Post by Wolfram Aichinger

“What is not good for the bee is not good for the hive.” – Don Luis de la Fuente and the use of classics “No more classics in our classrooms, we have urgent problems to deal with, so kids should read contemporary writers who address our pressing contemporary issues! That is how they will be successful in the world today.” It sounds very plausible, but it does not hold up to closer examination. In fact, once you pay attention you will find that classics are all over the place — and that they are in the toolkit of most successful people. Take Luis de la Fuente, the head coach of Spain’s national soccer team. Before beating Belgium in the World Cup quarter finals, he was asked how he motivates his players, how he gets the stars in the team to put their talent and effort at the service of the collective. At that point he brings up a book most dear to him, one that provides him with guidelines for his task. Written some 1900 years ago: The Meditations of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. Like Luis de la Fuente today, Marcus Aurelius was convinced that: “What is not good for the bee is not good for the hive.” “Lo que no beneficia al enjambre, tampoco beneficia a la abeja.” (Book VI, 54) (Actually, Don Luis changes enjambre —swarm— to panal —honeycomb—, but who cares!) 5 July 2026, the day after Spain beat France in the World Cup semifinals