“Yes – I know!” How many times have they answered you like that? The irresistible response is the usual one. The desperate search for a baseball bat to continue the conversation. You say: “There are two million precarious workers” or “It’s not possible to understand why we are present in Afghanistan” or “Our public debt is taking us towards default” and the unfailing, standard response is “Yes – I know!” Are the politicians stealing? “Yes – I know!” Federico Aldrovandi was killed by the Police and whoever killed him is still serving in the Police after a conviction at the first level? “Yes – I know!” In these cases, the response is also accompanied by a “They can allow themselves that!”
The “yesiknow”s can be divided into a number of categories. The first is the category of the slothful. Their task is to block the discussion as soon as it starts so that they are not compromised. And if there words were to be reported? If someone happened to be listening? A quick“Yes – I know!” and they no longer have to think about it. The second category is that of those who commiserate and for them reality is unchangeable and anyone who goes against that, who tries to change the world has to be one you feel sorry for. Live and let them steal is their motto. The third category are the contemplatives for whom there’s never a single solution, the issue is always complex and only the intellectuals to which class they feel they belong as a right, can interpret the issue. They live for problems and for the analysis of problems. Their “Yes – I know!” is used to move to a subordinate position anyone who deludes themselves that they can understand reality and even put forward solutions. Stay in your place! The last category is that of those who collude. In this case “Yes – I know!” is pertinent. They have a good grasp of what you are talking about. Their objective is to extinguish the discussion. They transform a denunciation into a self-evident reality, in front of everyone. So obvious that it’s not worth talking about it anymore. Everyone’s talking about it. Everyone knows about it. And so for example, why launch a ferocious attack on Veronesi or on Dell’Utri?
The “yesiknow”s of all categories hate names. If a banker publically remembers Geronzi’s trials, he starts to stammer and he tries to get to the door fast. In fact, to the affirmation that some guy is a mafioso or a corruptor, the response “Yes – I know!” can lead to serious consequences The most irritating “yesiknow”s are those that draw out the “e”. They say “Yeeeeeees – I know!” to make it understood that know so much about it. If only they could talk … They can’t but if only they could ….. If only they could go and fxxk off.