A photo from 1941 is circulating widely on Albanian Facebook. A young couple resting quietly in the Italian Alps. They dream of enchanting magic, and seem to be awakening to the horror that is consuming Europe. Aston comments: “¡Fascista!”, “Communist Spain!”. Philosopher Leah Yippie gets to know her attackers and discovers something terrible: her attacker, still alive, can read every insult spread, but she doesn’t respond: she has no ability to tell her own story. The trolls have decided what to do. In your book InsultYpi explores the legacy of those turned into objects in ancient narratives, without the authority to interfere with the story about themselves. I wonder if something similar happens to citizens when they need to acknowledge reality and hand over power over truth to those who seek to destroy it. Ypi tries to regain that power: he investigates the files and reconstructs his abuser’s life with rigor and care, trying to find the truth when it is easiest to discover it. Moral authority, ultimately, comes from upholding clear standards under pressure.
Continue reading
About The Author
