Javier Milei, telepathic conversations with dogs and mental health
TODAY 06:17
Beyond allegedly having telepathic conversation with living and dead animals, God and historical economists, Milei has an extremely short fuse, quickly escalating into a level of rage that is uncommon in someone expected to lead in times of crisis.
Agustino Fontevecchia
AGUSTINO FONTEVECCHIA
JAVIER MILEI, TELEPATHIC CONVERSATIONS WITH DOGS AND MENTAL HEALTH | @KIDNAVAJOART
The shockwaves from the nuclear explosion caused by Javier Milei’s surprise victory in the PASO primaries are still being felt across Argentina’s socio-political ecosystem. As explained previously in this column, the initial incredulity in the face of the ultra-libertarian’s pole-position finish in the qualifiers is connected to the lack of a cognitive and sociological framework of the intelligentsia to acknowledge and digest such a phenomenon. A failure to comprehend the incident led to it being characterised as part of a “craziness” tied to the outward projection of the character that is Milei, which in the face of his actual victory now renders his detractors paralysed and unable to respond. The initial effect has been a consolidation of the libertarian’s position as the frontrunner, which has generated a complete change in expectations (which had its initial impact in the peso-dollar exchange rate, Argentina’s usual fear gauge). As it sediments, it’s beginning to leave its mark in opinion polls — all of which were completely off in the first-round vote, by the way — giving Milei an almost secured spot in the expected run-off, along with the possibility that he may even be able to win it in the first round.
While all of this talk is premature, as the second phase of the campaign is formally kicking off, observers and analysts are already trying to predict what a Milei Presidency would look like. Outside of his fan circle, the ultra-liberal economist is scaring the bejesus out of the “círculo rojo” (or group of politicians, business and opinion leaders, journalists, intellectuals and others) that populates the country’s socio-cultural elite. Increasingly there appears to be a sense that, if and when the Austrian economic school-obsessed economist makes it to the Casa Rosada, his policy plan coupled with an irascible temper will lead to an implosion of his administration, perhaps within months of taking office. This also seems absolutely premature, given the general election is still two months away, yet the increased scrutiny surrounding Milei has raised certain troubling elements to the fore. Before digging around a bit further, it is fair to raise an objection presented by his followers: Why are we scrutinising Milei so closely, when Sergio Massa and Patricia Bullrich have several troubling precedents that have become public at some point, and should be brought to the table with equal candour by the media? The answer, I believe, is the novelty of the Milei phenomenon, coupled with the bizarreness of the case.
In his recently published bestseller about Milei, El Loco (“The Crazy One), Noticias magazine journalist Juan Luis González begins by asking the question: Can an unstable nation tolerate an unstable leader? The book, which sold out its first edition and is currently the only (unauthorised) biography about Milei in the world, is a fascinating journey into the history of the man who has come to captivate Argentine society by promising to incinerate the Central Bank and eradicate the pest of corrupt and inefficient politicians. “The caste,” as he refers to the professional political class, is the root cause of all evil, both practical and metaphysical, and Austrian economic theory, coupled with his political orientation, is the antidote. Up to that point, Milei takes a page from the traditional populist’s playbook: a messianic figure that is larger than life promising “magical” solutions while discrediting everyone who thinks differently by labelling them as part of the “caste.” He’s actually an improved version when compared to the likes of Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro (to name a few right-wing populists) in that beyond his magnetic personality in front of a camera, he’s well-versed in economic theory, even if his positions are one-sided.
As González digs deeper, though, he uncovers a troubling personal story that seriously suggests there may be some mental health issues that should be addressed if indeed Milei were to become Commander-in-Chief. While Bullrich has a past in guerrilla organisation Montoneros and Massa’s had several troubling connections with individuals convicted of corruption, neither appear unfit to deal with situations of extreme duress, even if this hasn’t actually been medically corroborated by a psycho-physical exam, the likes of which are standard in the private sector (and which aren’t for major political posts).
According to the book’s author, Milei is a person that has endured deep solitude throughout his life, suffered domestic violence at the hands of his parents and consistent bullying by his peers. This had led him to developing a father-son relationship with his dog, Conan, to the point where his death triggered an intense depression and desperate reaction by the electoral frontrunner. Not only did Milei clone Conan but, through a medium, he apparently managed to have ‘direct communication’ with him in the afterlife, and later with God himself, who gave him the mission of becoming president and lifting Argentina out of its chronic cycle of decrepitude. Furthermore, among Conan’s clones, whom he dubs his “grandchildren,” he’s built a cabinet that literally acts as his team of counsellors in issues including politics, economics, and foreign policy.
More:
https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/opinion-and-analysis/javier-milei-telepathic-conversations-with-dogs-and-mental-health.phtml
