The space between Conforming and Longing

Autobiographical Interview.

Who are you when you stop trying to live up to what others expect of you?

Shortly before his eightieth birthday, Engelbert Mutsaers looks back on his life with disarming honesty. Growing up in an era of strict norms, religious prohibitions and social expectations, he learned early on that being yourself was not an option — perhaps even a sin. In a sharp and searching dialogue with his alter ego, he explores what it meant to spend decades navigating between conformity and longing.

An inspiring portrait of courage, vulnerability and the never-ending search for oneself — for those who dare to descend into their own longing.

Engelbert Mutsaers (b. 1946) trained in international marketing, then changed course to study educational science. He went on to hold management posts in education and to work as a management coach.