In July, I voted for the PSOE. It was not automatic: in other years I had moved further to the left, and in May, in the local elections, I opted for the Feminist Party. I explained my reasons here (“Why I will vote PSOE, no Sumar”, 18/VII/2023), but, as you can see, I doubt it. I don’t like many things about the PSOE. I declare it on Twitter (now X). And every time, I get lynched.
I’m on Twitter because it provides me with information (on very specific topics that I follow, debates in other countries, people with thoughts that interest me and who don’t write in the press…) and also because it’s a kind of selfie we take as a society: it shows not only what is being discussed, but how it is being discussed. And I see two rather worrying trends.
One is the passion to criticize. With what fierceness, with what rabid glee people rush to disqualify, ridicule, despise, insult, shoot at everything that moves. It seems to be the favorite sport of millions of people. I hope it’s at least good for his health, like punching a punching bag; for social health, it is a disaster. It creates a climate of anger, bitterness and fatalism. There are no projects: they never propose anything. They know that if they did, they would apply the same ferocity to them that they apply to any proposal. There is only one way to be unattackable: always be attacking.
The other thing that people apparently can’t stand is doubt. I have some certainties, few (each one has required me years of research and thought), but I’m not sure what their place is in a hierarchy of priorities (what is more important among, for example, the amnesty and environmental policies?), or the best way to implement them (is it a good idea to punish the left for its mistakes by withdrawing its vote… thus contributing to the right-wing ruling?). I’m explaining it on Twitter in the hope of sparking a constructive debate. Gross mistake, unforgivable naivety: I only collect attacks.
In short, if what we want is for the elections to be won, here too, by some clown with “kicks in the ass” as a program and the chainsaw as an emblem, we are on the right track.
