Manolis Manousakis: State of Exception

Our life, namely that of the state of emergency: this seems to be the predominant state.

We ask ourselves:
What is normal? What is an exception? Do we need to redefine things? Is it time to name the new conditions?

The Treaty of the European Union was based on an approach/imaginary construction that envisioned the Union not only as a union of interests, but rather as an expression of the social intention of the Western world to protect and improve the human condition, for a future life where peaceful days of prosperity and progress would prevail. Where humanity would satisfy its needs, collectively overcoming difficulties in harmony with creation. Where the meaning of life would not be survival.

But stability and security seem to be a distant ‘utopia’.
Something is constantly pressing, something urgent that we have to deal with, not just politically, but by questioning our own freedom and human rights.

Everyday life seems to be seen as a permanent state of emergency.
Instead of talking about the sun and the stars, instead of building myths and new narratives for the world, we are increasingly preoccupied with survival and its difficulties. We are in a constant state of emergency. We are constantly being asked by political power to ‘tighten our belts’, to ‘be patient’.

With this piece, we want to show that the problems remain alive and active, embedded in the ambiguity of the term itself and our task of constantly asking ourselves this question anew: ‘How do we live together in this world?’

(Manolis Manousakis)