Socrates’ Cultural Revolution
First of all let me get things straight: this is not a post about the brilliant Greek philosopher but one about our dim Portuguese Prime Minister.
Well, not actually about him personally, but about another action of the bunch of jerks government he leads.
In 1948 a Museum of Popular Art was created in Lisbon, ever since it has gathered an enormous collection of traditional art from all over Portugal. It is a unique collection that reflects the evolution of the popular crafts and art forms in our country.
Sadly enough the museum has been closed for the last six years, in order for the building to be repaired.
Now, after 4 mil euros having been spent on it, this government decides to close the museum and instead create a virtual museum of the Portuguese language. A multimedia center to celebrate our language and to promote reading.
I won’t even take much of your patience elaborating on how a virtual museum can be visited over the internet without the need to evict a real museum to make room for it. Nor will I ask why don’t they make a new building for the new museum or why don’t they use one of the buildings that are already state owned and yet are not being used. I won’t even be as poisonous as usual and say that a media center to promote reading is an oxymoron.
But one thing I must ask you: is it just me or this whole thing about taking cultural and historical references away from a nation, depriving current and future generations of their traditional cultural background, carries plenty of resemblances with Mao’s Cultural Revolution as well as with plenty of other cases of the destruction of cultural treasures so that dictators and would-be dictators can rewrite history in their own terms?
During the last decades, successive governments have alienated public property, selling whatever they could sell in order to balance our economy in spite of their bad management. It is strange to watch a nation standing still while a few squander the richness that is supposed to belong to all. But when cultural treasures are going to be taken away from the public to face an unknown destiny (eventually rotting away in an old storehouse or ending up in private collections), it’s not the Portuguese people who are being robbed by the Portuguese government, it is all mankind that is being robbed of a piece of its collective memory.
Tags:Portugal
Well, not actually about him personally, but about another action of the
In 1948 a Museum of Popular Art was created in Lisbon, ever since it has gathered an enormous collection of traditional art from all over Portugal. It is a unique collection that reflects the evolution of the popular crafts and art forms in our country.
Sadly enough the museum has been closed for the last six years, in order for the building to be repaired.
Now, after 4 mil euros having been spent on it, this government decides to close the museum and instead create a virtual museum of the Portuguese language. A multimedia center to celebrate our language and to promote reading.
I won’t even take much of your patience elaborating on how a virtual museum can be visited over the internet without the need to evict a real museum to make room for it. Nor will I ask why don’t they make a new building for the new museum or why don’t they use one of the buildings that are already state owned and yet are not being used. I won’t even be as poisonous as usual and say that a media center to promote reading is an oxymoron.
But one thing I must ask you: is it just me or this whole thing about taking cultural and historical references away from a nation, depriving current and future generations of their traditional cultural background, carries plenty of resemblances with Mao’s Cultural Revolution as well as with plenty of other cases of the destruction of cultural treasures so that dictators and would-be dictators can rewrite history in their own terms?
During the last decades, successive governments have alienated public property, selling whatever they could sell in order to balance our economy in spite of their bad management. It is strange to watch a nation standing still while a few squander the richness that is supposed to belong to all. But when cultural treasures are going to be taken away from the public to face an unknown destiny (eventually rotting away in an old storehouse or ending up in private collections), it’s not the Portuguese people who are being robbed by the Portuguese government, it is all mankind that is being robbed of a piece of its collective memory.
Tags:Portugal
posted by DCveR at 11:09 AM
14 Comments:
What is the opinion of the Portugese people? Surely this is unpopular and there are checks and balances in place.
A very persuasive post, DC.
I don't understand...why would they close a museum? Where will tbe art pieces go? Why did it take them so long to begin repairing it...then they decide to close it? Is it the only museum of its kind?
Man, even in our poor little country we have some sort of a museum. That's why I'm puzzled about your govt's decision to close this one.
Yes, what do your countrymen think?
És, porventura, o DCVer que eu estou a pensar?!
tag.
(at least check it out)
dreadful. and it's been closed long enough that I imagine few are really paying close attention. good way to move art into private hands on the cheap.
This is bizarre. Hasn't your government noticed how towns and cities all over Europe are revitalising their economies through tourism built around refurbished museums and galleries?
Got this forward in my inbox this morning:
"**American said:**
"We have George Bush, Stevie Wonder, Bob Hope, and Johnny Cash."
**Portuguese said:***
*"We have Jose Socrates, no wonder, no hope, and no cash."
oh nooooo did you quit us!???? come back dcver comebaaaack
Just wondering how my favorite Portuguese gentleman is doing. Hope all is well. Miss you around here.
*hugs*
C
Y'know D, I miss your comments and your [caustic] posts.
First Anoop left...and now you. Hope you're doing well, you and Good Half, and your mother, father, nieces, everybody.
Just thought about you today, DC.
Just as Gigi says, I hope you're ok and happy.
hey DC- hope all is well-
did you get a new blog or something and didnt tell us?
at least come say goodbye
hugs!
First of all and to all of you: sorry for taking so long to reply. I haven't been in blogland for a while for a number of reasons but I'll try and make it up for you someway.
chill daddy: Most Portuguese people don't know about it and don't care about it. I realized that when the fact went without remark in most of our media. The few of us that went crazy seem to be a rather small minority and this drives ME mad.
GG: We’ve got plenty of museums, but this particular museum seems like something lesser to some people. This was a museum of the lesser art forms, handcrafts, traditional things, art forms of the common people. Nothing important as far as some self-proclaimed intellectuals are concerned… your questions are the same as my own. I wish I could give a logical and enlightened answer but I’m as puzzled as you are.
monstrengo: Sim. Espantado?
hayden: Sadly I think you’re right. Selling off what is considered valuable and discarding the rest…
Hughes: Our government is as narrow minded as it comes. Short sighted would be another good description.
Nyasha: And one of these days people will realize that some things that they thought were long gone have actually re-appeared under a different cloak… oh well, that’s the country we’re stuck with.
Ale: Not quite my dear! ;)
Christine: It may look like I don’t miss you folks too… but I do. It’s just that I can’t spend as much time at the computer as I used to.
Cream: Next year I’ll try and resume my regular postings.
One man here decided to start his own private museum with Guyana things, newspaper clippings, old stuff that don't exist anymore. But I don't think he got them from any govt. / public collection...if you know what I mean...
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