The Building

It is very similar to an old, abandoned, shaky building. The case of Spain that is. Its different storeys and multiple apartments from within have no option other than to endure the troubles caused – purposefully or passively – by other tenants. Those on the lower floors are luckier, as they can avoid fifth floor drama by isolation and compartmentalization of their existence. Those on the fifth floor are also lucky in that they can blame all mishaps and malfunctioning on the basement, and its tenants. It would be physically impossible to pull an apartment out and relocate, but it is quite possible and common to create alliances and parallel systems to manage the unmanageable co-existence.

And that is what is happening in Spain.

The Catalan region decided to address its financial problems by blaming central mismanagement and southern hedonism. They have and still are demanding a divorce from the Peninsula, with amicable terms with the remaining neighbours. Meanwhile, the south has also decided to put an end to the northern liberal discourse regarding the moral duty towards the disadvantaged, and elected a government that is able to utter the dreaded NO.

Communal existence has long been a challenge. In the XV and XVI centuries, Europe was ruled by aristocracy and gentry who divided lands amongst themselves without the need for a central authority. Changes introduced in the political system were attributed to security purposes and the growth of liberal thoughts that assigned civil rights to the working class. The edification of a communal unit promised equality and efficiency to a system based on birth rights. But liberal thoughts flourished into freedom of thought, and soon, every person residing in a community had the right to exercise his/her freedom of thought. Ideologies were modelled upon convictions, and were used as a sworn-by medicine to all problems.

Now, while people residing in the upper parts blame poor infrastructure for the draining of water resources, the residents of the southern areas blame the higher tiers for allowing non-traditional and foreign solutions into their harmonious existence. A divorce seems inevitable, but technically impossible. 

Solution? Vote in representatives who enjoy the shameless audacity to carry out repairs their own way, without having to consult with the neighbours.  

Problems have roots, and have solutions. Multiple solutions. But the question remains: is a solution to a problem more important than maintaining co-existence? Is fixing a water leak more pressing than conserving the pillars of a building that keeps it intact? Maybe that is the issue to be addressed first and foremost. Otherwise, each can find a solution to clear out the rubble.