“There is nothing serious, nothing scary,” said President Lula about what happened in Venezuela, where the dictatorship rigged yet another election.
President Lula’s statement serves many purposes. It serves to mask unpleasant facts that people do not see or do not want to see. It serves to justify abominable facts that people pretend they do not support, but do. It also serves as a new moral category, according to which there is nothing serious about violating democratic principles. There is nothing serious about lying. There is nothing serious about reneging on agreements.
President Lula’s statement serves to relativize anything, which is always a great danger. When we relativize, we lose our sense of principles, our sense of the limits of what is morally acceptable or unacceptable. And this, in essence, is one of the great differences between an irresponsible statement made in a bar and a statement made by a head of state. It is the ability to recognize the seriousness, significance and scope of the facts.
Therefore, how serious is it to rig an election? Otherwise, the phrase would apply to Lula himself: there is nothing serious, nothing scary in the things he says. After all, he is taken less and less seriously.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
