From Semi-Cambria to Tsiprouleto

Many years ago, in a conversation with an artist from the wider hip-hop scene of Hemi-Cumbria, I heard the opinion that “Mithridates should normally work in television.” Certainly an understatement, given his proven ability to write and deliver lyrics. But it also points to a personality that has seemed somewhat out of place in the art world for many years now.
Mithridatis Hatsihatsoglu (yes, that’s his real name) was born in Athens in 1975. He studied at the School of Fine Arts, drawing and painting, and in 1996 became widely known as a member of the satirical hip-hop group Hemiscumbria. The fact that he suddenly tasted, albeit deservedly, great fame at the age of 21 may explain some of his personality traits. However, the fact is that Hemiscumbria was a group with lyrical intelligence, decisive in the spread of hip-hop in Greece and suitable for its social criticism. A bridge connecting Beastie Boys and De la soul with domestic satirical artists such as Harry Klinn, Kilaydonis, Miliokas. At a time when the word “patriarchy” did not even exist in our lexicon, it was branded as “master of the house.” They humorously described the pathologies of the State (Forev’s State), the everyday luxury of the average Athenian (Noris), the kitsch pseudo-happiness of a trip to the sea (Let’s all go to the beach together). I mention this because I think it is wrong to downplay the artistic background of Mithridates, because he may not suit us as a person or as a politician. It is also wrong to withdraw his candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary elections, saying that he “became part of the system that he accused.” We are all part of the system, alas, if that prevents us from criticizing. I’m back on the “timeline”. Around the mid-2000s, the semi-Cambrian begins to lose ground. Hip-hop hits the tracks, fashion changes. In 2009, Mithridatis released a solo album called “Heretical Erotic”. It doesn’t have much appeal. Traditional discography eventually sinks. It was a full 12 years before he caught the public’s attention again with “To not ole you,” a rap track that went viral and is now considered somewhat of his ticket to the political arena. Notable in its construction, but also somewhat tedious in its know-it-all protest and 12-minute running time, “For I Don’t Debt” is described in the artist’s Wikipedia article as a song that “shakes up socio-political reality”. . A little further down in the same entry, we read that Amok Time Ats, the art collective he founded in 2017, is based on “innovative thinking.” Where exactly is the avant-garde, we will never know. Elsewhere, the entry tells us of the grade Mithridates received for his dissertation. Overall, the page exudes the mood of showing exploits rather than information.

We have come to today. Mithridates leaves SYRIZA and a few hours later he is attacked for some old tweets. In my opinion, his “vulgar”, “sexist”, “homophobic”, as they are called, past posts do not reflect his true views on women or homosexuals. But they reflect the quality of his public discourse. His desire to be heard loudly in the crowd, swearing. The pleasure he gets from arguing, “playing roles” as he put it. In view of the elections, I believe that New Democracy and PASOK should be less concerned with the attractiveness of Mithridates to young people than with his ability to antagonize his enemies. What I want to say: In an era when the most popular politicians are not the most literate, but the most imaginative (those who appeal to the base instincts of the people), Mithridates can stand out. I read that his desire is to contribute to the culture. He has already done this with Half-Cumbrias. Moreover, he is the only Greek rapper who can boast of having established his manner of speaking by paraphrasing words (it is significant that in old tweets he called Tsipras “Tsiprouleto”, and there is his song called Spitoulini arahtoulini – a classic Mithridite dialect). As he nears 50, leaving behind the days of inspirational lyrics and carefree youth, I personally feel that he views politics as a lifeline. Perhaps he really wants to help – I have no doubt about it. But it seems more likely to me that his script will help him. Otherwise, his public presence has been oozing smugness for years. The need for self-assertion. There’s something about his way of speaking, his raised eyebrow, and his Instagram photos of cigars that just doesn’t let me love him. In his recent interview with tvxs, he speaks more down to earth. Be careful. But in the accompanying photo, he poses in front of his huge painting.

I’ve already gone through several choices. Nothing impresses me. Nothing shocks me, I just find it all tasteless and unpleasant. SYRIZA hopes to attract people who are indifferent to politics through Mithridates. Other major parties and their cunningly responsible supporters have a new purpose. “Since everyone is having fun / why are you sad?” he asks in an old song. Come on!

Lure in the wrong universe

When you’re in your twenties, in an era of digital media, internet storms, cancellations, and artificial intelligence, it basically means one thing: nothing is relevant for a long time. Youth today is a constant transformation, an ongoing movement in changing landscapes.
Mithridates for a twenty-year-old is not banal, he does not exist, knowledge that even if he acquires it, after a while he will exchange it for something more interesting on TikTok. If Alexis Tsipras put the veteran rapper of the 90s on the SYRIZA ballot to attract young people, he seems to have moved further away from them than he suspects.

Those born after the millennium are too engrossed in their own fascinating, personalized universe to respond to “adult” lures. But even if we assume that they succumb to the lure of political prominence, how good will their participation in political affairs be under these conditions? What political thoughts and actions are built on the basis of viral wit, homophobia and sexism in a humorous wrapper?

However, the whole obsession with the politicization of youth has several problematic moments, it places a burden on their backs that they should not bear, ignoring the existential context of their age. Today, twenty-somethings struggle to build a sustainable daily life in adverse conditions. Their survival is in itself a full-time job.

At this stage, their role is not to shape the policy, but mainly to be the beneficiaries of its positive consequences, so that when they have acquired the knowledge, experience and abilities necessary for the policy, they can treat it with maturity and calmness.
To be interested in politics, you must first believe in it. For him to believe this, politics had to be favorable to him, it had to prove to him its great value. For the new generation to take politics seriously, politics must first take itself seriously.

In a world of unassailable rent, unbearable precision, and institutional inadequacy, Mithridates is neither a problem nor a solution. It’s just a symptom.

Hipster politics instead of ideas

The fall in the level of public debate in the run-up to the elections was predictable. As they get closer, the opponents will focus on the faces and their words, which are easy to find on the Internet. Hipster politics will take more and more space. Communication, content, emoticons, memes and creepy tik tok videos with a face enlargement of the candidate will be a give and take.

But I think young people want to hear ideas and arguments, proposals and what values ​​the parties put forward. Over-focusing on faces is not to my liking and is somehow ridiculous, tires the conversation down to the level of dirt or apotheosis which is easily achieved with a few videos, a few memes, a couple of stories and a few malicious comments (a job they will immediately take on automation using new technologies).

Cannibalism or its opposite, the glorification of specific individuals as saviors, depoliticizes politics. Young people all over Europe have a thousand and two problems, they work endlessly, they cannot pay their rent and bills, they become depressed and stressed. I would be interested to hear solutions to these issues from all sides. That’s why I’m always suspicious of athletes, personalities, etc. on the ballot (especially in the European Parliament, with footballers, singers and actresses).

Communication (whatever that means) bites and withers politics, makes it apolitical. This makes her the subject of raw feelings of intimacy and nostalgic identifications. As much as his gaze consumes faces, old tweets and celebrity photos, he hates necessarily complex conversations that are not suitable for a meme caption.

Mrs. Vivian Stergiou is a writer.