Antoni Bassas' analysis: "Saint George, or not wasting your life on nonsense"

Reading and loving. Sant Jordi could be summed up in these two beautiful words. A holiday celebrated with literature and love, in April, just as the trees begin to bud and the days become decidedly longer, is unbeatable. Sant Jordi is a collective explosion but also personal, a day that has a score that everyone can interpret by introducing their own variations.

Since Saint George is the patron saint of Catalonia, and Catalonia has the history and present that it has, there is an identity-based, national accompaniment to the score of this day. In this sense, don't miss out onThis chronicle signed by Joan Burdeus From the conversation held yesterday between President Illa and writer Javier Cercas on the occasion of Sant Jordi. Bordeos sums up his assessment by saying that there wasn't "a single minute of Catalan or Catalonia." This was in a conversation on Sant Jordi Day between the President of the Generalitat and a Catalan author, at such a delicate time for the language and on a day like today.

The last thing a country's president should do is tiptoe around the language and the country. Because, in the case of Catalonia, the alleged neutrality is taking sides. Burdeos observes that "electing one of the most actively belligerent voices in recent years against the Process jarred with the appeals to the dullness and harmony that are the house's trademark."

Meanwhile, as the world continues to move forward, with Pope Francis's burial in the background, we don't lose sight of the fact that it's now official:

Spain increases defense spendingAnother 10.741 billion. Despite the economic and political importance of the decision, it will not be voted on by Congress. What will the money be used for? Most of it will be used to raise military salaries and invest more in their training. Also, it will be used for cybersecurity, and, strictly speaking, for weapons spending, the plan calls for spending 19% of the total, 1.963 billion, justified by Sánchez with these reassuring words: "It's not to attack anyone; Spain is pacifist, but to deter those who might think of attacking us." This is the world we're heading toward: no one wants war, but everyone is rearming.

As we will have occasion to return to this subject often enough, we return to Sant Jordi to conclude. wise words from the philosopher Ferran Sáez, who ends his article today thus:

"I can't imagine my life apart from books. I've read many and written a few. [...] Books aren't just "information," nor are writers "content creators." Speaking in these terms is disrespectful. Today it's time to choose and sort through, but keeping in mind that life is short, very short, and no.

Well, that's it, no fool. And today, Saint George's Day, even less so. Just read and love.

Good morning.