Translation of Greek Text: THE BOURGEOISIE, Malvina Karali, 1995

So, here I am on Steemit.

I am a Greek interpreter, living in Wellington, New Zealand. You may think that there can't be a high demand for Greek interpreters in Wellington, New Zealand.

You would be right.

But native fluency in Greek is all I really have from living in Greece for two decades, and I want to keep it up.

So, once in a while, I will translate an interesting piece of text,and I thought it may interest others, too (I'm usually wrong about these things).

This text was posted by a friend on a meme I shared on Facebook .

Malvina Karali (1952-2002) was an incredible author, script-writer, journalist and TV presenter. As intellectual as she was controversial, she was loved and hated in equal measures.

Malvina was an epic personality. A smart androgynous scrapper who was never afraid of using words: “When I’m jealous, I become smart. And when I’m smart I destroy everything.” Her favourite topic to talk about was love. And her favourite subject of her affection was her man: “There is only one man, my man and there is no other man that can possibly replace him.” (although she did marry three times). When talking about love, Malvina left her feministic instincts behind: “I’m above everyone and under him”. A restless and innovative spirit, and an obsessive thinker: “I do have obsessions but they are no more than harmless ticks on my thoughts.”

This text was written in 1995, in an article ‘Does the Speaker Of the Hellenic Parliament Watch Porn?” in the magazine 01. To be fair, Malvina was a little harsh. And the said speaker has recently joined Malvina in wherever we go to, after here.

This was not an easy text to interpret. There were a couple of made up words and some very curly concepts.

I tried to keep true to the spirit of the text, rather than the literal translation of it.

I hope you enjoy it (text follows)

THE BOURGEOISIE

These guys, the middle -browed, never think of suicide because they believe that life belongs to God, regardless of the fact that in reality, they cannot make decisions about life or death. They are forgetful when it suits them, and by only living in the future they never live a decent present.

They make long-term plans, which as a rule will outlive them, unfulfilled. They build facades. Buy plots of land. They don’t look at buying handbags because rarely fall in love - and like all fools, they never feel powerless.

They tremble at obligations but do eventually marry a patient martyr, after leading her on for years to the point that she doesn’t even want to spit on him anymore. They have two brats because ‘one equals none’ – or three, if the first two are girls. And of course, they like sex workers a lot, whom they always ask after fucking them “Why have you fallen so?”

No, the petty bourgeoisie don't hold on to childhood toys. Only trash. Trashy food, trashy ideas, trashy lifestyles, trashy actions. I know the Brotherhood inside out and upside down (...). They tremble at the idea of being played for a fool, but they always are. They prevaricate. Quibble. Evade. Fabricate. Ask for everything but never give anything. All the while thinking of themselves as ‘pillars of justice’.

They decline paternity tests in order to save on child support, championed by a saccharine and honest provincial lawyer, who is always eager to smear the indigent poor woman.

The petty bourgeoisie don't want trouble. So he can never be a warrior, a hero, a romantic. He is never accused of being excessive and vilifies dissent. He thinks he is a diplomat who can undo the Gordian knot, but in reality, he only undoes himself whilst driving crazy everyone around him.

There are none more dangerous than these quiet, bland little men, the petty bourgeoisie.

Malvina Karali, 1995

[ORIGINAL TEXT] (http://www.doctv.gr/page.aspx?itemID=SPG4412)