Czechs are going retro and think they are quite the studs. Few people notice that the train is leaving us behind.
The Italian series Sandokan is returning to the Czech Television program. The local public welcomes it with appreciation. We are among the biggest enthusiasts of retro style, as confirmed by other areas of our lives. Is this a good thing?
“Summer is a time when we want to take a break from the daily hustle and bustle. That's why we have put together this year's summer program in the spirit of the motto Summer Without Gravity. We will offer viewers compelling stories, popular series, films, documentaries, and broadcasts of cultural events that bring joy, inspiration, and moments of relaxation,”
described Milan Fridrich, Director of the Program and Digital Services Division of Czech Television, about the selection of programs for the summer period.
In practice, this means that viewers can look forward to local classics, such as films from the 70s featuring Tomáš Holý like "How to Pull a Whale's Tooth" and "How to Get Daddy into Reform School," as well as comedies with Jean-Paul Belmondo like "That Man from Rio" or "The Big Boss," or with Louis de Funès "Mr. Septime's Grand Restaurant," "Oscar," and "Fantomas vs. Scotland Yard." There are also films featuring Alain Delon, Pierre Richard, or Robert Redford.
The proverbial cherry on top this year is the return of the tiger from Malaysia. Yes, Sandokan is back. Those who remember may feel a blissful nostalgia. With a certain touch of sentiment, they might also recall how they once wore t-shirts with this captivating hero.
Is Repetition the Mother of Wisdom?
Nothing against the legends of world cinema and even B-movie series. However, the author of these lines recalls the following text by the band Tatabojs:
My only wish
is repetition.I fly against time
and against space.
I feel myself getting younger,
getting smaller.When something ends,
or when it begins.
One perceives it
with the same eyes.I'm here again.
I'm here for the second time.
It's different, different
better than the first time.Should it be reality
or illusion.
This is recycling
repetition, repetition, repetition…
You are my mother of wisdom.
We've somewhat accustomed to the fact that many TV shows are recycled during the summer. However, the ease with which we go back 30 to 50 years is somewhat startling.
Retro in the domestic setting is not limited to television broadcasting. Similar reminiscing dominates the radio airwaves as well. Some stations, like the "relaxed Czech" Radio Blaník, have been successfully operating for several decades thanks to this. Performers like Lucie Bílá, Helena Vondráčková, Waldemar Matuška, and Michal David have their irreplaceable place here.
Beside the mainstream, sentiment has also seized its counterpart, the rockers. The vitality of projects such as Radio Beat or Rock Radio attests to this. Láďa Křížek, Iron Maiden, or AC/DC seem to have just been born and are making their way to the top of the heavy hit parades.
Normalization style
The emphasis on past times in the Czech lands has taken root so deeply that it is difficult to get rid of. Our footballers know this too, as they astounded not only sports experts but also fans around the world with their timid defensive style reminiscent of the 90s at the World Cup. They rightly ranked among the worst teams of the tournament. Meanwhile, teams that we mocked a few years ago were much more successful. Who would have thought that the footballers of Cape Verde, Bosnia and Herzegovina, or South Africa would ultimately be much better off?
The political scene is not immune to this described trend. Almost no one in this country finds it strange that Andrej Babiš has been repeating for 15 years that he never wanted to go into politics and that it is only and primarily a sacrifice for him. Almost everyone has also become accustomed to his speech, which sometimes resembles the ridiculed speech of Miloš Jakeš from Červený Hrádek in July 1989, which preceded the Velvet Revolution.
Babiš is certainly not alone. Tomio Okamura from SPD wants to head to China. He is expected to visit not only Beijing, but also Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Chengdu. The official visit reportedly includes meetings with the leadership of the National People's Congress. Further plans allegedly include a November visit to Vietnam and Indonesia. Doesn't this remind you of our communist delegations that toured their allies to support them on their chosen path and assure them that they have support with us?
We Keep Repeating "It's Not Possible"
The train is leaving us behind in the energy sector as well. The rejection of renewable resources has resulted in us being, with a seventeen percent share, the last country in the European Union in terms of electricity production from renewables. In Europe, only Moldova, Kosovo, and Belarus are worse off. Instead of moving forward, government politicians, alongside disinformers, have launched a massive campaign against wind turbines.
Head of the Energy Program at Greenpeace International, Jan Beránek, described the Czech perspective on the world unequivocally in his online post. He pointed out that the arguments about why renewable sources do not work and undermine competitiveness are actually mistaken. Otherwise, as he states, we will "cling to the notion that everyone around in Europe, and even in the USA and China, are fools succumbing to green delusions, while we Czechs are the geniuses who have seen through it all." Which path will we choose? Unfortunately, retro is winning for now… .
Sources: author's article, ČT, Tatabojs, Deník referendum
