We want high art . . . and we forget how to be human

Last week, I attended the Sarajevo Film Festival. I did not interview famous directors or actors on the red carpet.

Instead, I spoke to the 19-year-old volunteers at the box office.

The festival schedule is complex. The booking system often fails. Because of this, the volunteers face massive pressure from frustrated visitors.

The young girl told me:

“People demand perfect service. When a movie is unavailable, they shout at us. They do not realize we cannot control the computer software. If they just smiled and said ‘hello’, their problem would be much easier to solve.”

The visitors here consider themselves intellectuals. They attend the festival to discuss high art, compassion, and complex emotions. Yet, when reality does not meet their expectations, their empathy vanishes.

We all expect perfect systems. We want flawless service so we do not have to make any emotional effort. But when a system is imperfect, it creates a gap. Inside that gap, our true nature becomes visible.

We often answer an imperfect situation with anger. But why not use this exact moment to show our own grace?

True humanity is not experienced in a comfortable cinema chair while watching a dramatic film. It is tested by how you treat the person behind the counter when things do not go your way.

How do you react when a service system fails you? Do you demand perfection, or do you choose patience?