The Exchange of Power and La Forza Italia

Many of us accept play as a paradigm of life. We see power as an exchange that goes beyond the play space and into the broader field of citizenship, a role that each of us plays in our respective countries. This view of the praxis of power was promulgated by late twentieth century philosopher, Michele Foucault.

In Italy many refuse to vote, feeling that it is futile to engage in the political dialogue. Yet there are others that continue to participate in the process, despite the disheartening electoral results of the last decade. And as they continue to push against the formidable wall of Berlusconi's "Forza Italia," they grow stronger, louder, more resilient. Resistance training, Italian style.

If we embrace Leather as a lifestyle, a set of principles that infuses our own day to day existence, then we must acknowledge our role in the exchange of power. We must educate ourselves on the issues. We must take a stand and be engaged in our political process. Finally, we must vote.

To translate the words of Mussolini's nemesis, Antonio Gramsci:

The person who truly lives must be both a citizen and a partisan. Indifference is apathy. When one is possessed by it, one becomes a parasite, a coward. Indifference is not life.