Every time we are faced with an unpleasant political or economic consequence, if we can identify the source of the problem, we can look back in time and see that at least one mind had realized, from the very beginning, what was going to happen. Sometimes, there were many such minds, and the consequences were scandalously obvious. Even so, disaster ensued. Hence, a society is never so wretched as to be held hostage by its own complexity, which supposedly prevents it from seeing the course it is taking. What undermines it is the disdain for thinking minds and the inclination toward simplistic rhetoric—which, in short, is the same as choosing disorientation.
Tag: history
In Recent Centuries, It Has Become Essential…
In recent centuries, it has become essential to ask ourselves, before opening a history book, who is telling the story and from whose perspective. This is because turning heroes into villains and villains into heroes seems to have become a sort of addiction or irresistible pastime. Regrettably, we usually only develop this habit after realizing we have been deceived. On the other hand, however, the impressive progress of historiography is a most welcome development, and we can be confident that those who have deceived us—or attempted to deceive us—have signed a disadvantageous contract: they have bet on lies against time; they will be unmasked and will remain humiliated forever, with no possibility of redemption.
Perhaps Only Poetry Can Be Compared…
Perhaps only poetry can be compared to historiography in Brazil, both boasting a long tradition of authors of the highest caliber, representing the most varied styles and approaches. And it is curious to note that, despite this vast and excellent body of literature available, the average Brazilian is completely unaware of Brazil’s history. It is one of those paralyzing ironies. The average American has his opinion about all the major events in American history: he knows them, at least. And in the United States, one need only walk into any bookstore, at either end of this vast country, to observe the following: in none of them is there a section larger than that of American history. In Brazil, despite the great authors, this is not the case. And the great authors, it must be said, are as great as they are unknown to the general public. So, here we are: the machinery of culture already seems to exist; what is missing, however, is something to force the engine to start.
Brazilian History Might Well Be the Most…
Brazilian history might well be the most fascinating on the planet if two or three more Gilbertos Freyres were to emerge, offering readers two or three hundred years of history analyzed through the multifaceted lens of the original genius. No cataclysms, heroic feats, or miraculous successes would be needed to make it intriguing: it would suffice if, through clothing, customs, preferences, and convictions, the rise and fall of the common man were made evident. “What did you play when you were a child?”, “What did you do on weekends?”, “What did you read?”, “What did you think about this or that?”… This kind of question says everything, or almost everything, about the state of a civilization.