“Wystan’s telling us that fascism is creeping up all around us, and we don’t eve know! He’s telling us that we suffer from the Illusion of Normalcy. He’s telling us that the worst horrors take place around us while we go happily about our everyday lives. Just because the newspapers keep coming, the televisions keep humming, the planes keep taking off, the trains keep running—just because our daily crap goes on doesn’t mean all is well. My dear phallo-foolish friend, Icarus has plunged into the ocean and is drowning while we are chattering away merrily on the sailing ship.” – Tarun Tejpal, The Story of My Assassins
Well said. And the writer knows what he’s talking about. As a journalist notorious for shedding light on scandals in India, he has been the target of many attacks. I share this quotation because it resonates with what we’re experiencing now in France on the eve of the second round of municipal elections, with the rise of the right-wing Front National. Luckily we have the magnificent Mapplethorpe exhibition and Patti Smith’s thoughtful radio commentary.
Have a nice week.
Read the full article on the French version of L’Oeil de la Photographie.
