• asustamepanteon [comrade/them, he/him]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Millán Astray, falangist general is said to have shouted, interrupting Miguel de Unamuno:

      “¡Muera la inteligencia…! ¡Viva la muerte!”

      Unamuno in response to Millán Astray:

      “Estáis esperando mis palabras. Me conocéis bien, y sabéis que soy incapaz de permanecer en silencio. A veces, quedarse callado equivale a mentir. (...)Pero ahora acabo de oír el necrófilo e insensato grito “Viva la muerte” (…) esta ridícula paradoja me parece repelente (...) Me atormenta el pensar que el general Millán Astray pudiera dictar las normas de la psicología de la masa. Un mutilado que carezca de la grandeza espiritual de Cervantes, es de esperar que encuentre un terrible alivio viendo cómo se multiplican los inválidos a su alrededor (...) Venceréis porque tenéis sobrada fuerza bruta. Pero no convenceréis. Para convencer hay que persuadir. Y para persuadir necesitaríais algo que os falta: razón y derecho en la lucha”.

      "You are waiting for my words. You know me well, and you know that I'm incapable of staying silent. Sometimes, staying silent is the same as lying. (...) But now I've just heard a necrophilic and stupid cry "Long live death" (...) this ridiculous paradox is repulsive (...) It hurts my head thinking that the general Millán Astray could dictate the norms of the psychology of the masses. A mutilated man (Millán, was shot various times because, shocker, he craved death) that lacks the great spirit of Cervantes, it was certain that you found a terrible relief seeing how the crippled multiply around you (...) You'll win because you have brute strength. But you won't convince. To convince you have to be able to persuade. And to persuade you'll need something you lack: reason and a right in your struggle."

      Although Unamuno was kinda a doomer, we've seen this play out today. They're just not chanting "Long live Death" tho.