Jorge Verstrynge, former politician and political scientist, tells us in his book “Memories of a Passerby” his journey through Spanish politics. It is a vital logbook which is also the essential portrait of a few decisive years in our country. We talk to him … on the deadly sins. Or not.
—I forgive him a sin.
—I don’t believe in sin. Neither in the deadly sins, nor in God, nor in master, nor in commandments. I don’t believe in guilt.
— Without guilt, there is of course no sin.
-Clear. The fact is that this list of sins is a moral issue.
— But this absence of guilt will not imply an absence of responsibility for his actions, I suppose.
— No, of course. What I don’t accept is the concept of sin, or at least I don’t respect it. But I live by the concept of duty. I entered politics to serve my people, my city and my country.
“When I was in politics, I didn’t steal. And I know people who tell me I’m an idiot for this reason. »
—Let me tell you, going into politics to be of service seems a little strange today.
— Yes, unfortunately. But they raised me that way. And with great honor. When I was in politics, for example, I didn’t steal. And I know people who tell me I’m an asshole. But I sleep well. I was educated for it and I realized what was expected of me, or at least I tried to.
— Neither guilt nor regret?
—None of that, but the duty accomplished or, at least, the honest attempt to do so.
— So, from what you tell me, you would not be governed by a list of capital sins but by capital values.
— Which does not free me from faults, of which I had many.
— Admissible?
—Excessive trust in others, absolute belief in what is right, excessive generosity… Where the word “excess” appears, bad vibes. I admit that I had excesses.
“You have to be honest with others, not deceive. If they cheat on you, then bad luck. “They deceived me repeatedly.”
—And what would be the main values on your list?
— Honesty, above all. Except, as my communist father said, you say from the start that you are a thief. In this case, we can understand you. But if you are a thief, do not say later that you are an absolutely honest person.
—The honesty of declaring oneself dishonest.
-Clear. You have to be honest with others, not cheat. If they cheat on you, then bad luck. They deceived me several times. Life is like that.
—And did he forgive?
— Not necessarily. I haven’t forgotten either. But you cannot be governed in life by what others do to you, you must be governed by what you do to others.
“In the book are those I helped and those I sent into political retirement. “I killed a few.”
—And you can be honest but not necessarily stupid.
— That’s the idea.
— Is being honest in politics an anomaly today?
“I shouldn’t.”
— But it seems. Is there a way for us to believe again that this is possible?
—I think so, but knowing that it will be valid for a while, then they will return to their old ways and we will have to start again. Life is a cycle.
—Have you been completely honest in your book?
-No. I tell there what I saw and did, what I decided to do, those I helped and those I sent into political retirement appear. I killed a few.
—None who didn’t deserve it?
— None of those who deserved it, don’t doubt it.
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