Urbi et Orbi

On the 1^st April this blog, unlike more traditional media, does not play tricks on its readers – April fools, or Pesci d’Aprile as they are known in Italy.

The reason is that this blog finds everyday life crazy as it is. The mainstream media, conservatively accepting that what goes on is ‘normal’ invents its own silliness, missing the point that the real craziness lies in the fact that we let these ‘normal’ things happen.

Instead, this blog, in its annual Urbi et Orbi message to mark the Feast of All Fools, invites you to take a pace back and consider the silliness around you.

In Italy, the politicians, not being completely stupid, were aware that the country had spent and borrowed its way to perdition and that something had to be done. It was pretty obvious what had to be done, as well. But the snag was that they didn’t want to become unpopular by doing it. So instead of explaining it to the people and carrying the electorate with them, they agree, democratic politicians agree to suspend democracy and allow unelected university professors to run the country and make all the hard choices. Then next spring these saintly democrats will again present themselves to the electorate saying ‘Dear me, this is a bit of a mess, let me make it better’, assuming that the people, whose trust they betrayed, will welcome them with open arms.

Elsewhere in Europe, Greece has had a Prime Minister imposed on it by the French and the Germans. Everybody knows that it cannot become solvent by austerity and nor can Spain, but they choose not to discuss the matter. Belgium ran for more than a year without any government at all, Britain is run by a coalition nobody voted for, and spends its time debating whether Cornish pasties are better hot or cold.

Greece will hold elections this year, despite there being no confidence in the political parties. France looks likely to elect the maddest government in its history, and Britain will spend the year hosting games it cannot afford, and remembering an octogenarian monarch, a war which ended 30 years ago and a ship which sank 100 years ago.

The whole fabric of our society has broken down. We drift in and out of democracy, while criticising regimes such as Burma which are reluctant to adopt it. We close our eyes to things we don’t want to see. Perhaps we have all taken the lead from Belgium and let the politicians gabble meaninglessly on in their self-importance, while ignoring them and getting on with our lives, knowing that if something horrible happens, someone will sort it out, don’t you worry.

Perhaps we are all Fools. And today is our day.