Pedro's Corner

[Pedro I Rengel]

If I'm honest, my mind hasn't truly processed what happened at Notre Dame. I agree there are no proper words, and the ones I wrote were simply me trying to get a grip of it somehow.

I would like it to be my fight. Unfortunately, I have nearer commitments. So, it's gonna have to be all you guys.

[barbarianhorde]

Fair enough.
Some words in general,

The Frankish typed peoples took their version of both Latin and Christianity to their rougher natures, and at the same time as the French tongue developed, the stories of the maiden in the tower were invented by the first speakers of that language. What happened as I see it is that the Italian virgin-ideal became a proper erotic ideal - from the metaphysically untouchable virgin came the practically untouchable virgin as a princess locked up in the tower - and the castle architecture was developed along with it. This is how the story of France opens. Then, the masonry turns to develop buildings resembling the female body of god, which is seen in geometric wonders of the Pythagorean school weirdly fused with the carnality of the Magdalene, and In this way the gothic style comes about, mans erotic desire for god.

We live in interesting times as far as that last phrase is concerned. And that ties into your own country, the wet pussy of the world as you once called it, where I imagine quite a few beautiful women are seen with a necklace of the cross.

[barbarianhorde]

Its the paganism in Christianity that is so hard to draw out without the proper beauties.

[Pedro I Rengel]

Fair enough.

Well, we tried the opposite, remember? I learned something by that. That you can't escape your inherited duties.

Eventually, though, they all lead to a planet rather than a country or a continent. It's just, we have to look out for our corners of it so they meet that moment with all the treasure that will be demanded by us.

[barbarianhorde]

Yes all things are turning planetary. At once a demand for a faithfully local approach and a call to - well, a call from Nietzsche.

[Pedro I Rengel]

When people say "A.I.", all I hear is "algorithms."

The idea that subjective individuality can be recreated is attributable to a superstition regarding the idea of subjective individuality.

If you're gonna be freaked out at something, maybe GMHs, genetically modified humans. That's already happening. Like Gattaca. But maybe that is superstitcion-laced as well. Is it not because we worry for the soul of the GMH that we are horrified? Perhaps once we overcome that supersticion, we can begin to appreciate what these humans are, will be. I mean, adoption is scary in a similar way. Do you all know about the mice that are genetically modified to be born with human ears growing out of their backs? And the technology is very expensive now, but will it be in 20, 30 years? 50?

Perhaps, still, it is only right to worry if one worries for their souls. What problem is it of mine if they make people with wings? It might be the perfect excuse to start actually understanding the body and body systems, rather than the complacency we have now in terms of biological sciences. It would require a much more advanced understanding to, say, program an inborn calculator into a brain.

Welp. One more reason to be a Republican. With this kind of power out theree in the world, and please convince yourself that there is no stopping it, it is good that an affirmativist United states has our backs. Otherwise, we might eventually become like pre-colonial Africa, complete with rich kingdoms that live on slavery.

[Pedro I Rengel]

What is the Republican case?

Tyranny is the norm. It has always been the usual for humans, tyranny of some degree or scale. This situation we have now is extremely rare, and if it is not protected it will revert to tyranny. Proof? Look at the rest of the world where power vacuums have come to be or the republican experiment has otherwise failed to succeed or take hold in the first place. Without an exeption, tyranny. The last 10.000? Almost without exception, and that is an extremely small almost, tyranny.

The republican case is that the natural state of civilizations is tyranny, and this USA civilization must be protected, or it too will fall into tyranny. It is not a psychological or philosophical or ideological case. It is a historical one, a scientific one. Just open a book. Just look around.

[barbarianhorde]

bladiebla

[Pedro I Rengel]

I feel your anger bra.

[Pedro I Rengel]

Why the US and not Europe? After all, the ideas that the US was founded on were concieved of in Europe.

It is because Europe is too dense. It is too much of an intersection of a million forces, a million ideas. All Europe can hope for is to achieve a balance. To maintain the tension and from it create all the, well, it is so dense it cannot even be called beauty. But it cannot then lead the world. It is rather like Israel, an important jewel to be protected.

The US is less burdened. By history, by clashes of civilizations, by the monstruous individuality of the men born in the middle of so much power. It distilled from Europe what is important in terms of geopolitical dominance: freedom. Live free or die and kill everybody else as well.

All you have to do is not want to become a tyrant over people. Then you can pretty much do whatever exactly you like. And that is perhaps the vastest pool of things to like, neh?

[Pedro I Rengel]

In my opinion, they should not rebuild or even clean the burn marks from Notre Dame.

They should leave her exactly as she is.

[barbarianhorde]

See this is what I don't like about tourism. And forgive me, but you are a tourist, as ar as your knowledge, understanding, experience, valuing of Europe is concerned. Ill exclude Paris from that as I do believe you know that city somewhat.
A Jewel? Really. No, it is a perpetual warzone from which all global powers emerged. It is so vastly much rougher, rawer than you imagine.

That said, the US is still what you say it is.
Only I prefer Quebec.
Because it is, again, rawer.
Ive been to quite a bunch of US states, some 30. That doesn't mean I know them all, but I have done work in both NY and LA and I just... well, it is also a quite boring country in a sense.
Intellectually, temperamentally, it is uniform and hard to get excited by. Whereas there German intellect, or the Italian intellect, or hell, the Dutch intellect, these are fierce, raw crazy forces without any taming to them.

[barbarianhorde]

The US is like a big ship floating around on the ocean that is Europe.

European history will be turbulent and rich for many thousands of years. It won't ever be balanced. It doesn't need to be. In fact it needs to be completely outrageous to work.



I fucking LOVE these guys more than you'll ever love any musician, except maybe me.

[barbarianhorde]

Or thats how I feel anyway.

Americans talking about Europe, even in high school that was a running topic with us. I was the only one of my friends in school who didn't think of the US as an asylum for bloated imbeciles then. But I did agree that whenever an American opens his mouth to speak about anything Europe related, it is just about the weakest talk out there.

I don't think you're all that bad. Except this posh first class flight weekend tourist talk of "a precious jewel". Go drive through Bavarian valleys at your engines maximum velocity and see if you still feel like that.

[barbarianhorde]

In my opinion, they should not rebuild or even clean the burn marks from Notre Dame.

They should leave her exactly as she is.

I can appreciate that sentiment.

My point before wasn't one of rage, but rather to point out to you that Nostradamus is a lot less accurate and precise than I tend to be with such things.

So I just, like, warn. My predictions seem to all be coming rather uncannily true. And Ive made quite a few interesting ones concerning the coming time.

[Pedro I Rengel]

In a way, that's exactly what I mean.

Thank you about Paris, for it is true. In Rome, for example, I did fully just feel like a Tourist. Not to mention the Vatican. Or Greece. Except the holy sites in Greece which, well... Ok that's another topic, let's relax.

And the castles of France. Those... well, again, let's just chill for a second.

In Amsterdam I was a tourist. Haven't been to Germany or Austrie, but I have been there in my mind and been a tourist. To the countries of the Adriatic I have no pre-existing link, but I get the feeling we would relate a lot, and I would not fully feel like a tourist. In Belgium I was a tourist. But Belgium is more receptive to tourists in this sense: if you are just there to drink 100 different types of the best self brewed beers ever made by any man or group of men, sitting there in one of those weirdly impersonal plazas, Belgium likes you enough.

In any case, I think you might agree, Europe's task at the moment is to turn its gaze inward, rather than try to take up the mantle of Leading Global Superpower. I think you may also agree, somewhat did just now, that the US is exceptionally well suited for that role.

[Pedro I Rengel]

And England only truly exists in my mind as a party town. My only interest in visiting some day is seeing the cutting edge of electronic music parties take place. At least they have been since I can remember, always a chance they no longer are. But um, something tells me a party like that doesn't die out in a decade.

[barbarianhorde]

In a way, that's exactly what I mean.

Thank you about Paris, for it is true. In Rome, for example, I did fully just feel like a Tourist. Not to mention the Vatican. Or Greece. Except the holy sites in Greece which, well... Ok that's another topic, let's relax.

And the castles of France. Those... well, again, let's just chill for a second.

Yes, France... you're of course from there, as Quebec is just an old province.

In Amsterdam I was a tourist.

I think Amsterdam is really hard to get to know. There is zero relationship between the tourist picture and the way people think of and go about the city. The sobriety of the dutch is such that they know exactly what to put cup front without even thinking about taking that in any way as of themselves. A tourist guide to the city will always feel like a tourist, pointing out things he would never have thought about caring about if he didn't have that job. Its true. Amsterdam is cynical and giddy in that. What tells the real story somewhat is the supporters at the Juventus game.
That was pretty damn good of them to win there.

Then City - Spurs was insanity. I like to get back into football now that Ajax is playing a distinguishable game again. Im easily bored by other teams and Ajax has taken good while to recover from the looser regulations that make it harder for smaller teams to compete. They have a financial director from the 95 team (Overmars) who finally got his way and has the wage-ceiling removed which the old red bred god Cruyff had demanded. It is a cool sport, though it can't take the place of the 4 American sports combined, it is greater than each of them individually. Thats the key to the US - the right combination of things.

Haven't been to Germany or Austrie,

These are the center of Europe as such. Where France concerns a lot of the rest of the world too, Germany precisely concerns only Germany. Since it is in the center of Europe, that makes Europe pretty much "what concerns Germany". No other country feels as strong, and ready. Ready for whatever, meaning for whatever it will decide to do.
Austria is what Germans dream, I think. The land there gets lush the second you cross the border, and the music on the radio will be the best and most contemplative beauty you'll lever heard on a nights drive. Radio in Germany is decent, too, but Austrian radio could cause me to weep in astonished gratitude for such self-respect among humans. It doesn't, because it is too calming. Hm. Not very thorough descriptions of the countries. I love them too much. Too much, man.

but I have been there in my mind and been a tourist.

You could become a German or an Austrian if you tried. The straightforwardness is compatible. Viennese aristos would have fits of hysterical laughter at your shenanigans. Genius is appreciated and weirdness taken for granted. Manners are a must but they're not too refined, so you can astonish them with sublime manners.

To the countries of the Adriatic I have no pre-existing link, but I get the feeling we would relate a lot, and I would not fully feel like a tourist.

I havent been there, constantly plan to but it doesn't happen. I know these Kroats from Vienna and they're the nicest, most sophisticated badasses. Hilarious how they are deeply fond of the monarchic gala-culture while being kind of footsoldierlike or low officer like in their demeanour. Very weird and different palette of identification than over here. I can imagine you'll relate.

In Belgium I was a tourist. But Belgium is more receptive to tourists in this sense: if you are just there to drink 100 different types of the best self brewed beers ever made by any man or group of men, sitting there in one of those weirdly impersonal plazas, Belgium likes you enough.

Belgium is so goddamn bizarre
When your car hits Belgian soil coming from Netherlands, the noise begins. You think Montreal has potholes, go onto a Belgian highway.
Then, there are these restaurant along the road where the wife makes one pie each week, and they sit it in a glass ... whatever these tings are called, "stolp" in Dutch. A wasp or two will be inside of the stolp guarding the last piece which will be sitting there waiting for you when you get the gas.
Then you get to a village to get some sleep and something to eat. You go into a tavern and sit at one of the many empty tables and order a piece of meat. It will be good meat. Beer will also be good. The nigh will fall and the forest will suddenly be around the next corner. Weird land.

In any case, I think you might agree, Europe's task at the moment is to turn its gaze inward, rather than try to take up the mantle of Leading Global Superpower.

Yes, yes.
Inevitable.
Europe is discovering that it is pretty volatile again. That was always its specialty. Erupt for no reason into powerful chaos.

I think you may also agree, somewhat did just now, that the US is exceptionally well suited for that role.

Its the only country to which everyone can relate.
I don't see any alternatives emerging either.

[barbarianhorde]

Spanish people in general have an advantage. Something under the skin, it being the most vital western language in terms of expansion, this has been the case since I am alive. The birth of powerful music through black people in the us is a stimulus for the Spanish American cultures, it makes for a very seamless hybrid, the black and latin musical styles. So seamless that it is highly subtle and takes a long time to complete. The differences are almost absolute, being both from the earth directly, from the pots and pans and the sticks and stones, raw gulps of music rather than measured bits in progressive sequences. Blah. I actually came to say something about Germany but highly annoyingly I forgot it in a distraction. Sometimes the most interesting ideas slip away because there is no context yet to enclose them.

[barbarianhorde]

I wonder what Britain will come up with.

It will be something. This country has been living in its own shadow for going on eighty years.
A cloak and veil of modesty producing the best television broadcasting as well as some absolutely fine spy stories. But all in the American supergiants context. It just doesn't quite compute as sleekly as when they were operating on the presumption of their own supremacy. That worked. It worked for a lot of people. Indians (the proper ones) weren't hard to colonize by the means of the English culture without the bad weather and worse food, namely, nice speeches, nice hats, cup-o-tea, and football, on occasion with the head of a rambunctious tribesman to inspire a homeopathic dose of terror along with the prettiness to give it its sharp edged moustache, as a manner of speaking.

Land of hope and glory. The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, yes, they did conquer the world. I am fully wrong. Im aware, and yet, this is the point. One can at the same time be wrong as right, at the same thing at that.

I wonder what they'll come up with.

[barbarianhorde]

German people have a disadvantage when they step out of Germany. Unless they're taken in by secret government programs, they don't tend to walk around naturally among non-Germans. And it is not said that even in these government programs they'll talk to people other than German and perhaps the occasional Hungarian.

The way Germans can thrive elsewhere is by being Swedes.

[Pedro I Rengel]

In what turned out to be our last conversation (for a while, one hopes, or does one? Fucking women), I was telling my girl about how all fascist countries love coming to Venezuela. Spaniards, Italians and Germans. The Spanish and the Italians, they come and after a couple of decades we have melted the fascist off of them (aesthetically it stays there, but you know how north south americans are). The Germans though, their fascist stays on through generations. Intact. We were talking about German anger, so visible in the peasant or farmer. She remarked how my own anger is, perhaps, not so ungerman. In that, I suspect Germans and Austrians and I would all like eachother, perhaps what you call directness.

I know for a fact I would eventually fit in with Germans, within short order with Austrians and a little later with all those Nordic bastards. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go. Some other life, perhaps. I do hope they never go full Nazi again. That was a bad idea. And to turn on the Jews an unforgivable betrayal that will resound for millenia.

[barbarianhorde]

Yeah but, visible anger.
I don't think they're angrier than others, just more comfortable with it.
But they're phenomenally chill.

I remember driving back into Germany from the South and in the middle of the freezing night pulling int a mega complex gas barista type thing and the dudes there, at the half mile long counter, three of them, so immensely thoroughbred German that I laughed for about an hour after I pulled out with the coffee and the breadies. It snowed, too. Damn man Europe is so weird.

[Pedro I Rengel]

Yeah...

The only way I have been able to wrap around Germany a little and make sense of it is through Nietzsche, through separating it into a number of different peoples. Or areas, whatever.

I dunno. I know they are chill and all that, the German sense of style, of chill, is...

But you know. It is possible that there is something there that is slated for extinction. Such direct anger, such comfort with it. It is not self righteousness, it is so far beyond that. it may be constitutively racist and supremacist and sort of genocidal in a way that is paradoxically not angry. That... Man...

I don't know.

I don't fucking know.

Or I do. Such awesomeness cannot be allowed to go extinct.

You know?

Boateng.

[Pedro I Rengel]

Even Freud and Theodor Hertzl.

I admit, this is something I have not yet worked out. But as long as nobody is mobilizing genocidal armies and religions by the masses, there is time and I feel optimistic about it.