How about you all admit that you were wrong? You weren’t right when you thought that the media are closed to any criticism. At least now you can see what it feels like when critical thought in Serbia wakes up. Wakes up and goes berserk.

To be honest, it was about time. There are so many things which deserve criticism – from the Constitution, to electoral and other laws, to not implementing and breaking those laws, to the individual perpetrators – that one, all the while hoping his critical thinking will lead to some positive improvements, wouldn’t know where to begin. Especially one who generally is not very fond of critical thinking. I guess this is why they opted to begin with the easiest subject.

And they began – with their political opponents and us. Us citizens, possible voters. Now this criticism gathered such steam that it became difficult to figure out who is criticizing, and more importantly, why.

First of all, why criticize your political opponents, as if the elections were not over, as if we are yet to vote (do they know something we don’t?), as if we could deprive someone of their term in office or reduce it, as if we could determine who forms the government and how, so it’s extremely important for them to let us know what damage to our future the opponents have already made?  It is more likely they are disciplining us for the crime of critical thinking (“see what you did?”)

Secondly, why are they criticizing us, as if we were not “the people”, as if we are never going to vote again, as if we are going to stop being critical and forever clam up? During the campaign, they still flirted with us a bit, now they are saving the flirtation for others, and all that’s left for us is criticism.

However, if we’re honest, you can’t say this fierce criticism didn’t have any effect. The first one being – all of a sudden, a lot of new critics appeared. Which is good. Although, for the time being, they too are criticizing only us, but the important thing is they are critically oriented. Let them practice on us, maybe someday they will switch to those in power. Even if power consists of those whose results they now judge only descriptively, mainly by saying “there are grounds for criticism, but we mustn’t forget all the good things that have been done”. As if someone is stopping them to express both approval and criticism.

But if this doesn’t happen, if this newly awakened critical thought never goes beyond us, if it turns out that only we are to blame for what this government did and what the next one will (or will not) do, I have a constructive proposition. Next time, let’s not vote for us. And see how that turns out.

Translated by Ivica Pavlovic

Peščanik.net, 13.06.2012.


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Nadežda Milenković

Nadežda Milenković, kreativna direktorka, školovala se da radi sa delinkventima, a završila kao „samohrana majka srpskog advertajzinga“. Smislila neke od najboljih slogana: „Ili jesi ili nisi“ (Lav pivo) , „Izgleda šašavo, ali mene leđa više ne bole“ (Kosmodisk), „Ako vam je dobro, onda ništa“ (Peščanik)... Radila u reklamnim agencijama: Mark-plan, Sači, Mekken, Komunis. Sve manje radi komercijalne kampanje i okreće se goodvertisingu. Na Fakultetu za medije i komunikacije vodila master kurs: Idejologija. Autorka bestseler knjige „Kako da najlakše upropastite rođeno dete“, dugogodišnje rubrike „Pun kufer marketinga“ u nedeljniku Vreme i kolumne ponedeljkom na portalu Peščanik. Poslednja knjiga: „Ponedeljak može da počne“, 2020.

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Author: Nadežda Milenković

Nadežda Milenković, kreativna direktorka, školovala se da radi sa delinkventima, a završila kao „samohrana majka srpskog advertajzinga“. Smislila neke od najboljih slogana: „Ili jesi ili nisi“ (Lav pivo) , „Izgleda šašavo, ali mene leđa više ne bole“ (Kosmodisk), „Ako vam je dobro, onda ništa“ (Peščanik)... Radila u reklamnim agencijama: Mark-plan, Sači, Mekken, Komunis. Sve manje radi komercijalne kampanje i okreće se goodvertisingu. Na Fakultetu za medije i komunikacije vodila master kurs: Idejologija. Autorka bestseler knjige „Kako da najlakše upropastite rođeno dete“, dugogodišnje rubrike „Pun kufer marketinga“ u nedeljniku Vreme i kolumne ponedeljkom na portalu Peščanik. Poslednja knjiga: „Ponedeljak može da počne“, 2020.