Choice. "How reactionary and self-centered can it be? We make ourselves world famous in right-wing extremism, xenophobia and political stupidity. At the next election, we should have the opportunity to choose a new people. ”
(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
Maybe you recognize the wording above? They were in print in Dagsavisen 9. September 2000. The legendary chief editor Stein Hansson (1947-2004), who passed away so prematurely, formulated the sentences. The reason was the sharp surge of a certain right-wing populist party, as well as the extreme preoccupation with getting the cheapest gasoline possible.
Since that time, if possible, we have become even more self-centered in the age of ego-media. Political stupidity has reached new heights. And we've got so much money that we don't care about the gasoline price, people just buy an extra Tesla electric car for over half a million instead.
Nevertheless, we can perhaps expand the perspective somewhat in relation to the formulations from Hansson (editor of Ny Tid, 1979-82). Because it is not only Norwegians in 2000 that one can marvel at. In France, people voted the far-right Front National to new heights this weekend. Admittedly, it has been a long time since the French Revolution of 1789, which this year we can celebrate the 225th anniversary of July 14th. But that even in the homeland of the Enlightenment, reason and secularism, one should throw oneself at an almost Germanic blut-und-boten way of thinking in the emotional-romantic sense – it would a few years ago have gone beyond the mind of any sensible person.
However, people are probably not much better off in Egypt, where they now seem to be voting for dictator Al-Sisi, who is throwing off the general uniform in favor of the politician's hobby. It's like the Turks: After the authoritarian government chief Recep Tayyip Erdogan closes their twitter and youtube accounts, yes they went on Sunday and vote for electoral victory in the local elections. Thus, Erdogan will stand and win the presidential election this fall. And then we will have Erdogan on the pinnacle of power for at least two more periods, until 2024. One could well say that the Turks have earned it, when they are unable to gather sensible alternatives. But the world has not earned more new Putin claws.
Russian exchange.
So have the Russians. They don't know any better. But the sad fact is that Vladimir Putin is not a mad president, but rather a power politician who most closely follows the will of the people.
Most Russians are so brainwashed that they think it is perfectly fine to occupy and annex the Crimean Peninsula within a week, without asking others or discussing the consequences. It is not enough to replace Putin. The best thing would probably be to replace the Russian people. Or give them upgraded mindsets.
Neither Swedes with their Sweden Democrats, nor Norwegians with their free election results, have anything special to boast about. Neither Indians, who are now likely to vote for Narendra Modi, from the Hindu nationalist BJP, as prime minister. The world's most diverse country should vote for one of the world's most simple politicians, in line with an average Scandinavian right – wing populist? Ashoka (304-232 BCE), where are you?
There is still hope: the Italians have got rid of Silvo Berlusconi. The Danes have sent Anders Fogh Rasmussen to NATO and replaced him with a female Social Democrat. And the Greeks have rediscovered some of their sophisticated and Socratic cultural heritage by voting for radical Syriza.
Maybe the world is ready for Easter anyway. It is at least easier than having to change a new people.