THE EDGE OF THE ABYSS / part 5.

Aphorisms 

by Marina Aristo Markovic

 

Foreward

In the realm of political thought, few things are as provocative and as disorienting as the aphorisms of a keen observer. The lines that follow are the product of a mind unafraid to expose the absurdities and contradictions of contemporary political life—especially within the framework of democracy. With sharp irony, they probe the tension between democratic ideals and the often grotesque realities they engender.

These aphorisms are not mere musings; they are reflections on the paradoxical and, at times, self-defeating nature of political systems, particularly those that claim to operate on the principles of freedom and equality. The humor that pervades these reflections is not for the faint of heart. It is the kind of humor that forces us to confront uncomfortable truths: about the way we govern, the way we are governed, and the way we deceive ourselves into believing in progress.

The themes that run through these lines are timeless, though painfully contemporary: the commodification of democracy, the absurdity of political opposition, and the disillusionment that comes when the gap between ideal and reality becomes unbridgeable. The aphorisms challenge the reader not only to rethink the systems of governance but also to rethink the very notion of power itself.

If these words sting, it is only because they ring true and if they seem cynical, it is because they speak to a world where hope is often the last refuge of the hopeless. Yet, it is this very cynicism that sharpens their critique, making each statement not just an observation but an urgent call for reflection.

These aphorisms, then, are more than just commentary on political events, they are an invitation to the reader to question the very structure of authority, to examine the self-destructive tendencies of those who wield power, and to ask, most urgently, whether there might be another way.


V. DEMOCRACY AND THE STATE

* Ever since multi-party democracy began, every country has been running a national stupidity test every four years.

 * Democracy is a revolutionary product that sells well.

* Judging by the number of injured protesters, democracy has a powerful impact on public health.

* The problem isn’t that our system has an error, it’s that people are the error.

* It takes very little for the majority to be on our side, we just need to switch sides.

* We wouldn’t have lost, if we’d been on the winning side.

* Our failure might not be total, if success weren’t unforgivable here.

* We’ve shattered the myth of democracy. What legends we are!

* Instead of tearing down borders and building cities, we tore down cities and built borders.

* If our downfall ends with joining the EU, then the EU must be the bottom

* We have a united opposition, it’s nowhere to be found.

* We’re ready to fight corruption. Are you ready to pay for it?

* In the state’s fight against corruption, corruption still runs the state.

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