Rob Riemen: "Illiteracy in the West is a mass phenomenon."

Rob Riemen's (Netherlands, 1962) latest book is full of great names in the history of thought. George Orwell, Simone Weil, and Thomas Mann appear, but not in grand, ponderous texts on philosophy, but rather through a series of stories that are more reminiscent of oral tradition, tales that parents, grandparents, and teachers might tell us from a young age. Through them, Riemen champions humanism, classical European culture, and the word to combat fascism. The word that conquers death (Arcadia) is, in his own words, an essay on what true greatness is.

Why are words important?

— They are the greatest gift we have ever been given. Thanks to words, we can remember, imagine, and think about a future. You surely remember a phrase from your parents or the poem you learned by heart as a child that still helps you today. The magic of words is enormous. It is impossible to hear Martin Luther King say "I have a dream" and not be moved, and it is a speech that continues to inspire many today. This is the fundamental difference between the words of politicians and those of the prophets. talk shows of television, which are meaningless, and words that have power and emotion. And they are the words that can conquer death.

He says the right words should be used. Not 'far right,' but 'fascism.' Why?

— Because then we know what we're up against. We've been talking about populism for so long that we're late in making people realize what's happening, and the clearest example is in the United States. In 2018, I said: Trump is your contemporary fascist. They didn't see it because they believe fascism is European and also because they kept saying it's not violent. Well, it is in language. And everything that's in language eventually comes out. In the book's prologue, the ghost of Thomas Mann appears, showing an article about Hitler. Everything said about Hitler can be related to Trump.

If they are so bad, why do people vote for them?

— Due to various phenomena. The temptation to be part of the crowd, which functions like football matches, where there is a massive response of pure emotion, not thought. Second, due to an economic system that constantly fuels greed. Without moral and spiritual values, the door is open to demagogues. We've seen this in the past. And then, because democracy is the system we should pursue, but it requires conditions: freedom of the press, expression, voting, and balance of power. But the main condition is that people are educated, which is why the media is important. And today, social media is poison, and there is no uniform sense of what the facts are. How is it possible that 80 years after World War II, and less than 50 years after Franco, we are throwing everything away? Are we that stupid? And my answer is: yes, we are that stupid.

Beyond politics, power today is economic and technological. In the book, he asserts that we live in a Big Brother system.

— Privacy is freedom. And today we see how algorithms keep us in our caves. The problem isn't just that we're controlled, because Google and Facebook know everything about us and make millions from it, but that these are digital drugs that destroy the brain. We have children who won't be able to read a classic book because they've lost their ability to concentrate. Others are depressed, insecure, and unable to communicate. And that's our responsibility. When we talk about drugs like cocaine, those responsible are imprisoned. Zuckerberg, Bezos, and the Google guys should be behind bars; what they're doing is destructive.

You say there's a problem of a lack of spirituality, both secular and religious. Why?

— Human beings, unlike machines or artificial intelligence, are spiritual. We have instincts, reason, and the ability to think. And when we encounter a phenomenon that seeks to reduce basic instincts to work, consumption, and enjoyment in a hedonistic, valueless way, it takes away our sense of human dignity. I think we must ask ourselves: Is this what we want to be?

The first thing is to be aware of what we are.

— This is fundamental, because now we also have denial. When Biden and Obama see Trump's victory, they say: this is not who we are. Or an Israeli friend tells me: what's happening is not the real Israel. Unfortunately, they put these people in power and keep them in power. Just like Mr. Wilders won in my country. So yes, this is who we are. And we have lost the critical mirror by looking at ourselves and questioning ourselves.

How to recover human dignity?

— Power is addictive, money is addictive, fame… it's part of human nature. But beyond all this, we all face two crucial questions as we go through life. Who am I? And what will I do with my life? And this never goes away. Hence religious philosophy; we need to find answers to the basic questions. And the answers aren't provided by AI, or technology, or a bank account. So you have several options. Become a religious or political fanatic. Decide it doesn't make sense, and then you can end it. Or you can turn to books, to philosophy, to the muses. We have what Homer said in the Odyssey, or Thomas Mann in The Magic MountainThat's what I'm trying to do with this book: say, look, here are some stories that can help us.

There was a controversy about books in Spain not long ago. One of the most followed influencers, María Pombo, said: "You're no better for making him like reading."

— Illiteracy in the West is a mass phenomenon. If I could talk to her, I would congratulate her on being famous and tell her a beautiful story found in the letters Vincent van Gogh sent to his brother Theo.

Which?

— The story of two brothers who founded the world and were able to choose whatever they wanted in life. One chose money, and the other, a book. According to this story, the brother who chose money became successful, loved by everyone, and famous. The brother who had the book went to an island and experienced some difficult situations. And in time, tragedy struck. The rich man couldn't do anything; the brother who chose the book had learned something about facing life. If he could speak, I would ask him what is important to him in life. Because no one escapes the tragic meaning of life. And when tragic situations strike, those books she despises can be a salvation. Perhaps by reading Van Gogh's letter, she might begin to understand something, poor girl. Because she is a poor girl. And the story would expose her for what she is: a stupid person.