Kon ta ku’bo?

Kon ta ku’bo?

April 19, 2026

Years ago, when I moved into a student flat, I stepped into the elevator on my way to class. Back home, in Curaçao, we greet everyone: “Good morning.”

Silence. Everyone looked at me as if something was wrong with me. I immediately understood: this was not normal in the Netherlands at the time.

In Curaçao, it is customary to greet everyone you encounter in public—especially if you know each other. In the past, you would also ask how things were at home, particularly how one’s parents were doing. It created cohesion.

In recent weeks, now that I am back on the conference circuit, I have noticed how much this has changed. People hardly greet each other anymore. They seek out one or two acquaintances and use that as an excuse not to engage with the rest. During breaks and drinks, the same pattern appears.

Even people you have known for years—friends or acquaintances—behave this way. Even people with whom you just exchanged thoughts on social media. I wondered whether it was just me, but it seems to be a fairly general pattern.

I cannot fully explain it. Perhaps we have become more selectively social after the pandemic—more inward-looking, less interested in others.

My proposal is simple: when we arrive and when we leave, let us look each other in the eye and greet one another. It does not have to become a conversation.

Miguel Goede