Willing Victims

I wanted to stick my fingers in my ears and shout Prisencolinensinainciusol when the news came a few weeks ago that the likely winner of the coming italian election could once more be Silvio Berlusconi.

In a momentary lapse of cynism I told myself that the Italian voters would certainly not allow this to happen again. After all it was just a mere two years ago that they finally got rid of this polit-zampano. A man who started his career as a cruise-ship entertainer. A man who invented laws for himself that saved him and his posse from being proscecuted after they lost their spot at the top.

So instead of sitting in jail with his fellow corrupted friends he somehow made his way back to the top with the help of the voters who must have a very short memory or a very masochistic streak in their collective psyche.

After France elected a similar showman, the re-election of Spains prime minister was a short breather of reason in the farce that is the European Union.

With people like Berlusconi and Sarkozy (and other similar contenders) we see what really appeals to the majority of voters. A facade of empty gestures, hollow phrases and a very shady demonstration of male virility. (The latter is especially interesting since the men in question are obviously plagued by insecurity and a big fat inferiority complex).

However, watching Berlusconi is as entertaining and shocking as watching an accident!
Here we have a 71 year old ultra-rich, criminal, third-rate pocket-magician who more or less looks like an audio-animatronic robot.
The closer you look at him you see that there is nothing real about him. He is the perfect canvas for people who like to project their idea of a strong leader on someone.
The willing victims who find a cozy spot in the mouth of the beast.

Yes, I do find his third re-election shocking and sad, but in the end it just follows the logic of unreason that unfolds before our eyes in this first decade of the 21st century.
I think he is only the prototype of a new class of career politicians who don´t have to care about anything except pampering their fragile egos.


(The "3 Davids" originally and in an upright position by artedicarte)