All
good.

01 / SELF-IRONY

An upward trend

“Our profits have reached record highs along with the water level; fortunately, flooding on the lower decks has no effect on the chilled champagne upstairs.”

On the upper deck, they open champagne. Below, passengers bail out the water. They are on the same ship, yet understand their situation very differently. The image catches the moment when the success chart obscures reality.

Success · Responsibility · A shared fate

02 / SELF-IRONY

The perfect trade

“We have successfully optimised forests and rivers into a discounted smartphone. Please keep running in the wheel for next year’s model!”

On one side, the forest disappears. On the other, the next unmissable offer arrives. The characters hold both sides of the bargain: a bare branch and a new device. What have we gained, and what can never be bought back?

Shopping · Nature · The hidden cost

03 / SELF-IRONY

The latest software update

“Why worry about a cracked, parched planet when a premium VR subscription lets us stroll towards the cliff on a perfect beach?”

Behind the headset, palm trees lean over the water. In front of it lie cracked earth and discarded bottles. One small movement separates the perfect experience from what we would rather not see. What happens when someone lifts the headset?

Comfort · Escape · Seeing reality

04 / SELF-IRONY

A world in motion

“The machinery of global consumption runs smoothly: as long as the sales continue, nobody minds that it is grinding up the world beneath our feet.”

The wheel turns, the conveyor moves, and the next reward is on its way. Forests disappear at one end; waste piles up at the other. Meanwhile, the shop window already advertises the next offer.

Consumption · Resources · The price of growth

05 / SELF-IRONY

The invisible obstacle

“Everyone here is free to rise to the top. Anyone who bumps their head simply needs to work on their confidence.”

She earned the degree, delivered the results and climbed the final step. The chair is already in sight. When her head hits the glass, she checks the requirements again: which one has she failed to meet? There was no mention of the obstacle.

Progress · Equal opportunity · Invisible barriers

06 / SELF-IRONY

Me, revised and improved

“Be yourself! The filter will remove any unsuitable parts.”

The light is on and the phone is ready. On screen, she already looks rested, confident and radiantly happy. She is still standing quietly beside it. The picture is finished; the good mood exists only on the screen.

Identity · Beauty expectations · Public and private life

07 / SELF-IRONY

The never-ending shift

“Just a few little things left. I have moved my break to the day the paper runs out.”

The work is done, the shopping ticked off and the washing started. She is about to sit down when another list rolls out. Every request takes only a few minutes. By evening, the day has run out — and so has she.

Mental load · Care · Making room for rest

08 / SELF-IRONY

We had a very active day

“Ten thousand steps again today. The vacuum is exhausted; we are delighted.”

That morning, they decided to reach their target at last. The watch went onto the vacuum, Kopp went into the armchair, and soon everyone was doing their part. By evening, the result looked excellent. The floor looked better too.

Targets · Numbers · Convenient excuses

09 / SELF-IRONY

The expert and the socket

“A joint success. I took it apart; she plugged it in.”

Kopp brought tools, removed the casing and studied the fault with great concentration. Psszt found the socket. By the time the coffee was ready, Kopp knew exactly how he would tell the story of the repair.

Confidence · Simple solutions · Shared success

10 / SELF-IRONY

The price of efficiency

“Making two trips wastes time. That is why we have been standing outside the door for ten minutes.”

They carried everything in one trip. Another bag fitted around Kopp’s handle, and Psszt took the bulky parcel. At the door, they stopped. Both could see the key. Putting anything down, however, had become a matter of principle.

Efficiency · Pride · Everyday traps

11 / SELF-IRONY

Quick dinner, long evening

“The five minutes referred to the video. We ordered dinner in the end.”

It all looked simple in the video. Kopp measured, mixed and rolled — until, at some point, he became part of the recipe. Psszt opened a different app. The pizza arrived; restoring the kitchen remained a separate project.

Online promises · Real time · Changing the plan

12 / SELF-IRONY

A new owner

“I did not read the washing instructions. But the teapot finally has a jumper.”

The jumper came out of the wash with noticeably smaller plans for the future. Kopp was still assessing the loss when Psszt dressed the teapot. At least it fitted somebody perfectly.

Household mishaps · Resourcefulness · Self-irony

13 / SELF-IRONY

just one more.

Psszt and Kopp had spent an hour being just about to leave, stopping to watch a video on how not to waste time. They watched the next one too, in case it had the answer. By the end of the day, they were certain of one thing: they never had time for anything.

Time pressure · Scrolling · Self-deception

14 / SELF-IRONY

saved a fortune.

Psszt got twenty per cent off everything she had had no need for yesterday. Kopp proudly arrived with another bargain. They could barely afford to save this much.

Discounts · Consumption · Convenient excuses

15 / SELF-IRONY

day off.

On their day off, Psszt and Kopp did the washing, cleaned, bought groceries and ran every errand. By evening, they could have used help just sitting on the sofa. They agreed to put resting on the next to-do list, in the hope that it might finally get done.

Invisible work · Rest · To-do lists

16 / SELF-IRONY

one small favour.

Kopp asked for one small favour, then added another dozen while Psszt was at it. Psszt smiled and said yes, because saying no was so awkward. It cost them the whole day, but at least their manners survived intact.

Favours · Boundaries · Politeness

17 / SELF-IRONY

making memories.

They reached the summit at sunset and got straight to work: Psszt finding the right angle, Kopp rehearsing his spontaneous expression. Thirty-two photos later, they had captured a moment they had not seen a second of. Their caption read: “You have to experience this in person.”

Presence · Selfies · Lived moments

18 / SELF-IRONY

of course I read it.

Kopp accepted the terms without reading them, while Psszt brought the next contract to keep things moving. “Nobody tells me what to do,” Kopp declared. Then he enabled every notification, so he would not miss what he was supposed to do next.

Small print · Convenience · Free choice