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Berlusconi's bunga bunga room

anecdote · personal/autobiographical · retold in 3 talks

A journalist from The Economist told Žižek that Berlusconi, in interview, immediately diverted from economics to offer a tour of his 'bunga bunga room', exemplifying how today's power legitimizes itself through self-mockery rather than solemn authority.

2009: 2 talks 2014: 1 talk
≤2000talks it is told in, per year2026

As told 3

“Berlusconi told him, but forget about economy, let's talk about more nicer things, would you like to see the bunga bunga room”
28:06 Was will Europa?2014-12-20 · 2:24:57
“claims that Berlusconi is impotent are lies and that Mr. Berlusconi is ready to prove this in court.”
“half a year ago, the berlusconi government proclaimed a permanent state of emergency in all of italy?”

What it carries

one story, many jobs: the ideas this anecdote is deployed to argue, one tally mark per use (an idea page shows the same relation from the other end, as its shelf of stories)

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Every retelling 3

28:06 Was will Europa?2014-12-20 · 2:24:57
A journalist from The Economist told Žižek that Berlusconi, in interview, immediately diverted from economics to offer a tour of his 'bunga bunga room', exemplifying how today's power legitimizes itself through self-mockery rather than solemn authority., illustrating post-democratic authoritarian system,new forms of power
Berlusconi's lawyer publicly claimed his client is not impotent, ready to prove it in court, illustrating the obscene, indecent public face of modern power., illustrating cynical ideology
The Italian government declared a permanent state of emergency to legally deploy the army in cities against the mafia and immigrants, normalizing the state of exception and the use of military force in democratic settings., illustrating permanent state of emergency