An image that makes you drool and shudder: the banknotes lie neatly sorted in front of a banner that says “Fight Against Corruption” – and corrupt you on the spot. the picture-Zeitung headlines: “THIS is the bribe from the EU swamp”. The Belgian swamp authorities had previously published a photo of 1.5 million euros in cash seized in the scandal surrounding the arrested ex-EU Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili. And as always, looking at a pile of money makes you think… but do you really think?
To be honest, one has to admit that one reacts like a Pavlovian dog to this still life, which fits into the pre-Christmas period. Respectively like a German cash lover. Or like Scrooge McDuck, who loves to bathe in his money bin, with his rump erect. The visceral sensory cortex in the brain takes care of that. It has been proven that people generally react cheerfully to images of fruit juice, wads of money and pornographic click-me motifs. Albeit drooling.
According to her lawyers, Eva Kaili was completely surprised by the sacks full of cash that suddenly appeared in her apartment. Which is credible insofar as one is often surprised oneself when one is reminded of an art gallery at the baker in Schwabing, who calls himself Brotmanufaktur, and sells a “signature bread” for the price of small works of art. no Carrying cash in Schwabing dimensions with you. Although there may be bags of it in the hallway at home. It is said that hyperinflation has been knocking on the door for a long time. This is of course irrational. As always, when it comes to money, it is about felt money.
600,000 euros fit in the tool box. How the fitter knows this becomes clear when he sends the bill
A specialist in human rights issues, Eva Kaili is in a relationship with him, is surprisingly also in custody. Also because of certain cash reserves. Which leads to the question of whether thalers in your trouser pocket and bills in plastic bags or suitcases (like those found with Kaili’s father) are not part of human rights after all. In Germany, this question must be answered in the affirmative.
According to a study from last year, eight out of ten respondents between the ages of 50 and 69 cannot imagine life without cash. This may also include the heating engineer who occasionally makes appearances at the hypothermic author’s house. The other day he told me that his tool box would fit exactly 600,000 euros. in cash How does he know that? Then the bill comes and everything becomes clear.
So you look at the picture of the banknotes arrested in Brussels, which are presented like cocaine sniffed out by drug dogs, and you think: That’s not that much money.