Every era has its elephant in the room. That obvious thing we don't want to see, that problem we refuse to identify, to discuss. What is it that happens to us today, strangely unnoticed despite being right before our eyes? For centuries it was patriarchal machismo, finally unmasked. Also the abuse of nature, which has now turned against it. Or racism, which still lingers, if not reigns supreme.

Quimi Portet begins Songs in Bello Limousin (1987-2020) (The Second Periphery) as if he were Pla: "We Catalans are generally considered to be rather modest cattle [...]. If I had been intelligent, I would have been a plausible cynic, but [...] I have had to settle for being what they call "a joker"... The lyrics of Portet's songs in Catalan come with biographical-philosophical introductions that contradict this: Portet shines for his intelligence.