By: Vinko Vasle
That literature is not necessarily just fiction is evidenced in these days and weeks by Robert Golob, who overnight turned from a cold electricity trader into the country’s first narcissist. Oscar Wilde did not know Golob, but even then, he foresaw that people who are ready to do anything for their beauty and importance, are the craziest acts. And Robert Golob, the Slovenian Dorian Gray, did just that – he went from electricity to politics.
But how to justify the redemptive role of Robert Golob in Slovenian politics? There are several approaches: general philosophical, pseudo-economic and psychiatric. Opinions, such as that of my neighbour, who said “he is beautiful, but he could wash his hair twice a year” also count. I also think Golob is great. He does not know what he is talking about and when he says it, he does not know what he was talking about. This is a sign of an excellent left-wing politician.
Some psychological theories say that narcissism is a personality disorder, but for Golob, scholars add that it is only a step between a genius and a madman. However, it should be borne in mind that this did not happen to Golob. If my income from 18,000 euros net per month overnight fell to about 5,000, I would also go mad. Already the transition from salary to pension almost killed me. Some would commit suicide, but Golob decided not to rub his hands and go to the top of politics. Golob did this slightly Freudian in revenge for those who did not extend his genius term in Gen-I, and in mental distress, therefore, his political thoughts are something new, something we have not yet seen or heard. There is no shortage of similar specimens in history, but one started in a Munich pub. Similarly, Golob also outlines his political programme, which will be neither left nor right and none of that, but something incomprehensibly ingenious. And he declared fascists his Jews.
The day when Golob learned that he would not get a new 18,000 euro mandate, he realised that fascism rules in our country. He had not had time to think about it before because he was dealing with money. He said that we will have to start fighting for freedom, because now under this government of Janez Janša we are afraid and full of hatred. To take millions from man, even if undeserved, is inhuman and fascist.
Šarec with long hair
The inauguration of his political programme is called the “Maribor Night of Long Madness” after the place where it happened. In general, he spoke in Maribor of such political innovations and wisdom that justified his philosophical approach to politics – when we go into the unknown, nothing is known and when we get there, we do not know where we are and where we have been. Hence the sinister claim of Boris Tomašič, who does not like idiots, that Golob is just Šarec with long hair. But this is the charm of the progress of Robert Golob’s political thought compared to Šarec. Among other things, he is an economist thinker, which denies hints that he was merely an electrician in the style of buy cheap, sell expensive.
Robert Golob weaves or crochets a political orientation that will be liberal right and left conservative. Or as the home guards would say – he does something like wooden iron. Closest to this is the notion of pro-communism in style – the Indians hunt bison, which is everyone’s property. When they catch it, some according to their needs, and others what is left. In this sense, we need to understand Golob’s talk of values, respect, honesty, and money, which already brings us closer to being able to understand Golob. But because he is a political innovator, we do not have to understand him – he will be a living laboratory if he comes to power. As Edvard Kardelj and his comrades were, for example, and although it ended badly at the time, it is not necessary for Golob to be frustrated. Or, to put it simply, if we survived communism and Marjan Šarec, we would also survive Golob. But it is not necessary – sacrifices are always needed when it comes to revolutionary progress and if someone does not agree – say home guards and right-wingers – this will not stop us, although according to Golob in his system there will be no courts, police, and prosecutors. Officially, this was not the case in 1945 either, and we mostly got rid of them.
Vinko Vasle is a long-time journalist, publicist, satirist and writer.