“God, you’re so gloomy. That’s really not fun for the reader.”
“Life is horrible, the world is horrible and the people are horrible.”
“That’s what I meant. This is how you alienate people from you. People don’t like to be called horrible.”
“Okay, people are nice. They kill each other for clever religious ideas, they threaten atomic bombs that benefit everyone and they conquer land to save people. Just give me a box of human meat.”
“You’re in that mood again.”
“Do you think I don’t suffer from it myself? I don’t fucking understand how you’re not gloomy.”
“What you do is kitsch activism. Say you’re sad and leave it at that. Oh people, look how fucked up it all is. And then you think: this is it for today.”
“How should I think differently? What I do is not kitsch activism. I don’t want to be an activist at all.”
“You write, right? Writing is activism.”
“I am against any form of idealism. You can’t ignore that call ‘don’t be an idealist!’ activist, but that’s how I think about it. I am saddened by the war in Ukraine, saddened by the anti-Semitism in my own goddamn city and country, I am saddened by the war in Gaza, but I support Israel. If you want to call that kitsch activism, go ahead.”
“Calm down.”
“No, not quietly. I want to argue that activism is pointless, I mean, my activism is pointless. Just as there is no point in shouting that Israel must leave or occupying the highway. Nothing makes sense. Suppose I shout on Leidseplein: ‘Russia stop!’ Totally useless. Or I shout: ‘Ukraine surrender’. Or: ‘Israel ceases fire…’ Absurd. Activism is the representation of absurdism, a musical with usually one song, one short line of monologue about your so-called good morals.”
“It’s almost impossible to deal with you anymore. Who wants to deal with a bad mood?”
“I don’t want to deal with myself either, but I am stuck with myself, and especially with you who are preparing an uprising against me.”
“Are you serious?”
“For a quarter.”
“You’re paranoid.”
“These times make everyone paranoid. You too.”
“I’m not suspicious.”
“Then you’re stupid.”
“Why are you insulting, activist?”
“I insult you to warn you. Everyone who offends does that.”
“Thanks.”
“Long live insult!”
Theodor Holman (1953) is a columnist, writer, television and radio maker. Every day, except Sunday, you can read his column here. Read all of Theodor Holman’s columns.
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