Buenos Aires city displays the tension between civilization and barbarism. “Facundo” – or “Civilization and Barbarism” – a book written by Sarmiento almost two hundred years ago, illustrates the said tension which used to prevail and still prevails Argentinean modern life. Like most other thinkers in his time, Sarmiento established a connection between civilization and progress, economic stability and development, and modern times. Barbarism, on the other hand, was thought to represent economic stagnation, and all that was obsolete and old-fashioned. This tension between opposites has never been resolved, and both civilization and barbarism currently cohabit the city of Buenos Aires. This results in a city where contrasts are manifested in the social, political, cultural and economic spheres; a chaotic city that makes survival difficult, where political crises are recurrent and economic urgencies are never overcome.
Buenos Aires is an urban jungle that is nurtured by chaos to the effect that it creates social and cultural manifestations that are rich and unparalleled, which, in turn, make it both unique and magic. You keep coming back to Buenos Aires, goes the tango written and sung by Eladia Blázquez, and played by Astor Piazzolla.
Esta ciudad está embrujada, sin saber… por el hechizo cautivante de volver. No sé si para bien, no sé si para mal, volver tiene la magia de un ritual.
This city has been cursed behind its back by the captivating spell of the eternal “comeback”. Either for good or for evil “coming back” has the magic of a ritual.
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