Eastern Enlargement
This time not very gay (although we could always start a discussion about gay rights in Poland). But it's only something which popped into my mind in the last few weeks. I had to write an essay about Polish national self image, and the main part of it was about losing one's sense of responsibility after living too long as a victim. Poland does see itself (and not without reason) as Europe's eternal victim (if not the world's). That's also why they don't feel guilty about anything, starting from the way they treated their own minorities (including Jews, of course), and also their own actual situation today. The thing is that sometimes I had the feeling I was writing about Israel. After a tradition of being the victims (again, a very justified one), people just can't see themselves as anything else. What do you think?
This time not very gay (although we could always start a discussion about gay rights in Poland). But it's only something which popped into my mind in the last few weeks. I had to write an essay about Polish national self image, and the main part of it was about losing one's sense of responsibility after living too long as a victim. Poland does see itself (and not without reason) as Europe's eternal victim (if not the world's). That's also why they don't feel guilty about anything, starting from the way they treated their own minorities (including Jews, of course), and also their own actual situation today. The thing is that sometimes I had the feeling I was writing about Israel. After a tradition of being the victims (again, a very justified one), people just can't see themselves as anything else. What do you think?
