Neither the ‘Fidias phenomenon‘ nor the electoral failure of the parties warrants deep analysis.
Fidias did not represent an alternative political solution, as that would have presupposed at least some degree of him having defined positions and views.
Instead of obsessing over why a 24-year-old garnered votes from across the political spectrum, let’s start with, ‘What just happened to the parties?’. Let’s approach it from a different angle, as the parties themselves are still in denial.
Although the troll-like saying, ‘This victory also belongs to Garoyian’, fell flat in this year’s election, we have not yet seen any serious self-reflection on the abrupt wake-up call of the parties.
Instead, we heard the usual platitudes: ‘We lost the European elections but won the municipal ones’, or vice versa, ‘The Presidential Palace interfered’, ‘The stars didn’t align’, ‘We will convene with our responsible bodies’, etc., essentially, ‘We will let time wash over this, and in the meantime, we will throw you a couple of bones to chew on in the form of scandals, quarrels, and fiery social media posts because we, too, are tick-tokers’.
I have never been one to grind down politicians and their representatives. On the contrary, I recognise that across the entire spectrum, some individuals and groups quietly toil, study, write and rewrite, and fight for their positions, concerns, and bills, regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with them.
That said, dismissing everyone outright—as many of the thousands of overgeneralised, bitter social media posts do daily, with a single stroke, condemning the entire political system—is not only a symptom of an uneducated populace but also dangerous, especially for democracy, which is already under pressure from all sides, within and beyond our little island. Climb one step down, at the very bottom and you will find many privileged gold spooners who not only tell you how to vote but also how to live your life. For heaven’s sake.
For several years now, on every occasion, I have pointed out to politicians and party leaders, either in person or through my writing, that their rhetoric is boring and their actions predictable. One would find it infinitely more interesting to watch paint dry on a wall than to endure their monotonous rhythm.
Unless, of course, they do it intentionally, so that we ignore them, don’t ask too many questions, and allow them to do their own thing in the shadows: granting state contracts to friends, disappearing under the radar, and placing their entourage in positions of power. We consider all of this—and here lies the significant failure of our political system—a given, and it would be strange if it didn’t happen. This is why we have failed in everything, in a small country that could so easily have become a paradise.
So, let’s set aside the profound reflections. Through Fidias, the people have already raised their middle finger, even if they cannot express it eloquently. ‘Boring’ is not just about wooden language, slow rhythms, and grey suits. It betrays the robotic nature of politicians who are unable to connect with and listen to the people and their struggles and lack the imagination and ability to think beyond their party lines and boxes and display the passion and determination needed to bring about modernisation and prosperity.
Of course, they have the gears of a struggling state machinery as their ally, one that barely survives by feeding itself, while everything else moves at a desperately slow pace.
Good luck not dozing off. You and me both.
