The Golden Age

The Golden Age / Regina Coyula
Posted on August 31, 2013

In a very short video lasting less than a minute and a half, Javier
Castro (about whom I have found no additional information) discusses one
of Cuba's social icebergs. Boys (and girls, to be politically correct)
of primary and secondary school age reply on camera to an often-asked
question. In the style of Cuban television news, their responses were
narrowed down to match only what the producer wanted to show.
Furthermore, the boys (and girls) were interviewed in what appeared to
be a poor neighborhood; in Miramar or Vedado the responses would likely
have been different. Nevertheless, the answers were still disturbing.

Hustlers (and hookers) or moving overseas, some said. Others aspired to
be a DJ or a singer, a hotel manager, to own a money-making business, to
be a flight attendant, a sailor, an economist, a chef, a restaurateur, a
baseball or soccer player.

Except for the boy who wanted to be an astronaut, all the responses
pointed to an overwhelming economic need that supersedes any ethical
concerns. Policemen don't count because they are very well paid, even
without the money they make from extortion or bribes. And there was one
that was particularly unsettling. It was the boy who would take
everything for himself as he has already seen happen, the boy who wanted
to be a dictator.
These boys (and girls) are quite used to hearing money being discussed
at home. And although they are not included in the conversation, having
to get by without it affects them. They learned very quickly that it
couldn't be helped, that wishes had to be postponed, lessons more
valuable than any to be found in a book.

At this point anyone should be able to realize that not only education
and health care are free, that there are other things that are also free
and also worthwhile that were lost in the process of forging the New
Man. They will not be recovered over the short term in the headlong rush
to rebuild this odious variant of capitalism without democracy.

30 August 2013

Source: "The Golden Age / Regina Coyula | Translating Cuba" -
http://translatingcuba.com/the-golden-age-regina-coyula/