ such vulnerability? No one I know.
As everyone here has suggested, it must have something to do w/ Polish national identity. There's no other answer.
America is a sinkhole of meaningless, hyperbolic exchanges. Can you imagine an American responding w/ this insight? I can't.
Something about the Polish experience - the culture, the language, the geopolitical reality - must elicit introspection.
I can think of no better reason to leave one's hermetic, self-confirming bubble than this video.
There's an entire world out there, of people who think and speak w/ exquisite vulnerability that I know nothing about.
121
Every one of those interviewed is a philosopher.
33
The man who couldn’t respond. More than words can describe.
46
This short film reminds me of the work of Kieslowsky's films, Dekalog in particular, a series of 10 one-hour long films about the ten commandments.
The depth, the poetry, the honesty are similar to what we see in this poignant short film;
18
I really appreciated this. It was very moving. I am a Christian and though riddled with many similar fears, when I think how Christ's purpose for me is eternal, it sets all wordly fears in perspective. I am also blessed with a dark and gnarly sense of humor which enables me to laugh at my own fears and anxieties though I can not extinguish them. The greatest power the Christian faith gives me is the knowledge that fears, though normal, create barriers. Thus, I'd rather break those barriers with prayer and action, connect with people, and achieve good for others instead of rolling about in the stinging nettles of my fear. Also, I'd really like to know how the film maker led up to this central question, because it appears that whatever interviewing approach was used was very effective and built trust with those interviewed.
15
What touching film! Congrats to the filmmaker and the people in it. I would be the silent one.
12
What courageous people to reveal their fears so publicly. In that sense, they are fearless when it comes to expressing vulnerability. May more of us find that strength so we can embrace our shared humanity.
30
I ask myself how you got these people to reveal such private thoughts and feelings? Thank you for doing this.
22
Incredibly powerful, I had to pause because I was starting to get really emotional
14
I found the universality of the subjects' fears quite powerful. It could be shown across the planet and people could identify themselves and friends and family in the Poles' comments.
25
So many thoughtful and profound answers, but I'm not really surprised since they are Europeans. However, I'm surprised that almost no one mentioned their concern for the planet.
6
One man did.
9
Profound moments were captured that say much of the existential terror that characterizes the post WWll world. Excellent film, and very moving.
13
I loved the video: But I'm curious as to exactly what world Bartlomiej Zmuda lives in that a according to him a couple of years ago the world was relatively calm and stable place...
5
What a lovely short film. The people were so beautiful, raw and honest. Bartlomiej Zmuda, thank you for sharing.
16
I enjoyed it, if its an appropriate word, for its rawness. Recently I've been plumbing trauma, the thing -- in families, generational, international, societal, personal, etc interested to grasp just how much it drives us in life for good and ill.
Interestingly, for a number of the subjects I was removed from that.... treated to whole other layers of life shared in such honest fragility. Sometimes it's immediate and practical fears for others if they can't be there. The woman who stated she just didn't want to be a mediocre person resonated with me. The "subjective truth" person --wow-- struck me as like a fear of dementia, chaos of the psyche.
The fellow who just winced in front of the camera, his moment was the most poignant and immediately relatable without a word.
Wonderful, beautiful short movie.
12
How brutally, bravely and beautifully honest. Thank you for this. We often think we are the only ones with the fears we have, but we're not.
18
I haven't yet watched this - the headline was enough. Yeah, the fear that "I'm not who I should be" has pretty much been the defining fear of my life. Forks in the road not taken, opportunities not seized, friendships not maintained, time wasted on the most meaningless things, the potential for a great love run away from out of fear off not being worthy, creative potentials left unexplored.
One has to wonder, what would the world be now if more than a tiny fraction of us actually managed to live up to our potential?
37
Seems being Polish offers zero clues as to the meaning of life. Human fear similarity is freighting. Just saying.
5
Beautifully, powerfully, honestly, proving that we humans are the same more than we are different.
Thank You.
14
Thank you, Pan Zmoda, for helping me realize again that we are not alone and these life fears afflict us all.
Such an elegant film.
15
This was beautiful. We are not alone in our struggles.
25
So subtly and still powerfully moving. The essence of our humanity shines through, and that's something I very much needed to see. Thank you.
12
This is beautiful. Thank you.
10
Some years ago, while creating a DVD for our large clan in Tennessee, I was selecting from the pictures I had scanned into the computer, when I came upon a picture of me as a young child (probably around 5-years old).
There in black-and-white, on my uncle's east Tennessee farm, I am playing in a small pool with my sister and cousin. I am looking at the camera. But for the first time, I was able to zoom in, in, in...until I was looking my 5-year-old self right in his young, vibrant, innocent eyes. And all I could think to say was, "I hope I haven't let you down."
I have been blessed with the best parents imaginable. They have been true saints in public and private. While others dreamed of turning 18, I was wishing I could return to the age of 6, such was my delightful childhood. I am married now with a family of my own. I have been blessed with a wealth of close family and friends. For these things and so much more, I am truly thankful.
AND YET....
And yet I still have cause to say to my younger self "I hope I haven't let you down."
My dreams have so vastly outdistanced my grasp. And my desire for a permanent memorial of my time here is met with Solomon's woeful cry of "Vanity. All is vanity."
Yet I place my confidence in the belief that "Only what's done for Jesus will last." If so, I won't break any records, but somehow it will all be enough.
Folks, let's not let ourselves down.
47
@Aaron It is all part of life, coming to life and make sense of it as best we can, if any.
3
I would suggest that these people take a bit of advice from the Buddha: You are who you are.
Perhaps they need to do a bit of introspection. Sadly, the media and our culture seems to have created an illusion that we all must be successful entrepreneurs, influencers, fabulous celebrities, wealthy beyond all worth! STOP IT!!
Well of course we all want these things. But we must face up that lack the talent, the drive, the ambition to be these things. There is nothing wrong with that! Just get on with your life. Can you make things better? Of course you can! But this nonsense of worry about what could have been is a waste of time and, more than likely, will lead you to depression. Improve what you have and start living life.
20
I just want to have national health and retire.
22
I was amazed by the ethnic diversity of the participants.
I am not sure if it was intentional or not -- but certainly eye-opening.
I always thought of Poles and Poland as much more ethnically homogenous.
Very moving piece.
9
97.7% of the population in Poland is ethnically Polish so not really.
3
@A In my opinon the video has an American outlook due to the Asian guy in the red car, and the not-so-typical Polish faces I have been accustomed to seeing in Poland. The topic and how Bartlomeij made the video is so human and he portrays the human sense as it is: a human being who does not have all the answers in this mysterious world. Good job.
3
But this Warsaw, not entirely representative of the rest of the country
3
I couldn’t help but think about how this would look if produced in the United States. Have little faith it would be as moving.
18
So moving. So tender. There is such bravery in vulnerability. I am touched by these people and their authentic honesty.
33
The buddha transcended fear and desire.
3
@Chris I was thinking the same thing throughout -- how a little bit of Buddhism could help ease the fears and self-doubt.
@A - It's true that non-attachment is a helpful tool for minimizing the pain inherent in experiencing life as a human, but our emotions can serve a purpose - to let us know when we have erred, when we have betrayed ourselves or someone we hold dear, when we have trapped ourselves in a situation that is not healthy for us, when we are letting our light die through simple neglect.
It's not always the ego's discontent that causes us pain - sometimes it is something deeper.
7
I am astounded at the depth of thought and expression of the film subjects. I expected something very different. Thank you, it was very moving and took my mind off trivial things happening in the world.
27
Great film. I don't know how the filmmaker did it?- to get the subjects to be in a state to express very, intimate, personal
feelings.
I thought about it and felt I had very few fears like I did have in
youth. Humiliation, rejection, failures--been through it all and time and the self ( always resurrecting ) helped brush it all off my shoulder.
Thinking about, more-- I realized that even in older age, fears
still enter the stage and sometimes exit behind the curtains.
I had a wonderful older friend ( slowly succumbing to cancer ) in his 80's, that gave me a "play by play" on the way out of the world. I'll never forget his last communication. It sounded
"child-like," in spite of his stature and many achievements.
It took away a good degree of the fear of death from me.
It was something like: "I think this is it- Here I go."
38
@JoJav Thank you for sharing your experience with your friend. Just beautiful.
13
Outstanding. This makes me want to visit Warsaw and learn more about the Polish people. We have heard so much about Ukraine and Poland with the war, but we have so little understanding of the people and their experiences. I hope that this film concept is replicated many times around the world. I would watch all of them.
17
Thank you for sharing these beautiful, sincere and tender glimpses into our shared humanity.
28
Thank you to all involved - yes, made this day / moment better.
16
There is no “should” - what is, is; what is not is not.
We are only, ever, who and what we are.
5
@Archibald
We are a construct of our brains, enjoy the show.
1
What about the heart?
2
So simple and straightforward and yet so deep. The sincerity and openness on the part of the participants is really quite beautiful. Good work, Zmuda!
20
Seriously good.
6
I hope Americans are as thoughtful, but I fear that too many are shallow and interested in the petty and selfish details of life.
12
This piece is absolutely beautiful.
16
Unspeakably powerful
11
This piece makes me wonder, if we all had to wear our deepest fears on our sleeves, would we treat each other better?
I want to believe 'yes,' but I fear I could be wrong....
20
@Liz
If only, Liz. If only ...
1
What a brilliant concept behind this powerful and profound film. I immediately wish the filmmaker could make a version of this for a variety of locations across the globe. There is a universal aspect here that is deeply moving, but there's also a specific aspect that's fascinating. It's really both of these together that make the film so special, and it would be amazing to see the same concept applied to folks in other parts of the world.
12
This is very moving--their emotion is palpable. A reflection of how are all the same.
16
@pjc
I didn’t even go to college after high school I was so scared. Only after marrying my husband in his last year of college, having my son in a front pack and my husband by my side was I able to make it through the application process and the class choices etc. That was in 1975, and I have always been so grateful to my husband for walking me through the college experience.
10
This is beautiful, thank you
8
Beautiful.
4
Thank you! That was so good!
4
The interviews. This reminds me of the dark Hungarian arthouse movie titled "Kontroll" 2003 set in the subway system
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMkkJbRJdiA
If you've ever wanted to research an 'eastern mindset' consider a screening. Be forewarned that it is very subtle dark humor. The reason this 'anti-success' theme developed is it's a coping strategy against a life of dysfunction and alienation. If you're really depressed, watch how they get up and deal with it daily basis.
Thank you. ( btw the new sage advice is that one accepts a compliment does not deflect ) . Wise council.
In regard to the film i felt like i was watching a 500 page novel in minutes. The film deftly illustrate our universal condition. We are all human . What a brilliant interpretation of humanity.
Thank you,
Saved my day
16
Thank you.
2
Watching this, I see our differences fade, and we are one humanity, perfectly imperfect, held in the hand of creation.
15
@Kate M
Could not have said it better. Thanks.
4
I can only say thank you and will continue to express my thanks, not just for what’s shared here but also for the growth that these souls and that any connections over time have brought me. Those connections may be fleeting or only in hindsight significant, and whatever they’ve meant or might mean, whether or not a relationship with another human being is inferred, I will not live in denial. I empathize most with the lone subject shown here who said nothing.
7
These interviews are profound in the sense of their human vulnerability, honesty, self-effacement. To me, this is an example of how I see our country as being, in general, devoid of character and depth. Can you imagine a cross-section of ordinary Americans yielding similar responses to what they fear?
33
This film was moving and powerful, as is fear itself. In hearing and empathizing with another’s deepest fear, we are all feeling our human essence. A beautiful film, thank you to all who worked on it. And to the NYT for making it accessible.
23
I felt and empathized with all of those. Particularly on the themes of rejection and the fear of not living a meaningful life.
18
As I read so many of the wonderful comments here, I am moved by how so many of us are desperately starving for authentic, human connection.
NYT, kindly keep stories like this coming. We all crave and need this kind of soul nourishment. It makes me realize that in a world that so often seems cold and impersonal, the reality is that - I believe - most of us are caring, compassionate, and loving people who truly want to reach out to each other, but are too often afraid to do so.
Love and peace to you all, my fellow humans.
97
@T Beautifully stated. Thank you.
I agree that we are starved for connection. And for that reason I have been sharing my feelings with people more freely and being vulnerable even when I don't feel like it. I want to give people permission to do the same with me, and if I have to go "first", well so be it.
It works. Eventually. People don't always trust at first. But I treat their words as if they were the most precious of anything ever known, because they are. I have developed into a very good listener and I can be trusted with people's emotions and story. I believe that is my gift to the world. Took me long enough to find it!!
7
Beautiful thank you for finally sharing something positive about the Polish people, the coverage here always seems to find something critical to dwell on or distract from. I'm actually surprised but ultimately happy.
3
As a Jew, I've been brought up on the idea that, as Begin once said, the Poles absorb anti-semitism with their mother's milk. Now their courage and humanity in opening their arms to Ukrainians in their desperate time has challenged all my inbred prejudice and opened my heart. Thank you, dear Poles. You have proved yourself a noble people.
And these Poles in this video strike me as noble in their honesty. The mother whose contemplation of her children in need moves her to tears. The solider who admits so clearly to his terror of loneliness. The bearded man who cannot speak. Beautiful.
I've been physically strong all my life and didn't realize until now, when I'm not, how much my courage depended on my strength. Now, at 76, with my strength fading, I am experiencing something new -- fear. I recently took up sailing again after of a lapse of more than a decade. I find myself afraid -- vulnerable -- when I'm on my boat where before there was only confidence. And with this newfound vulnerability, come humility. Perhaps this is why this video touched me so deeply.
57
@Barry Schreibman both things can be true. They can embrace people who are like them (white, ethnically European, historically oppressed by Russia) and still reject those who don't fit the first two categories - in other words, be anti-semitic. The two things are in no way contradictory. (Germans in the '30s loved Austrians, and Danes, and Swiss. And that changes... what, exactly?)
5
Oh please already... Enough with the generalizations and wholesale guilt asignations. As if there's no anti semitism in America or any other country. As if there is no anti-polonism among certain groups. I'd love to see the heroisms performed by your ethnic compatriots when put through the test. It's wrong to attack entire nations rather then look at individuals. Incidently, and it is tiring to keep bringing it up, Poles are by far the largest representation among the Righteous.
3
This was stunning, and in one way made me feel deeply connected to other humans because of how little we have the spaces anymore to talk about these fears in healing spaces. Carl Jung has really been the guiding force for me in his quote that despite all our material wealth, we really are not any closer to understanding our pysche, our unconsciousness and fear. I am also thankful to the bhuddist teachings on fear but like many would say that I am still often paralyzed by the fear of death despite my interest in NDE and psychedelic illuminations.
6
So vulnerable and honest. Very powerful and poignant. Thank you.
21
This was beautiful!
11
Thank you Poland for taking in so many Ukranians fleeing their country which is being DESTROYED by vicious, and unprecedented inhumane bombing and invasion! Poland is to be applauded for stepping up in this time of need, and we should help them however we can.
16
Stunningly in your face, these heart-wrenching confessions.
I didn't know so many just regular people would be so candid to, I suppose, a relative stranger at their place of work even.
Where's that John Wayne bravado, that mask we Americans wear?
A very different news story, this short video is. Very sobering, not uplifting, but seemingly heartfelt.
Some of these fears seem so esoteric to me, probably because I've long ago accepted my status as a failure: divorced, consistently working low-paying jobs, estranged from everyone, living in a mean, often scary world. I'm hardly worried about being accepted or fulfilling some heroic role.
Only one person in this video directly admitted that death was his greatest fear. Others alluded to it obliquely, passing over problems, etc. But death would seem to win the day for any reasonable person: If you're no longer alive, the rest of these fears are gone, too.
At 73, I divert myself with busyness: chores, errands, grandkids, reading the NYTimes and commenting, surfing the internet, an endless task. I've come close to death several times, and when it happens, the raw terror takes over everything. One might say that it focuses the mind. You won't be worrying about whether your peers respect you; your troubled body has your undivided attention. No other fear has ever gripped me like that one, and I have a difficult time believing that others can or would just blow death off as a problem for another time or not worth worrying about.
14
The sense of presence in this piece is extraordinary. A story comes to mind. They asked Rabbi Zuzia(who was from Poland) on his deathbed if he was afraid. His response..."When I get to Heaven, I will not be asked Why weren't you like Moses, or Why weren't you like Abraham. They will ask, Why weren't you like Zusha?
19
The man who could not even speak of his fear really hit me. He was so obviously terrified. These people walk among us all over the world.
21
Poles deserve our praise for taking in so many Ukrainian women and children fleeing the Russian onslaught. Poles and Ukrainians have not always been friends but this has changed and all should celebrate it.
17
Stunning work thank you
12
Amazing! Warm and intimate.
4
climate change.
pity pot individualism and exceptionalism and the rest is just another veil before your ability to see the basic facts and the momentum of catastrophe.
climate change. everything else is denialism and distraction.
1
Actually this is my 2nd comment. Hope that's allowed. I just watched the film again (four times now). I was struck by how different Polish people seem to be. I wonder how Americans would answer this question? How would I? I don't think Americans would respond with the same honesty and humanity. Our depth is missing. I often hear that people are the same the world over - same hopes, dreams, fears ... Is this really true? I think this film highlights some differences. I also think this should be nominated for Best Documentary Short Film.
27
@CLC I thought the very same thing. Not only that, they were all so articulate. Unlikely to find that on an average street in an average American city.
4
@CLC
Yes I am half Polish from my mother’s side and without a doubt almost every Polish person I have ever known has a depth of soul and a fear of not being enough that makes them so special to be around.
3
@CLC Americans can have depth. In my coach/psychology training classes we have sessions like this asking regular Americans similar questions. The answers are similar. Mostly of the variety of "not fulfilling my life purpose" or "being seen as a fraud".
When people are being very authentic they seem to be more articulate. When speaking from the heart, not the brain.
8
A very powerful piece. Such a great capturing of humanity. I’m so grateful and touched by these people who clearly answered the question so honestly, and by the gentleman who couldn’t even answer. Much appreciation to the participants and the filmmaker. I’ll be sharing this with others in my family, and suggest you do too!
8
Heartbreakingly exquisite. So beautifully human. I felt such love for these people and shared many of their fears. An important work.
Bravo.
20
Beautiful, beautiful. The one man who couldn't speak - oof, just heartbreaking. Everyone was so brave to share. Thank you for making this.
13
Pieces like this are capable of sparking a much needed wave. That would be a wave of compassion, for ourselves and for our fellow human beings everywhere.
Bravo to the filmmaker. And thanks to the New York Times for this breathtaking look at our shared humanity and vulnerability.
19
One of the most touching experiences I've had in years. Thank you. And thank you to these people who shared such intimate and vulnerable words about themselves. There is a lot to relate to here, the human tragedy and spirit all at once.
16
Thank you for this powerful reminder of how our individual fears reflect a very human quest(ioning) that we all share. A heartfelt wish that this commonality could be manifested in a very different way from what's on the front page of the NYT...
7
Listen this was a great piece, I wanted to share it but on my laptop the video screen covers up almost all the sharing options on the page. Loved it tho. It's one of those days I guess.
3
This was beautiful and the most human thing I have seen today.
A story of my own. When I decided, after a two year break, to see if college was maybe for me, at first I was enthralled. I have always loved books, reading, and learning.
By my second year, I was terrified. I was convinced I had bitten off more than I could chew, the relentless pace of study, the vast galaxy of things I simply did not know!
One night I was laying on my cold tile dorm room floor, both angry and crying. I can't do this. I have made a terrible mistake.
Then, a beautiful moment happened. I suddenly realized, and I mean out of the blue, that probably everyone I saw -- my dorm mates, my classmates, maybe even the graduate students! -- also struggled with tons of fears.
I got up off the floor (I can remember it as if it was yesterday) and went down the hall to watch TV with my dorm mates and say hello and chat.
I learned two things that night, two things which changed my life.
First I realized, I'm normal. I wasn't all alone. In fact, I'm not alone at all!
Second, I saw people in a new light. I did not see fearless people on campus on that day forward. I saw people like me, full of fears, young, unsure, but we were all going to try.
It was only when I realized how frail we are, that I finally felt confident and at peace.
This beautiful op-doc reminded me of that night on that cold dorm floor. That was my Damascus Road. None of us should feel alone.
122
@pjc Thank you for sharing your story. I had my times of crying alone in private spaces on the college campus when I was a student too. You are correct, we are not alone. It does seem to take finding one's own truth and opening to then find our commonality with others.
17
@pjc
Like you, this story was the most beautiful and the most human thing I have seen today.
Your comment was the second. The very truth you share: that we all fear loneliness, that we all carry self-doubt and fear; and how the world is indeed a different place when we see that everyone we meet - everyone around us - carries the same frailties. We are all human. We are far more alike than different. I literally got a chill down my arm because your comment resonated so authentically.
Thank you, pjc.
14
Besides the great content of this video, what's interesting here is the format. We access the Times because we want to "read the paper." Yet I'm now doing that online—no "paper" involved. And this item posts a great video within the online newspaper format. We can read the comments of others, and we can post our own. So, what do you even call this experience? The Times calls it "op-docs." That will need to do for now.
And this opens the door for me to reveal one of my fears. I'm a career technology worker, and a big fear I have is that in many ways our use of technology makes our lives worse rather than better. Probably the best example is the excessive "screen time" by younger people, which after being accelerated by the pandemic seems to be approaching every waking moment, and now is even encroaching on time that should be spent sleeping.
So, the big question is, how can we manage technology to make our human experience better, not worse, and improve our human interactions?
53
This documentary reminded me of how much closer and connected I feel to others when vulnerable moments are shared. People in this documentary are so brave to open their hearts, and I thank them for it. Beautifully done. It also reminds me of why I feel drawn to projects like Post Secret. Somehow shared vulnerabilities makes me feel like we’re really not so different as human beings.
28
Thank you so much for this gift of the insights into others hearts. I am very moved.
17
Best wishes to them all. Thank you to the filmmaker.
13
I could almost guess the fear of the one who didn’t speak, that’s how effective lingering on a subject can be.
14
The deepest human fear, once physical survival is met, is humiliation - being seen for our perceived “sins”. This traditionally is a childish way of looking at the human condition. It works against actual healing by denying responsibility. It doesn’t matter what happens to us as children and even fairly good parenting can be judged by children as trauma, until a person emotionally matures to recognize that the cause of humiliation is not as important as taking complete responsibility for one’s own thoughts, feelings and action, authentic healing cannot happen.
5
This is gorgeous. Thank you to the director and the participants.
12
This was an insightful rendering. Even though I think I intellectually realize this problem with many people, it was still unnerving to see so many of these people express the fear that they are lacking, not enough, fearful for others to see who they "really" are.
As one of the participants actually stated, his fears were created as a child by poor parenting. In my own work with the poor over the past 20 years, I would say that the most important thing we can do to create a better society for us all is to support - in every way - early childhood learning and development for every child, everywhere. We ignore this issue at our peril.
49
@Jdrider So true. Ages 0-5 years especially, but of course all the years matter.
Wouldn't cost much to support that.
2
Absolutely fantastic work of art. I haven't come across anything so honest, picked right from the depth of existence. Will be wonderful to know how people from different countries respond.
27
So vulnerable, so beautiful, so human. The humanity of it is overwhelming. Thank you to these people for their generosity. There is nothing else I can think to say.
19
The most relevant piece the Times has printed in ages. These brave people, so willing to reveal their vulnerability.
23
Thank you, this is so meaningful......
8
Beautiful
8
"That I’m Not Who I Should Be."
Life improves when people stop shoulding all over themselves...
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
8
Thank you for this.
6
wow
just wow
all the intellectual words to describe how this touches/hits make no sense to say, the film says it All.
well, this makes sense to say: Thanks, NYT
8
I am humbled by these people's voices. Thank you.
12
Stunningly in your face, these heart-wrenching confessions.
I didn't know so many just regular people would be so candid to, I suppose, a relative stranger at their place of work even.
Where's that John Wayne bravado, that mask we Americans wear?
A very different news story, this short video is. Very sobering, not uplifting, but seemingly heartfelt.
Some of these fears seem so esoteric to me, probably because I've long ago accepted my status as a failure: divorced, consistently working low-paying jobs, estranged from everyone, living in a mean, often scary world. I'm hardly worried about being accepted or fulfilling some heroic role.
Only one person in this video directly admitted that death was his greatest fear. Others alluded to it obliquely, passing over problems, etc. But death would seem to win the day for any reasonable person: If you're no longer alive, the rest of these fears are gone, too.
At 73, I divert myself with busyness: chores, errands, grandkids, reading the NYTimes and commenting, surfing the internet, an endless task. I've come close to death several times, and when it happens, the raw terror takes over everything. One might say that it focuses the mind. You won't be worrying about whether your peers respect you; your troubled body has your undivided attention. No other fear has ever gripped me like that one, and I have a difficult time believing that others can or would just blow death off as a problem for another time or not worth worrying about.
11
@Wondering and Worried I have never understood the fear of death. I can understand fearing pain or physical suffering but death itself? We are all, absolutely, without exception, going to die. Why use thought energy on something that you can in no way change?
No matter what your personal understanding of after (if there is an after), isn't it more beneficial/efficient to focus on your and other living entities day to day living experience?
You are clearly an intelligent person. The world could benefit from your effort towards the positive.
If you're alive and set your heart and mind to it, the rest of these fears can pass as small thoughts and be gone.
8
Brenda, for some of us, our brains don’t work that way. If I could make myself not worry about things I can’t control, believe me, I would!
5
@Brenda
"In the Phaedo, Socrates claims that philosophy is a preparation for death. If we truly love wisdom, Socrates maintains, we will want, as far as possible, to free our souls from our bodies. We will not be afraid of dying, for in death this separation finds its ultimate fulfillment."
Philosophy, Death, and Education | Oxford Research Encyclopedia …
oxfordre.com/education/view/10.1093/acrefo
Don't believe the Socratic sales pitch. I wrote my master's thesis on the Phaedo. By doing so, I learned that Plato (the writer of Phaedo) did not prove his argument that we have a soul. Now 40 years later, I have finally accepted that death is an ending, a complete finality for the human personality. If one dwells on that fact, it's very scary, which is why, no doubt, we have religions promising eternal life. Other people seem to fear death, too, in a big, big way.
It may be best not to think on death, because you can't prepare for it psychologically to any helpful extent -- at least that's my conclusion. Socrates had a different experience, if the Phaedo is true and accurate; but I'm not Socrates. When I go into the jaws of death, the demons take over my mind and thoughts: all those people and things you'll never see or experience again. You're not even leaving the emergency room -- not a great place to find one's inner calm and peace of mind.
My parents died quickly and peacefully, so maybe I will, also, and thus not have to go terrified through the Valley of Death again.
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I used to live in Warsaw. Interesting place. Great film.
5
Stunningly in your face, these heart-wrenching confessions.
I didn't know so many just regular people would be so candid to, I suppose, a relative stranger at their place of work even.
Where's that John Wayne bravado, that mask we Americans wear?
A very different news story, this short video is. Very sobering, not uplifting, but seemingly heartfelt.
Some of these fears seem so esoteric to me, probably because I've long ago accepted my status as a failure: divorced, consistently working low-paying jobs, estranged from everyone, living in a mean, often scary world. I'm hardly worried about being accepted or fulfilling some heroic role.
Only one person in this video directly admitted that death was his greatest fear. Others alluded to it obliquely, passing over problems, etc. But death would seem to win the day for any reasonable person: If you're no longer alive, the rest of these fears are gone, too.
At 73, I divert myself with busyness: chores, errands, grandkids, reading the NYTimes and commenting, surfing the internet, an endless task. I've come close to death several times, and when it happens, the raw terror takes over everything. One might say that it focuses the mind. You won't be worrying about whether your peers respect you; your troubled body has your undivided attention. No other fear has ever gripped me like that one, and I have a difficult time believing that others can or would just blow death off as a problem for another time or not worth worrying about.
4
Well done, profound and moving. I hope no one makes a version of this in the US with average Americans it would most likely be insipid.
7
Of course i feel my own fears and shortcomings. These same people today have sheltered millions of Ukrainians. This is a difficult position to be in but one that your country has taken up with open arms. The value of opening up your borders and hearts is overwhelmingly humble in my opinion.
What a wonderful film!!!!!!!!!
7
I take off my face mask, and there’s nothing there.
7
A beautiful film: We need more of these films in other countries. And yes -
it bonded me with these individuals in Warsaw.
It immediately made me think of the saying, “Pinch yourself to know how others feel.”
Thank you to Mr. Zmuda.
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This is the most honest thing I’ll encounter today.
8
Thank you for opening up my heart today.
8
Pretty awesome! Helped clarify many of my feelings. Good choice of people.
7
That was gorgeous! Poignant, honest, intimate, powerful and deeply resonant.
Thank you.
14
Thank you, Mr. Zmuda, for this deeply moving artwork. To all those in the film who courageously and generously shared their most intimate and vulnerable selves, please accept my sincere and heartfelt gratitude. I truly felt like each one of you was talking directly to me: human to human; heart to heart.
I wonder how different our world would be if we started seeing our fellow humans as people just like us - with fears, pain, sorrow, regrets, and so on. Perhaps then we could turn to each other with compassion rather than rejection, with care rather than indifference, and - yes - with love rather than hate.
Again, thank you.
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@T Beautifully put. I could not agree more. I believe to live our lives with compassion is our highest directive. To others, to ourselves and to the planet. As Ram Dass said, "We are all just walking each other home."
Thank you to the filmmaker, the participants and those taking these messages into their lives.
3
Wonderful. When I was a senior in high school one of my teacher's asked us to write an essay about our greatest fear. I said I was afraid I would never have the marriage that my parents had. And I was right. I didn't. I've remained single. Alone. Now my greatest fear is that I'll die alone. Be careful what you fear.
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P I immediately thought of the late great Polish master of films when I viewed this video! Krzysztof Kieślowski, Dekalog, specifically, which reminds me to view all ten of these films again. Thanks so much for this honest profound refreshment of the soul. So filled with meaning and simple beauty in such heartbreaking times. It also reminded me of a blistering day with my family waiting for a bus on an island, which may have been coming, or not at all. Our kids were small and I asked a total stranger if he would be so kind and drive us (he was going in that direction) back to the main island where he was also staying.
While in the car he asked me about my accent, we were speaking German. I told him I was born in New York City but had lived in Austria for decades. He told me he was from Warsaw. I instantly asked him if he knew the Polish writer Bruno Schulz. He snapped his head back and looked at me while driving on a very narrow road. I could see shock in his face. I asked him why he was surprised by my question and he said people in school study his literature but he never came across anyone who knew his work and also his tragic life story before. He was smiling in the mirror. Like he met a family member after a long time away, something so intimate and profound for him on his vacation! This video brought this memory, among many others, to the surface again. Also Bruno.
All of this touches my soul. THANKS!
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@Sidi Since you mentioned Kieslowski, see his short documentary "Talking Heads." Best!
2
A powerful piece sharing our human connections. Thank you.
19
Beautiful. Brought tears to my eyes a few times. Thank you for sharing.
20
A beautiful and powerful film. I don't know how the filmmaker got people to express such deep fears on camera. The silent man may have spoken the loudest. Thank you.
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Him and the very elderly woman thinking about “passing over to the other side.”
2
This is extraordinary, and exceptionally moving. Having spent time in Poland, I'm not surprised that these citizens are able to identify their most profound existential fears, and are willing to share them on camera. I wonder how different an American version of this experiment would look and sound.
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@Veronica I wondered that too. I wonder if the American people would not as a whole be as self reflective and soul searching honest? Or would we hide behind slogans?
40
I’ve spent time living in Poland too, and I think you’re onto something. There’s a self-reflection
I fear many Americans lack. When I spent Christmas with a friend in Poland, at the breaking of the opłatek (Christmas wafer), each family member shared highly personal and often emotional wishes for their other family members. As most Poles do this on a yearly basis, they’re miles ahead of Americans in this form of reflection.
13
@Veronica I've been married for 30 years to a Polish immigrant. These deep, thoughtful, dark, philosophical responses are "so polish" - it's like watching 15 different versions of my husband on the screen. An American version would likely have more easy & standard answers, along with some silly and whimsy mixed in.
13
We wonder why today's world seems "more unstable and threatening" than it was before COVID and the invasion of Ukraine. We view the issue as a passive phenomenon that happens almost by historical accident.
It is not happening, however, simply as an accidental outcropping of the passage of time. It is happening because humankind is causing it. We, the people, are proving ourselves failures in the civil management of our own affairs.
I forget where I read it, but the gist of the sentiment is, "democracy hasn't failed us; we have failed democracy".
23
This is a beautiful work of art. The participants touched me. Every one of them. Their fears are my fears. They are humanity’s fear, worldwide. Thank you all for this gift.
83
Absolutely beautiful, thank you.
19
This resonated deeply with me. It is comforting and inspiring to see fellow humans expressing their fears, and to experience so directly and simply our common humanity and questioning. Each speaker is beautiful and unique. Many thanks to them for their generosity and truthfulness- for their earnestness and sincerity. Thanks to the filmmaker and crew for making this sharing possible.
72
Beautiful and heartbreaking. They spoke for us all.
37
Wow, that was beautiful. I feel as if I've seen into a soul of a people. Thank you.
44
I am so thankful for the experience as this artwork captured my heart. I feel a deep sense of connection to each of these people, and admire their ability to articulate their feelings with such poise. Despite the topic being morose, my feelings after absorbing this information are both lighter and positive. I feel enriched, thank you.
39
Heart wrenching and beautiful. Thank you.
25
I feel self-conscious commenting on something so complicated that is also so simple. And beautiful.
But the urge to thank you is stronger than my own fear of saying something inadequate. Since the pandemic, I have been saying, we are all ants picking up our leaves daily, leaves that are many times our weight, and marching ahead, but clearly, that's always been the case. Your film shows some differences among us, but mostly what we share. We are all afraid.
I felt very blue watching this. But I think as I sit with it, I can feel less afraid. Thank you.
181
Most of the people shown in this piece speak with such calm introspection, visited occasionally by visible grief and fear. Think what a world it could be, if rather than wreak our anger upon one another, we could hear the deepest fears of our opponents and work toward solution.
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@K Yates Yes. We can move the needle on this by all being willing to be 10% more vulnerable in our daily lives.
Vulnerability is contagious, luckily.
5
@ld Not to be too cynical, but in the USA today, the vulnerability that you call for is all but too real.
I never ever worried about my children but my oldest son is going to college next year and he goes to concerts and events almost every weekend.
He could have been one of the victims last week in Philly.
Somebody's going to take a bullet at one point or another and such a sentence is surreal to write in a country that is officially at peace.
7
For a beautiful, strong and moving report. Most breathtaking was the young mother who told that she had been abandoned by the child's father and did not know how to explain it to the child, a common fate that we often do not think about. But really, all the stories were memorable. Many thanks to the people who generously shared their feelings for us, and many thanks to Bartlomiej Zmuda who made the fine report.
96
This is nothing short of brilliant. To explore this universal state of uncertainty and fear, in such a beautifully captured way, draws humanity closer by showing us how much we all hold in common.
Now that the war is close and their lives have changed so radically, some of those fears have undoubtedly changed a bit. But I wish Mr. Zmuda could go back to all these people, and tell them that by revealing their fears, as they did, helped connect them to thousands of people. I wish them peace in all ways, and I thank Bartlomiej Zmuda.
249
I was moved by this piece. I saw a strong people with a commitment to community. The Polish people’s role in helping Ukraine is so admirable.
96
Thank you for sharing this profound echo chamber of the human heart. Yesterday I asked my friend, a refugee from Afghanistan, "what is the hardest thing you have to live with everyday in America?" His answer: "The uncertainty. Only God knows the future. Will I see my family again or no?" These stories resonate the same fear . . . what we know, what we can never know, what we have, what we lost or may one day lose. Witnessing is everything.
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