A few months have passed since we were treated to yet another example of statesman amateurism and excess competence in political rhetoric – mark of Brazilian rulers since the first cabinet of The-king Pedro II. I mean the blackout.
After the first scare and the tireless murmurs of complaints, we see everything return to the way it always was, one way or another, he was. A changed light bulb, one freezer off, a small bath; These were the great transformations we saw. And that's how we, victims of a political body far from the streets, now we are part of this immense and ridiculous theater.
Just a little attention to the news is enough to see people's pride in telling how they reduced their consumption by more than 20% or those happy to no longer need to pay the bills, and still get some bonuses.
This achievement of the Brazilian population It's enviable. Perhaps few countries would be able to organize, in time of peace, such a large and competent army. However, it shows how subordinate we are. Not because we collaborated in the search for solutions, even though, at the level we are at, There aren't many other options left. The point is that we are reversing responsibilities.
We shout to the world, relieved, that we managed to reach our quotas. About that, the government – who did not hesitate to call on national radio and television channels to announce the most ostentatious punishments – has not yet managed to express any sign of gratitude to the Brazilian population. Again, our headlines are once again occupied by figures: trade balance, value of the dollar and agreements with the IMF.
Before the political affiliates on duty read these words as a criticism of the federal government, I say that I returned to this subject not because of him, but because of the possibility it opens up of getting closer to some structures of Brazilian society.
Thus, I draw the attention of the dear reader to our tendency to fight battles alone. We run indoors and cut our electricity costs and then take to the streets in search of medals. How many of us went out to look for our neighbors to see what we could do together?? An immediate answer we can look for is: "porque as cotas são por residência e não por rua ou prédio".
Simple but unconvincing answer; firstly because this is a collective problem, secondly because collective solutions also help with particular problems. For example, children from a street or building could concentrate each day in one house, so that only one television would be on. Like this, many other examples may arise, we just need to start exercising a collective conception of the world. Otherwise – I hope I'm wrong – no institutional improvement in Brazilian democracy will be enough to change some of our deepest social problems.
Originally published in:
magazine Author
Yes I – N. 3 – September 2001 – Pol & iacute; tica
No Responses