Ákos Szilágyi on magnificent kings and miracle-performing politicians

In the left-liberal newspaper Népszabadság poet and essayist Ákos Szilágyi reflects on the difference between the holy aura of the kings of the past and the media charisma of modern politicians. "Nowadays it is the media that sanctifies politicians - or in other words plucks them from the masses and separates them from the profane world - if only for a fleeting moment and naturally without a trace of spirituality. ... So it is no wonder that modern politicians who lack the charisma of the holy kings of old rush into the arms of the new Church - the media - to take part in the 'sanctification' of the electronic image and thus themselves become stars - modern-day saints. ... This is why any self-respecting politician behaves like a king crowned by the media. ... The miracle- performing politician at least has one great advantage over the miracle-performing king of old. When he fails to heal by the laying on of his hands he still has the option of doing the reverse: withdrawing his hand from the patient. Thus the politician takes his hands off the economy and miraculously it recovers; he takes his hand off the public purse and miraculously it refills; he takes his hand from society and it breathes a deep sigh of relief, and so on."

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