My blog titled "Chimeras" explores mainly mythological and literary themes, but the world we call "real" is often intertwined and affected by the world of our ancestral beliefs and fantasies. So, I published this week an interpretation of Giorgia Meloni's success in the recent Italian election in terms of ancient human sacrifices that all human societies practice when under heavy stress. Ms. Meloni is facing an enormously difficult task and she risks to be playing the role of the victim in a new sacrificial rite. Hopefully, it will be just a virtual sacrifice, but we can't exclude a real one. Below, I reproduce the text from the "Chimeras" blog. I recognize that it is a bit esoteric, but do not forget that it comes from a blog that deals extensively with human sacrifices.
Reproduced from "Chimeras"
The victory of Giorgia Meloni's party in the recent Italian election has generated a wave of hate on social media, with many people showing on their social accounts pictures of the dead body of Benito Mussolini hanged upside-down in a square. A clear message to Ms. Meloni, and a reminder for all of us of how nasty people can be. It is a characteristic of all human societies that, in periods of heavy stress, the removal of a high-rank leader may take the shape of a human sacrifice. The most common victims are men, but in the direst situations, women may take the role of sacrificial victims. Ms. Meloni is at risk of becoming a sacrificial victim, the scapegoat that Italians will search for when, this winter, they'll find themselves freezing in the dark.
In the Iliad, we read about the sacrifice of Iphigenia, the daughter of King Agamemnon, performed to propitiate the travel of the Achaean fleet toward Troy. After having destroyed Troy, the Achaeans repeated the ritual, this time with a Trojan girl, Polixena, daughter of King Priam. Both were high-rank women for whom we could use the term "princesses."
Early November 2022, the Meloni government takes office
New government oath in the hands of President Mattarella;
5 November: 1st Council of Ministers;
November 7; Spread at 275 points;
November 10: Increase in food prices by 30%;
November 12: 100% gas price increase; 90% gasoline and diesel;
November 16: A wave of frost hits Italy;
November 18: The government decides that indoor temperatures must not exceed 17 °C;
November 19: First demonstrations with clashes in the squares. Interior Minister Salvini accuses social centers of stirring up the mob;
November 20: Clashes with victims in Rome. Barricades and urban warfare. Salvini accuses the black bloc;
November 21: The government allocates 10 billion euros to Ukraine;
November 24: Demonstrations against living costs end with clashes in the streets, with several victims. Brawl in Parliament when Salvini takes the floor;
November 25: The headquarters of the right-wing parties, Fratelli d'Italia (FdI), Forza Italia (FI) and Lega are stormed by angry crowds;
November 26: Stern warning from President Mattarella to the Government;
November 27 Spread at 380 points;
November 29: Food prices increase even more;
November 30: 3 million people protesting in the streets. Violent clashes in many cities;
December 2: The grip of frost does not leave Italy and Europe;
December 5: Gas emergency: reserves can't last more than 2 weeks;
December 6: Salvini criticizes the Meloni government in a speech at the Papeete beach. Meanwhile, the polls give FdI at 6%, FI at 5% and the League at 4%.
December 7: The Italian Institute of Statistics (Istat) claims that since the birth of the center-right government, 100,000 people, mostly elderly, have died of hunger and cold in 6 weeks. The news provokes violent demonstrations with deaths, injuries, and looting.
December 8: President Mattarella sends an ultimatum to the government.
December 9: To mitigate the lack of food, the government markets insect meal and dried grasshoppers.
December 10: Spread at 590 points. There is talk of bankruptcy of the Italian state. First demonstrations of the left in favor of a return of Draghi.
December 12: Salvini and Berlusconi withdraw from the government.
December 13: Prime Minister Meloni resigns. Demonstrations of jubilation throughout the country.
December 15: Defections in FdI, FI and Lega. Half of the deputies form a group in favor of Draghi's return. Mattarella appoints Draghi as Prime Minister. He immediately forms a new government.
Warranties sent to Meloni, Berlusconi and Salvini for genocide, treason, and more.
December 18: The Covid 22 epidemic breaks out. Tens of thousands of infected. The new Minister of Health Roberto Speranza recommends a very tight lockdown. The government approves. Curfew from 4 pm to 12 am the next morning. The army appears in the streets with tanks and armored vehicles. Draghi in a dramatic appeal to unified networks says that the measures have been taken for the good of the Italian people because of the disasters of the "fascist" CDX government and because of the new pandemic. People stop taking to the streets and hide in houses. On the balconies and windows appear sheets with rainbows and slogans: "Everything will be fine!", "We'll do it!" The ventennio of Draghistan begins.
I know I am annoying, but it is Untermeschen, not Untenmeschen.
ReplyDeleteUntermenschen!
DeleteWhoops.... I'll correct asap
ReplyDeleteAlso Fasci appesi means "Hung fascists". Appesi is an adjective.
DeleteI know. But that's the meaning of these words
DeleteSorry, it's untermenschen.
DeleteI always find your material thought provoking. This one feels like a bit of a stretch. then again sometimes it is good to stretch my mind a little. All of us unimportant folks can just watch and tend our gardens I suppose. Thank Ugo.
ReplyDeleteI understand that this may be seen as a bit esoteric. But take into account that it comes from a blog that deals extensively with human sacrifices
DeleteUgo, my earlier comment didn't make it...don't know why, but I found this interesting and the Aztecs certainly did give a luxury treatment to some captives before sacrifice. C
DeleteMeanwhile, here in the UK, we currently have the government of Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng. An even more symbolic sacrifice for modern times, a White "princess" and a also Black man.
ReplyDeleteAs the UK is also headed for an even greater collapse.
Gavinthornbury
In the same way, Trump is being made a sacrificial victim.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't feel sorry for them though, since they advocate that immigrants and minorities be made the sacrificial victims.
They push the buttons of resentment and prejudice, directing the anger towards the least powerful.
If real world follows the myths there must be a monster behind all these ills. Instead the monsters seem many and multiply.
ReplyDeleteArtDeco
One more time, please. It is Untermenschen.
ReplyDeleteAlas, my German is horrible, indeed!
DeleteA couple of obvious examples from the U.S.
ReplyDelete1) JFK, whose administration was known as "Camelot", making him King Arthur
2) MLK, Jr, who was shot down after completing his transition from criminal to conquering hero-- the passing of the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act, and winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
Honorary Mentions to RFK, who was on his way to the Presidency, Malcolm X, and Fred Hampton, both also cut down just as they appeared near victories of sorts.