The interview with the Slovenian poet and PEN-Flanders flat guest Anja Golob.
- What is your
poetry about?
- I guess all poetry is in some way about eros and thanatos,
so I'd say love and death, in end effect. That's common to all humans, and
people tend to read what they feel they can relate to. Poetry, through
language, touches the ontology of being. Obviously I cannot say to what extent my
poetry does that, but that's the plan, anyway.
- You studied philosophy. What is the role of philosophy in your poetry and in your life?
- I did, I also
studied comparative literature, but I didn't finish my studies. Studying
philosophy thought me the ways of thinking, to appreciate the process of
thinking itself, the discipline, pain and hard work that go into it, to
stretch my viewing points, doubt myself, and mostly to produce valid
argumentation for my thesis. I learned how to look at things from several
different, often opposite, angles. This comes extremely handy, both with
being an active citizen in the society, but also with writing.
- Who are your
main teachers?
- I insist on
reading, and reading a lot, on watching films, going to theatre, galleries, on
listening to music, studying arts. That's where I learn from the most - arts. I
also insist on living, as fully as possible. So that would also be a great
inspiration - life itself.
- You are a
leftist, radical socialist. Why? Is it possible to change the society and
people`s minds? How?
- I never called myself
that. I was labeled through the way I act in society. I could not care less
about the labels, and have no trouble being called whatever. I believe in basic
equality of people. I don't think defeatism is the answer. I am naive, and
that's a conscious choice. Be realistic - demand the impossible. It means, as I
understand it, very hard work. It's easier to sit in a corner and passively
nurture your Weltschmerz. Being active in this fucked up situation we as a
society are in is in my opinion harder, also as it sometimes borders crazy
behavior. It should not, but we don't live in normal times.
- You are a
political thinker, but you are not involved into politics. Is there a contradiction
here?
- No, I don't see
any contradiction there. I'm an active part of civil society. Being a member of
a party is absolutely not the only legit way to be politically active.
- What do you
think about refugee crisis in Slovenia and the reaction of Slovenian
government?
- It absolutely
disgusts me. It's hard to find words to describe it. In my opinion, Slovenia
acted repulsively, trying mainly to avoid solving the problem. Not accepting
the position of a border Schengen state, putting up a fence with razor-blades
on its border to Croatia, being completely unprepared for the refugees etc.
Imagine this: that dreadful Orban's idea with putting up a fence that we all
condemned, suddenly became the main practice of solving the issue! Utterly
unimaginable. I'm afraid though this is a problem of much greater proportions
than Slovenia, it's Europe as such that is acting completely unacceptable. It
might be hard to admit, but we live in Europe that isn't capable of dealing
with the refugee crisis. Turkey, richly paid, should now do the dirty business
for us, or - to be more precise - instead of us. Did you see the footage from
the borders? These are lagers, camps. There is no other word for it. And we
are blindly watching this suffering. We all live here, and we are all allowing
this to be going on. And I also don't think labeling people who want to help
with "schöne Seelen", basically, solves anything either. Yes, sure,
we can debate the motivations, let's - but only after we helped the
people. Cause let us not forget the basic fact: it's people we are talking
about. Humans.
- You are
now a PEN-flat guest in Antwerp. I guess it is a good opportunity to work and
have a new expirience. How did you find Antwerp?
- Thanks for this
question. If you don't mind, I'll allow myself to answer from my base impulse.
It's a great opportunity for me to be able to work, and I do appreciate it very
much. I do feel unease and guilt, though. I feel I am not doing enough. It
feels egoistic to think about my personal benefits, when things are in a state
I described earlier. I blame myself for not being able to write as good as to
justify why I can be here safe in a dry place and have enough food, and people
there cannot. Yes, it does sound naive, pathetic. I do not give a fuck. Things
are so far from even close to ok that I would find any other position of mine
utterly ignorant and unworthy of a human being.
Maxim Efimov
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