Monthly Archives: December 2011

December 25, 2011

A World Reversed

The world is racked with convulsions that shatter paradigms and certainties similar only to those that occur at transformational moments such as those produced by the World Wars: all of the traditional referents have been set on their heads. It is virtually as if the world were reversed, as if Goytisolo’s famous poem were truth […]

December 18, 2011

Bogged-down Buggy

When the growth engine is stuck in the mire, one should question oneself as to whether the premises sustaining how to start it up again are valid. Bertrand Russell, the great British philosopher, once affirmed that “I think that what needs to be preached in modern industrial countries is significantly different from what always has […]

December 11, 2011

Self-Enslavement

Asked how 30,000 Englishmen “subdued” 200 million Indians, Tolstoy responded: “Do not the figures make it clear that it is not the English who have enslaved the Indians, but the Indians who have enslaved themselves?” Something similar appears to be occurring with economic growth in our country. One of the few issues on which there […]

December 4, 2011

Civility

Beyond the result, what was impacting about the election in Spain two weeks ago was the civility of its contenders. Everything was impeccable: the final results were announced a mere four hours after the voting booths were closed; the losing candidate presented himself to the media to recognize his defeat, to congratulate the winner, and […]