So it turns out Alessio Rastani is not an expert in the way an organization of the high reputation of the British Broadcasting Corporation would ordinarily appoint to pontificate on a matter of such import. Isn’t that the sweetest thing!
The Beeb have embarrassed themselves by hiring some failed trader to voice his (expert!) opinion on the global financial crisis, is shocked when same then speaks what millions believe, meaning that millions hear this information for the first time on a mainstream outlet, and the expert doesn’t even own his own house! Sublime. Talk about a poster child for The New Way.
I am not an expert. And thank goodness. Our stock of experts from all corners of the globe seem incapable of arguing their ways out of wet paper bags, or at least of calling a spade a spade. That a so-called non-expert, a failed trader according to the balance sheet quoted by the Telegraph, should squeeze onto the prime time and go viral with “Goldman Sachs rules the world!” is about as tautly ironic a moment as we could possibly deserve to enjoy.
When the first rumours started circulating that this was a hoax, I have to confess I thought it would be better that way. It really doesn’t matter how expert or otherwise Alessio Rastani is, what matters is what he said, the BBC’s reaction to him, and how his interview went viral. His message is what I suspect even governments believe, and, deep down, even the mainstream media. We are fooling ourselves still that the façade is real, that Mummy and Daddy are in nicely charge, that the wheels are not off, and that ‘normal’ is coming back. Who then but a fool to point out the bleeding obvious, that the emperor has no clothes?
Sublime. Cosmic. Fated. Mythic. Wonderful.
Who then but a fool to point out the bleeding obvious, that the emperor has no clothes?
ReplyDeleteSublime. Cosmic. Fated. Mythic. Wonderful.
That's roughly what I thought, too. Although that Rastani-guy really looks a little like one of the Yes Men... Anyway, the Yes Men couldn't have put it any better than he did. Applaus, Herr Rastani!
Gut gesagt, FP!
ReplyDeleteDidn't see this.
ReplyDeleteI saw "Habemus Papam", the Nanni Moretti film, a couple of weeks ago.
Although I am very critical of Moretti in this film, there was one splendid scene, very... BAROQUE, where some Italian instant cappucino journalist is interviewing the cardinals as they go in to vote for the new pope. The Italian journalist KNOWS the rules, and he knows the way things work. He autocensures himself.
The contrast between worlds blows your mind.
Very funny.
And in another episode of the film, there is a so called expert on T.V. who breaks down, and admits that he is improvising his interview.
Pretty cool.
THE END OF EXPERTISE ?
Where would we be without ALL THOSE EXPERTS to pilot the ship ?
Then we would have to TURN OUR AUTOMATIC PILOT OFF AND START THINKING AGAIN...
Many of us, at any rate.
THEN... our little minds would be blown by how unnecessarily complicated we have made our universe.
No ?
Well said, Debbie.
ReplyDelete"It's the complexity, stupid!"
Could that be the new slogan for an anarchist political leaderless movement? Answers on a postcard to me.