Politics made for movie screens
24 de abril de 2019

Although the title can give rise to it, it is not my intention to assess Abascal’s claims to make Spanish cinema a platform of exaltation of our country—which is still a great idea, given the contempt we profess to our history— , but point out the abundant parallels between American cinema and Spanish politics. Blockbuster movies tire everyone. As does mainstream politics. Over the last years —and especially these past months— it seems that Hollywood directors have run out of ideas, they are dry. Like our politicians.

In addition, in recent times, the films that have triumphed at the box office are those that, precisely, already existed, that is, remakes. They can come up in the form of a second part, or a saga, which, like a gum, is stretched to its fullest to try to get the most out of it. The current celluloid, like politicians, is therefore not very original. This lack of originality comes from the fact that film studios are only committed to projects that grant them a safe and clear economic performance. They prefer the sale of the moment to wins in the long term. Likewise, our public representatives put the immediate vote before the acknowledgment that time pays for admirable behaviour.


Our public representatives put the immediate vote before long-term recognition for admirable behavior


Just a few days ago, some images were projected on one of the walls of the Casa de la Panadería, in the Plaza Mayor of Madrid, with the written message «don’t come back». In social networks, another party shared a video with the faces of those who had reached an agreement with the current Government. The ways of doing politics today are not only unusual, but despicable.

They are based on the outburst and the Puritan finger that points to the adversary, and ignore what Chesterton had in mind: «Public apathy is also public opinion, and sometimes it is a very sensible opinion. If I ask that everyone vote giving their opinion of mineral foods, and there is not a single ballot at the polls, I can say that citizens have not voted. But they have voted».

The problem of our rulers is that they are only their voters’ and, therefore, they are doing their best to drag that 40 percent who, according to the latest polls, are undecided or do not even know if they will go to the polls. Let us not fool ourselves. Our politicians are not interested in knowing if they are, or will be, the good or the bad —something that, over time, is easier to elucidate and prove. What they care, instead, is to fight to not become the ugly.

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