These days one could again think of the satirical poem “Opening Hymn” by Ludwig Thoma from the Simplicissimus from 1905 think. It is about the reconstitution of the Bavarian State Parliament and begins with the words: “What is blacker than coal? Than ink? Than soot?” Apart from the terrible twelve years, these lines lasted for decades. Things are different now.
Today there are people sitting in this state parliament, and quite a few, who remind you of the late Thoma, who in his last years had become a racist, disgusting misanthrope. Or those who follow what they believe to be the prevailing mood among the Bavarian people – sometimes rightly, but often wrongly. At least one would hope so.
One can hardly expect a parliament to be better than the people it represents. But it would be nice if at least one insight that everyone knows from their own experience would prevail in the Maximilianeum. Umberto Eco put it this way in his novel “The Foucault Pendulum”: “For every complex problem there is a simple solution, and that is the wrong one.” But especially with hard work, the trend is towards the simplest solution.
Promoted by various anti-social media, more and more politicians are following this trend, intoxicated by their own pomp. The respective followers are constantly asked to join in this pomp, because otherwise one could only be described as a complete idiot. What is important is that your opinion must not deviate a millimeter from your own. Because otherwise: complete idiot again!
Even worse and completely irresponsible is the total refusal. After all, anyone who doesn’t comment on an issue can only do so because they are on the other side or – almost as bad – want to put it into perspective. This means that problems are never complex and simple solutions are therefore not wrong, but always right. Whether it’s about migration, climate, heat pumps or wild sows: everywhere there can only be black or white, but nothing in between. Clear answers are required. But perhaps one day the people will get tired of it again, and then the hour will come for those who confess: “I can’t say anything about it because I don’t know much about it.” That would be very beneficial.