Version 2.121

 I was born at the perfect time to know of the Carnation Revolution, but not really know the revolution or the period right before it. I was not taught about it in school because it was too recent and the dust was still settling. Every time my father and I broached the subject, he just thought it impossible that I knew nothing and he got very frustrated. 

There were several books about topics of the revolution at home, but I was never interested in reading them, as memorizing pop music lyrics, names of bands, actors, films, i.e., Anglo-Saxon culture was much more to my liking and I was very good at it. Then, with my mother, I never talked about politics. When I lived in Portugal, after I was old enough to vote, I forced my parents to vote in every election. “If you don’t vote, you don’t get to bitch,” I would tell them. Sometimes, they would vote for people I did not care for, but that’s how democracy works.

Lately, I have been more interested in the revolutionary period, but not in the sense of learning the official version, the one that gets printed in the history books. I am curious about what society was like, how good were the media, were the most educated people deferential and submissive, how did people rationalize the political context in which they lived, etc.

Perhaps my interest in these topics stems from a certain incredulity regarding the amount of idiotic things that Portuguese media do and transmit—the President of the Republic reduced to a pauper and lifeguard comes to mind. How can a society that is more educated, supposedly knows how to read and write, uses the Internet, manage to come across as utterly naive? 

I know the answer: look at America and Trump! Yes, let’s look at America and Trump. I have lost count of how many lawsuits have been brought against Trump and his businesses. The media has been relentless in criticizing him, people have taken to the streets to demonstrate against him. 

Well, people in Portugal also demonstrate against Trump. Why? Do the Portuguese not have their own causes to demonstrate against? Aren’t there people suffering with the pandemic? I could swear there are people needing urgent medical care whose name is on a waiting list that is several months or years long. What about those who get harassed by telecom companies? 

Ah, that reminds me. Today I got a postcard in the mail regarding a lawsuit in which I am a plaintiff. It turns out that one of my banks overcharged on ATM fees when people asked for their balance and I was one of those people. I actually remember that happening  so the card said there was a settlement, I was entitled to some money, and I did not need to do anything to receive it. It will come my way.