- ANOTHER BOOK'S DAY (EN) -

Hello to all the followers of the blog of the world’s greatest writer.

It’s been a while since I wrote anything for this day, which is so significant for readers all over the globe. Among the people I know, there is one who is a regular at Sant Jordi. It is one of those peaks that any writer (or aspiring one) dreams of summiting.

I won’t lie to you. At first, I didn’t really know what to write for this post. But, through divine inspiration, exactly what I needed appeared before me.

Bored, while brainstorming what to post, I decided to look further into the saint celebrated today: Saint George. YouTube led me to this very interesting video that I’m leaving for you here.

I was captivated by the popular legend—the knight facing the dragon—which, to put it simply, is the struggle of good against evil and the victory of the former. We find this dichotomy everywhere, and books are no exception.

I won’t name names, but there are books that have greatly helped humanity and others that have led it to its downfall. That struggle, in every sphere, is still there, ongoing. What happens is that, like everything in this reality, it has become quite diluted and relativized. Before, the enemies were better defined and studied. Now, everything is "evil." One could even say, following biblical references, that the devil has dressed himself as an angel.

Stop for a moment and think. In the first half of the 20th century, the contenders were better defined: capitalism, Nazism, communism, fascism... But now, we find more fronts and more enemies: veganism, carnivores, feminism, heteropatriarchy, nationalism, separatism, binarism, non-binarism, queerism, cisgenderism (I confess I’ve forced that last noun in there, and I’m not sure if the language authorities would approve), etc. Perhaps, just as an idea—much like in medicine where anything with the suffix "-itis" means inflammation, something bad for the body—anything ending in the suffix "-ism" should set off our alarms.

I also find more polarization. One good thing achieved after World War II was that in those countries carrying the banner of democracy, different social trends fought each other, but under the same rules, in peace, and recognizing—like two slightly tipsy friends arguing in a bar—that at the end of the day, they are both people who think differently, but that doesn't erase the history that unites them.

Therefore, I won’t get into anyone’s beliefs or political opinions. However, within the true story of Saint George, he was a Christian martyr who died for being faithful to his path of faith during the Diocletianic Persecution. Thus, in a world that has turned from a sphere into a polyhedron, it is our turn to follow his example: to stay true to our faith (to what one truly believes in, it doesn't have to be God) so as not to get lost in the chaos.

And what better way to do that—to navigate in the middle of the storm—than with a book and a rose? One to keep us afloat and the other as a beacon of hope for a better future.

Life isn’t easy; I’m not telling you anything new. We are constantly fighting evils, whether external or internal. Unlike Saint George, we don’t always win. But we must keep going and not only read books that breathe life into our faith but also books that help us understand and perhaps empathize a little with the dragon we are battling. ;-)

P.S.: To the followers of the blog of the "world’s greatest writer," please let me know who they are so I can subscribe too. Thanks in advance.