The Portuguese suicide | 53 comments (52 topical, 1 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: The Portuguese suicide (none / 1)

There are some parallels here with the 20s and the 30s.

Now a conservative government. I bet something very different in 4 years or less (when these guys will be ousted in full force).

Things will continue to go down the drain with the next guys.

A military dictatorship in 5-8 years time?

by cagatacos on Sat Jun 18th, 2011 at 03:52:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Portuguese suicide (4.00 / 8)

What worries me most right now from the point of view of narrative-setting is the reaction to the recent blockade of the Catalan parliament's session where brutal austerity was introduced.

The reactionary press is full of front pages calling the indignant action an "assault on democracy", and headlines comparing it directly to the 1981 coup attempt in Spain.

So, now, the reactionary right wing and the austerity party wrap themselves in the constitution as the indignants reject participation in the existing political structures (which means they don't want to attempt ---or have given up--- reforming the system).

This means things can only get worse. The right-wing Catalan nationalist president is already talking of "legitimate use of force" in response to the indignants. I fear the first Spanish protester to die in a clash with police is not far off. Then, all bets are off since the right will will close ranks to defend the established order.

Economics is politics by other means

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Jun 18th, 2011 at 04:01:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]

We're not far off. (4.00 / 3)

Give it a bit of time. More austerity, more refusal to participate in the "democratic process", we are now seeing that there is no democratic process without popular will, popular will which has been coopted by centers of power which have other interests than the popular will and which are committed to the statu quo whatever the consequence for a whole generation of people (noting in passing that the real unemployment rate among the young on Europe's periphery is now in excess of 50%, with no end in sight).

A lost generation to the statu quo is a new generation for true participatory democracy, of the sort first seen in the last decade of the 18th century (about which Chou En-Lai famously quipped that it is too early to tell the outcome), the excesses of which, to set us apart from the social democrats who have neutered the impulse and continue to do so today, we should embrace.

I suspect we will be to old to be but cheering spectators once the fun begins, and begin it will, in my lifetime.

The Hun is always either at your throat or at your feet. Winston Churchill

by r------ on Sat Jun 18th, 2011 at 05:46:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: We're not far off. (none / 1)

Diary!

Economics is politics by other means

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Jun 18th, 2011 at 06:11:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Afraid of sounding like Besancenot. (none / 0)

This is Jérôme's space, after all...

Plus, quoting Mao is probably a bit controversial hereabouts ;-)

Double plus, it's been so long I've diaried I've forgotten my html...

The Hun is always either at your throat or at your feet. Winston Churchill

by r------ on Sat Jun 18th, 2011 at 06:42:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Afraid of sounding like Besancenot. (none / 0)

Pfffft...

Economics is politics by other means

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Jun 18th, 2011 at 06:46:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Afraid of sounding like Besancenot. (4.00 / 2)

C'mon red, join the fun. Referencing Mao ... I'm in a time machine, back in college. Bring it!

They tried to assimilate me. They failed.

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Mon Jun 20th, 2011 at 08:17:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Afraid of sounding like Besancenot. (4.00 / 2)

My favorite Mao quote was "Get to the point comrade, you don't have to take your pants off to fart."

Maybe that says too much about my character.

by rootless2 on Mon Jun 20th, 2011 at 11:42:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Afraid of sounding like Besancenot. (none / 0)

Did he really say that or is that just an urban legend?

They tried to assimilate me. They failed.

by THE Twank (yatta blah blah @ blah.com) on Wed Jun 22nd, 2011 at 06:26:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Afraid of sounding like Besancenot. (none / 0)

i'm not inclined to doubt it. Anyways it seems characteristic.

by rootless2 on Sat Jul 9th, 2011 at 07:22:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Afraid of sounding like Besancenot. (none / 1)

I wonder if the Leninist religion (another part of the Abrahamic tree of death) will also last 2000 years or more? Complete with splits, bitter internal fights, purges, millions of deaths. And a linear view of time:

Primitive communities --> sin --> rapture/socialism -> heaven.

(I am mixing Marxist myth with Christian myth. Is there any real difference?)

The truth is: these human sociopathic diseases are very resilient from a time perspective. Clearly they have something for them. Everlasting, unmovable conservative fanaticism (by conservative I mean not changing your world-view one single bit - reality be damned!).

by cagatacos on Wed Jun 22nd, 2011 at 09:07:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Afraid of sounding like Besancenot. (none / 0)

It's all going to be OK. The artificial genetics folks are working on precise mutations to remove a little of the urge to procreate. Check it out on physorg.com and such sites.

Maybe build in a bit more testosterone resistance in the males, a bit less fertility in the females. An aversion to meat protein, more of an ability to meditate on the beauty of the natural world.

It's coming. It's needed.

Align culture with our nature. Ot else!

by ormondotvos (ormond.otvosnospamgmialcon) on Sun Jul 3rd, 2011 at 05:29:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The Portuguese suicide | 53 comments (52 topical, 1 editorial, 0 hidden)

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