“If no one ever feels offended or hurt, you’re probably not doing it right”

There’s a new name on the lineup for the Celebration of the Open Mind. Jonas Geirnaert will join the roster of guest speakers on September 20th at the Royal Circus. As a member of Neveneffecten, a regular at Woestijnvis, and the creative force behind the cantankerous Kabouter Wesley, Jonas Geirnaert is likely the most absurd export from Wachtebeke. 

What does it mean to be a free spirit to you? 

 “In my profession: being in a situation where your mind is free to make unexpected connections. It leads you to places you wouldn’t go if your thinking or actions were restricted. Sometimes, I get stuck. In the past, I’d smoke a cigarette. It’s an unhealthy habit that I don’t recommend, and I quit it twelve years ago. Now I just take a walk to clear my head, and the ideas come naturally.” 

  How much is freedom of speech under pressure today? What do you think is the biggest threat? 

 I think we’re still doing okay here. But I get chills when parties start suggesting hotlines to report professors for being ‘too woke’ or ‘indoctrinating students.’ That kind of practice shouldn’t be tolerated; otherwise, you open the door to far worse.” 

"Damn it, I have the right to stand up for my beliefs."

Should we be able to say anything, or are there limits to freedom? Where do you draw the line, and has it evolved? 

 “When it comes to humor, I have no taboos. If the joke is good, any topic should be fair game. Of course, that’s subjective. If I find it funny, then it’s fine, even if others think it’s over the top. If no one ever feels offended or hurt, you’re probably not doing it right. You’re not pushing the boundaries enough. The difference with the past is that nowadays, people can express their anger on social media, and the media picks up on that. Before you know it, there’s a heated three-day debate between supporters and critics. On the other hand, when Monty Python sang ‘Every sperm is sacred’ and mocked the Catholic Church, they also faced heavy criticism, and that was without Twitter or Facebook.” 

Have you ever held back from expressing certain things due to self-censorship or external pressure? 

“In 2011, during a broader Oxfam campaign, I gave an interview as Kabouter Wesley, expressing my outspoken leftist political views. Shortly after, I received a concrete death threat. That really hit me hard. Because of that, I refrained from discussing my political beliefs in the media for a long time. Until a few years ago, I thought: screw it, I have the right to stand by my convictions. If someone with completely different views wants to debate it, no problem. As long as it’s done in a civilized way.”