I have always thought that one can learn a great deal from watching a bull fight. You can even learn a great deal about republican politics from a bull fight. Consider this: imagine a traditional Spanish bullfight. The bull is rather like “the people”, strong, powerful, ignorant, easily annoyed and easily fooled. The matador and his assistants are rather like “the government”. They poke and prod and infuriate the beast (the people) with lances and darts we call taxes, regulations, limitations to your personal freedom and laws restricting your daily lives. The red cape is what we might call “democracy”, the brightly colored attractive looking thing that the government waves in front of the charging mob to distract them and direct their anger away from the government itself. In order to keep “the government” safe, “democracy” is always waved about as the answer to every problem, the thing we should blame for our injuries and yet also the answer to all of our problems. However, whenever the people charge toward it, “democracy” simply sweeps over them and disappears. But, eventually, “the people” become so weak, exhausted and submissive that they are no longer of any value. And we all know what happens then…
Just a word of friendly warning to all who put their faith in politicians from -
The Mad Monarchist.
An excellent analogy sir.
ReplyDeleteSo... What happens at the least bullfight, if we follow the analogy through?
ReplyDeleteI don't think I know what you mean. As I said above, the nation is destroyed ... I don't know how to follow it through any further than that. The bull, "the people" are confused, exhausted and just don't give a damn anymore and that's when the sword comes out, the death blow is struck and "the people" are no more!
ReplyDeleteStill love bullfights though. :)
ReplyDelete¡Muy bien traído, tengo que reconocérselo! no se si sabe que ahora en Cataluña, región de España, han celebrado la ultima corrida de toros en la plaza "La Monumental" de Barcelona. es una lastima puesto que la plaza ni siquiera ha cumplido su centenario (fue construida en 1916) pero en cualquier caso, quiero pensar que la cordura volverá a conceder libertad a las artes y a las tradiciones en nuestro Reino pronto. de nuevo le felicito por la analogía y además agradezco la referencia cultural. un saludo, señor!
ReplyDeleteAh, sorry, I was trying to draw a reference to Catalonia's last bullfight, which I reckon prompted your post. I guess the metaphor doesn't extend that far. Such is their weakness.
ReplyDelete