Realpolitik
I read an interesting article in Die Zeit the other day (Macht der Moral from Josef Joffe). It was an explanation of why, now get this: “The extension of democracy is the best Realpolitik”. Huh? Since when? Isn’t that what’s being attempted down there in that “catastrophe” Iraq right now? Don’t get me wrong, I like what he writes (he often writes great stuff). But since when does Realpolitik have anything to do with spreading democracy? I couldn’t help but think about a popular saying here: “Erst kommt das Fressen, dann die Moral” (we’ll eat first and talk about morality later). That’s pretty much why the natives are always talking about morality here. They’ve already eaten. They’ve over-eaten, as a matter of fact. They even need to lose weight (we’re not the only ones). They also seem to have overlooked the fact that other countries (China, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Pakistan, tell me when to stop…) are still eating (ravenously) and aren’t showing any signs of slowing down, ether. But I guess it’s impolite to watch people while they’re eating or something. And these fine subtleties of etiquette have always been a European specialty anyway. I’m just too enfach gestrickt (knitted too simply) to catch on to this stuff, I guess. But I don’t mind. I’ll gladly leave all the etiquette – and all that Machiavelli, Hobbes, Schroeder-Chirac stuff - to the pros.
Technorati: Berlin
And The Berlin Review is here.
