RECOGNITION

Yes. A promise is a promise. I did watch Vincent again in a talk about multiculturalism, equality, neutrality, and recognition. And of course, as soon as I made the realization that I take Vincent as the measure of all things – well, in this connection he is the host – I also had to admit that this realization can in fact stand as an allegory for my claim that, at least where equality is concerned, there is none such. I mean, there I was, sitting on a round crème leather stool, close to the TV – I’m so myopic – and exclaiming: ‘finally a guy who is taller than Vincent,’ which is hard to imagine; ‘and look at his shirt!’ Just about the ugliest thing I’ve seen in a long time.” I had to close my eyes, or else focus on Vincent in order to counter the appalling site. At least Vincent was wearing one of my favourite colors. So there you have it, I was biased against Niels Holtug, the invited guest, from the start.

Ok, so let’s keep it simple and short this time around and imagine a scenario extrapolated from and based on what was said: insofar as diversity doesn’t create cohesive power at the national level, it is of course very easy to produce arguments that go against all that which is different. Which happens all the time, at least in a country which doesn’t have a multicultural history. People here are still mainly white middle class Lutheran Protestants. So, let’s see it: the foreigners hit Denmark. They are different. The Danes say: ‘hey, you’re different; you have to earn your recognition and convince me, the indigenous subject, that you haven’t come here to steal from me, fuck me, or be idle on my account.’ And the foreigner says, ‘Ok,’ and starts earning his respect even when it is often the case that he is way above the average Dane. Well, where the power to equalize things is concerned, some things can take a turn for the better for the foreigner in question. It has now dawned even on the fascists that, insofar as the government has the policy to help third world countries, everybody now approves of the fact that if foreigners send Danish money back home to their folks, they do this on their own pocket, which indirectly means that they contribute to the quota that the government has to cover in terms of help. So the fascists nod. This however doesn’t solve the problem that the fascists have with foreigners who come here as orphans, get an education, buy a BMW, and waste all that good Danish money on themselves, buying stuff that is soooo different than what the Danes imagine is in line with their own homogenous good taste and sense of style.

So what can we say? Give us a break? Yeah, let’s say that. Maybe someone will start listening.

As far as I’m concerned, Beckett is calling. The ‘nothing’ paper is done, and it is a sheer masterpiece. I wonder whose traditions I’m following when I insist on being so fast, so intense, and so impressed with myself that you’d think I must be kidding.