The year in which politics became boring again – 12/31/2023 – Mariliz Pereira Jorge

One of United States President Joe Biden’s promises was that, with his election, voters would not need to think about politics all the time. It’s the kind of thing that would have won my vote around here.

Therefore, I have declared more than once that I would vote for anything against The Ineligible. I wanted at all costs to import the American wave, “make politics boring again”, something like “make politics boring again”.

People’s lives should guide politics, not the other way around. But for the last decade, we’ve been sucked into a hole and consumed by the fear of missing whatever episode of the horror movie we were all in supporting roles.

We leave aside the trivial, the rice and beans, the chronicle, the pleasure of boredom. We memorize the names of STF ministers, we follow politicians as if they were superstars, we live in awe.

Politics has a duty to be boring, but it has robbed us of our time and health. Being well informed is not the same thing as being hostage to the news. In 2023, I read enough, spoke enough on the subject.

The conversations, fortunately, stopped starting with the predictable “what about Bolsonaro?”. With all the criticism that any president deserves, Lula did not monopolize our lives.

It’s a relief to have people in power who don’t insult journalists, who don’t use weapons, don’t threaten some minority, don’t make misogynistic jokes, don’t say “what’s wrong” or “what’s up”.

After the coup attempt on January 8th, it was almost boring.

Tax reform, boring. Spending cap, boring. The government’s fight with the Central Bank, boring. Arthur Lira’s cangaço, boring. Haddad against PT’s friendly fire, boring. All boring. Great.

After years, I no longer know the names of all the ministers, I don’t read the newspapers on Saturdays, I don’t wake up afraid of finding out that Bozo has carried out a military coup. In fact, I hardly hear about them. I believe, how delicious.

The stock market hit a record, unemployment fell, there’s a reason to celebrate, you can choose. For me, the best thing was being able to breathe again.

And it’s not because I’m up to date with my Covid vaccines or because deforestation in the Amazon has decreased a little. We haven’t had a worm in the Presidency for a year now.

And this is not a text praising the current president, because I’m not one of those people. It’s just the realization of the great relief, of the change of vibe, of not having a mouthy, loudmouth, pavé uncle, zap terror, in the Presidency.

Lula is far from meeting all the requirements of progressive bingo. He slips badly into old prejudices, makes ableist and fatphobic statements. I could say it’s something for old people, but I would be the ageist.

The president really needs, if not to update himself, to save on improvisation. But, in general, Lula’s performance as president guaranteed a boring year. Fortunately.

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