Citizen or customer? The quesion is inherent with
a contradiction. When we enter a shop we never do
it solely as customers, just objects hovering freely
among articles, sents and staff; we are on solid
grounds when we see ourselves as unique individuals
with inalineable rights and obligations.

These essential rights and obligations imply some-
thing more; a citizenship. Although a bit simplified,
you cease to be a customer after you have completed
a purshase, but as long as you live you never cease to
be an individual in your own right; as well as the sales-
clerk and all your fellow human beings will.

We are not floating aimlessly in a cold space; one-
dimensional graphs devoid of existential coordinates
in our lives others than those defined by demand and
supply. Or roles in the economic schemes are
intimately integrated with and derive axiomatically
from our existence as human beings.

A vivid memory comes to my mind: how one of the
astronautes in the Apollo-project recalls standing
on the surface of the Moon, turns around, and sees
the most beautiful pearl of the universe : our Earth;
it´s atmosphere, seas and continents gives it an
aura that fills him with rapture.

Our planet breaths and lives through it´s spheres;
they set the agenda for its characteristics, some-
thing I in my everyday life at bay at its bosom,
seldom have given a thought. In a similar way,
our astronaut´s spacesuit set the condition for
his stay on the Moon; and maybe did his life-
giving aura give sensations of happness simi-
lar to the ones experienced at the sight of our
Earth.

Few phenomena have such positive impacts
on the progress of society as the exchange of
knowledge, goods, services and capital.

Though, most transactions take place in asym-
metrical settings of realities upon which the
participants might have a limited influence,
due to differences in economic strenght,
political power, knowledge within specific
fields of subject etc.

Still, our universal citizenships is inherent with
a potential for change: the possibility as an
individual and in cooperaton wih others to im-
prove the conditions of life; and the market is
one of the central arenas available to us.

Perhaps did our astronaut discover a mineral
on the Moon´s surface that seemed beautiful
to him; mabye did it shimmer in the intense
light from the Sun, reflecting different parts of his personality; altogether human.

Perhaps did his colleague also find something
he considered of great value; if so, most pro-
bably did they show their treasures to each
other. Protected by their life-giving auras they
might have found the others so captivating
that they decied to make an exchange; custo-
mers for a short while, always citizens.