Can one frequent political news without being colonized by the ‘politicians’? Rubén Amón (1969) shows that yes. ‘We have to talk’ (Espasa) is, among other things, a reckoning with the topic. He reviews the most odious ones (“fishing ground”, “value”, “red lines”, “from minute one”), analyzing how much they have impoverished the public conversation, and even uses them to concoct a hilarious speech of investiture (p. 112), which, even though it is fictional, is perfectly plausible. I had just finished reading the book of Amón when I heard the appearance of Ernest Urtasun, Minister of Culture and spokesman for Sumar, about the case Errejón. “Sumar’s detection and prevention mechanisms have failed,” he stated. Is there a more snooty way to get around the issue than to get wrapped up in the bureaucratic phraseology of commonplaces? Even more revealing was the absurdity of his speech: the need to “take charge.” Does it make sense to take charge, in general, by making that phrase intransitive? Generally one-takes-charge-of-something. Unless “taking charge” requires a literal reading: melting into the easy chair, continuing in the macho position, taking charge… Public. Is there a more luxurious way to escape the burden than to get involved in commonplaces? Things are not better among the common people, and that paladin romance “in which the people usually talk to their neighbors” is full of clichés, proverbs and fillers. Is it necessary to remember that when these abound, it is not the person who speaks but the crowd? “Literal!” the kids exclaim, as if the truth of a thing were its literality (when they drink a glass, what do they do with its contents?), while their parents like to “speak without mincing words.” “and say “things are clear” and “without complexes”, forgetting that, as Gómez Dávila said, the truth must be laid bare and not flayed. The fight against the cliché is a rebellion against the dumbing down. Let us remain on guard against clichés: as Orwell said, they are attempts to anesthetize a part of the brain. Thinking with automatisms is not thinking.
#Jorge #Freire #charge
