Em busca da madalena

Faça-se um intervalo para as notícias verdadeiramente importantes.
De acordo com rascunhos da Recherche a serem publicados esta semana, a madalena esteve para ser uma tosta com mel.
No fundo isto não será grande novidade. O mais interessante, como agora sucede frequentemente nas notícias de jornal, são os comentários ao artigo do Guardian e em particular algum bom humor que eles transmitem. Alguns têm graça sem o saber. Gostei deste, de fflambeau

Does anyone really read Proust? I've tried several times (and I have several higher degrees and read a lot of literature). This man needed a team of editors and something to say.

e da resposta de DickenBroom:

Yes. He had something to say: "everything". And he did. Try again. It is worth it.

Carta ao Editor da Nature sugere suspensão da democracia

Numa carta ao Editor publicada esta semana na Nature, os subscritores afirmam:

Democratic decision-making involves multiple stakeholders, and democracy emphasizes the mutual roles of actors: all preferences are treated as equal. In many regions of the world, however, the results of democratic choices can be strongly influenced by power relations and inequitable social arrangements, owing to differences in economic development, access to technology and knowledge.

Elites may use democratic processes to entrench their status or encroach on other social goals. This can lead to incremental or undesirable results, which might explain why large democratic nations such as the United States continue to oppose progressive climate legislation.

In our view, sound climate and energy planning should not treat all stakeholders in the same way. Instead, preferences and roles should be weighted to consider criteria related to equity, due process, ethics and other justice principles. This would ensure that stakeholder discussions and resulting policies serve to eradicate, rather than exacerbate, socio-economic vulnerability to a changing climate.

Seria surpresa, se fôssemos ingénuos, o subtítulo que os editores deram à carta:
"Climate change: Climate justice more vital than democracy."

A carta responde a uma outra, de Nick Stern, que a Nature publicou em 22 de setembro sob o título mais moderado "Climate policy: Democracy is not an inconvenience", com a explicação suplementar "Climate scientists are tiring of governance that does not lead to action. But democracy must not be weakened in the fight against global warming, warns Nico Stehr."

Os ataques à liberdade de expressão vindos da academia não são surpresa. No caso das ciências ditas do clima, as guerras são bem conhecidas. O tema fornece pretextos magníficos aos que pensam que as coisas só estão bem se forem eles a mandar. As universidades estão cheias de pessoas que pensam assim: para além de muitos e variados exemplos, basta observar como têm recentemente vindo a gerar os quadros fundadores de partidos de vocação totalitária escondidos sob o nome de algum verbo.

Ainda há dias Philippe Verdier, meteorologista na France 2, foi afastado por ter publicado um livro herético. Num tempo em que revistas científicas se dedicam à grande política, não podemos surpreender-nos.

 

Centenário

Passa hoje o centenário de Arthur Miller, um dos grandes dramaturgos do século passado. Criticou a amoralidade do capitalismo e também a duvidosa ética de algumas das suas vítimas da classe média. Na sua obra prima, Morte de um caixeiro viajante, não há rapazes bons.

BIFF: No, you’re going to hear the truth — what you are and what I am!
LINDA: Stop it!
WILLY: Spite!
HAPPY (coming down toward Biff): You cut it now!
BIFF (to Happy): The man don’t know who we are! The man is gonna know! (To Willy) We never told the truth for ten minutes in this house!
HAPPY: We always told the truth!
BIFF (turning on him): You big blow, are you the assistant buyer? You’re one of the two assistants to the assistant, aren’t you?
HAPPY: Well, I’m practically —
BIFF: You’re practically full of it! We all are! And I’m through with it. (To Willy.) Now hear this, Willy, this is me.
WILLY: I know you!
BIFF: You know why I had no address for three months? I stole a suit in Kansas City and I was in jail. (To Linda, who is sobbing.) Stop crying. I’m through with it. (Linda turns away from them, her hands covering her face.)
WILLY: I suppose that’s my fault!
BIFF: I stole myself out of every good job since high school!
WILLY: And whose fault is that?
BIFF: And I never got anywhere because you blew me so full of hot air I could never stand taking orders from anybody! That’s whose fault it is!
WILLY: I hear that!
LINDA: Don’t, Biff!
BIFF: It’s goddam time you heard that! I had to be boss big shot in two weeks, and I’m through with it.