READERS WRITE

THE ARGENTINE DYSTOPIA

A utopia is an ideal world where people live in complete bliss. On the other hand, a dystopia is a story about a totalitarian regime. The Observatorio de la desinformación y la violencia simbólica en medios y plataformas digitales (Nodio), conceived, it seems, by journalist Myriam Lewis, is supposed to protect us from misinformation. There is nothing wrong in favouring well-documented data. What is objectionable, however, is the idea of bestowing on the state the power to rule in favour or against the information available in the media. The mere mention of a state-run department with the prerogative to ban news is contrary to reason. It is, therefore, no wonder that Lewin’s proposal has come as a real shock.

I never expected the world described by Ray Bradbury in his Fahrenheit 451 to come true but, with the current administration, it seems possible. This nanny state once again seems ready to look after us but, in trying to safeguard valuable information, it may become another “Ministry of Truth” like the one in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-four, in charge of imposing strict censorship on the press.

The euphemistic name Lewin gives her idea may end up being the golden casket in The Merchant of Venice, which, on being opened, reveals a frightful reality. Adrian Insaubralde, Via email

SELF-WAR

Without knowing it at that time, when the military revolution took place on September 6, 1930, Argentina declared a protracted war with itself, a war which hopefully will soon come to an end. Although the buildings stand, the destruction is enormous, with a constitution and institutions that are not respected, corruption galore, a fantastic public education system virtually destroyed and poverty all around while private property is attacked from above.

With humans and capital fleeing abroad, the war has obviously been disastrously lost, and the point I want to make today is that those of us who remain must fully assume this reality, something which as yet has not occurred. Our streets are not full of rubble, but our souls are!

So, once we get rid of the vermin that rules, we must be ready to make efforts similar in intensity to the ones undertaken by the citizens of the countries involved in the World Wars. We will need leaders with lots of guts, willing and able to destroy the corporativist mentality which holds us back, we will have to recreate a meritocratic culture, and government handouts must be replaced by honourable work.

In other words, when the ball hits the ground it must bounce back up with vigour, but this will only occur if we are willing to tighten our belts, work hard and through all the sacrifice recover the hope we once had.

Yes, we are living in very depressive times, for sure, but we must make the effort to keep up our spirits, because “It’s for the Republic, darn it.”

Harry Ingham,

City

LOOKING UP TO OUR NEIGHBOURS

I must admit I felt so much envy when I saw José ‘Pepe’ Mujica and Julio María Sanguinetti hugging. Although we are neighbouring countries, we are so far away from Uruguay in so many aspects. No wonder so many Argentines are fleeing across the river (poor Uruguayans!). Last week, both former presidents quitted their Senate seats, surrendering their parliamentary privileges. They are the epitome of ethics – honest, trustworthy, hard working, affable, so different from our politicians, who are incapable of bridging the gap that has historically pulled them (and us) further and further apart. We should learn from that country, small in size, large in stature.

Irene Bianchi, Ringuelet, La Plata

BATTLE OF THE BULGE: PART 117

Dear Sirs,

Argentina isn’t working. Black and blue dollar escalating towards a value equivalent to the days we have spent in the world’s longest quarantine, to no avail, as casualties emerging from the dread Chinese disease continue to mount.

Our learned colleague Niall Ferguson was right. Argentina could not afford this shutdown of economic activities. Meanwhile, we all await the decision of the Supreme Court, concerning the stability or otherwise of the judges investigating the many cases of covert and overt corruption of Her Nibs, her family and other accomplices. Not surprisingly, the Anti-corruption Office has suddenly been closed. David Parsons,

Via email