Comedian, writer and former mayor of Reykjavík JÓN GNARR, writes a weekly column for the weekend issue of Fréttablaðið, Iceland's most read newspaper and we publish an English version here at Iceland Insider.
I have been dealing with this man my whole life. He was my father, teacher and bus driver. He has been my boss. He has been in authority and had my life and destiny in his hands.
He has defined me. He has had power to form my future. He is a commander. He commands. I have often seen him on TV, stride through airports and take the pulpit. He knows how to preach to people. I have seen him drive around in his car on the road that was mainly built for him. I have heard him give speeches. There are few things he enjoys more than giving speeches about himself, unless it is to receive acknowledgements from himself.
I have seen his picture in the papers. I have heard him interviewed on the radio. I have seen him stand up at meetings and shout something, raising a clenched fist. I have seen him bawl out people and I have often been at odds with him, usually in others, but sometimes even in myself. I have seen him elbow his way through waiting lines. I have often been startled when he bangs his fist on the table. He has a harsh face.
In his opinion, any people who don’t agree with him are fools and idiots. Especially women. There is one set of laws for him and another for everybody else, because he invented them. He shows his indignation with facial expressions and words. He always has the right of way. He knows everything better than anybody else and he is always right. He has never had enough, not even of himself. He does not know how to be ashamed, has no idea what that is. But he is the first one to tell others to be ashamed of themselves.
Everybody Is Equal, Except Some
Relentlessly, he barges on and he does not care if he bumps into others or hurts them or harms them with his conduct. He does not think about others so much. They make no difference to him. He just wants his things for himself. He believes that if he gets everything he wants, others will automatically benefit from it. He will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. He doesn’t hesitate to lie, deceive and steal. But when he steals, it is not theft, but rather fairness or justice. At worst, some kind of misjudgment. Sometimes he becomes gentle as a lamb and then he often becomes the protector and advocate of Justice. Then he talks about things like duty, solidarity, security and fairness.
He believes in God and that He created the world, mostly for him.
The King of the Blue Land
I have studied him and observed him with apprehensive interest since I was a child. I have often met him and talked to him. He comes to the hot tubs at the swimming pools and to family functions and homeowner meetings. Sometimes he even comes to the grocery store. He likes to down one, and when he does he goes to restaurants and bars where he gets the service he sincerely believes he deserves. Here, he talks loudly, and laughs hard at his own jokes.
He is the king and others are his servants. He likes to dress in all kinds of costumes and photograph himself, even with a cloak and sometimes he decorates himself with all the medals he has received from himself for many of his accomplishments. He has a faint smile, and you can even detect humility in his eyes. He is everywhere.
I often met him when I was working for the City of Reykjavík. I met him every day then. But we never quite hit it off. The bully.
He is the way and the truth and the life. He is very powerful, and he is not going to give his power away. He received it as a birth gift from his mother and God when he was born. The laws are on his side, both the laws of God and Men. There are few people who dare contradict him or oppose him, let alone to stand up to him. Because who wants to come up against him? Who wants to see the piercing glare, hear the sneer and the threats? His justice is injustice. Who wants to be his enemy and feel his anger? Very few. Because he is the most powerful man in Iceland.
Comedian, writer and former mayor of Reykjavík JÓN GNARR, writes a weekly column for the weekend issue of Fréttablaðið, Iceland's most read newspaper and we publish an English version here at Iceland Insider.
I have been dealing with this man my whole life. He was my father, teacher and bus driver. He has been my boss. He has been in authority and had my life and destiny in his hands.
He has defined me. He has had power to form my future. He is a commander. He commands. I have often seen him on TV, stride through airports and take the pulpit. He knows how to preach to people. I have seen him drive around in his car on the road that was mainly built for him. I have heard him give speeches. There are few things he enjoys more than giving speeches about himself, unless it is to receive acknowledgements from himself.
I have seen his picture in the papers. I have heard him interviewed on the radio. I have seen him stand up at meetings and shout something, raising a clenched fist. I have seen him bawl out people and I have often been at odds with him, usually in others, but sometimes even in myself. I have seen him elbow his way through waiting lines. I have often been startled when he bangs his fist on the table. He has a harsh face.
In his opinion, any people who don’t agree with him are fools and idiots. Especially women. There is one set of laws for him and another for everybody else, because he invented them. He shows his indignation with facial expressions and words. He always has the right of way. He knows everything better than anybody else and he is always right. He has never had enough, not even of himself. He does not know how to be ashamed, has no idea what that is. But he is the first one to tell others to be ashamed of themselves.
Everybody Is Equal, Except Some
Relentlessly, he barges on and he does not care if he bumps into others or hurts them or harms them with his conduct. He does not think about others so much. They make no difference to him. He just wants his things for himself. He believes that if he gets everything he wants, others will automatically benefit from it. He will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. He doesn’t hesitate to lie, deceive and steal. But when he steals, it is not theft, but rather fairness or justice. At worst, some kind of misjudgment. Sometimes he becomes gentle as a lamb and then he often becomes the protector and advocate of Justice. Then he talks about things like duty, solidarity, security and fairness.
He believes in God and that He created the world, mostly for him.
The King of the Blue Land
I have studied him and observed him with apprehensive interest since I was a child. I have often met him and talked to him. He comes to the hot tubs at the swimming pools and to family functions and homeowner meetings. Sometimes he even comes to the grocery store. He likes to down one, and when he does he goes to restaurants and bars where he gets the service he sincerely believes he deserves. Here, he talks loudly, and laughs hard at his own jokes.
He is the king and others are his servants. He likes to dress in all kinds of costumes and photograph himself, even with a cloak and sometimes he decorates himself with all the medals he has received from himself for many of his accomplishments. He has a faint smile, and you can even detect humility in his eyes. He is everywhere.
I often met him when I was working for the City of Reykjavík. I met him every day then. But we never quite hit it off. The bully.
He is the way and the truth and the life. He is very powerful, and he is not going to give his power away. He received it as a birth gift from his mother and God when he was born. The laws are on his side, both the laws of God and Men. There are few people who dare contradict him or oppose him, let alone to stand up to him. Because who wants to come up against him? Who wants to see the piercing glare, hear the sneer and the threats? His justice is injustice. Who wants to be his enemy and feel his anger? Very few. Because he is the most powerful man in Iceland.
