Some good men: Mujica and Bergoglio

Of good people and bad people. The latter is always discussed in the digital arena. There's no respite. The former is almost exclusively discussed when someone well-regarded dies. It's happened now, with Pepe Mujica . He was bid farewell with practically unanimous respect and regrets, who knows if they were truly heartfelt, but that's the least of it.

To pay tribute to a notable deceased, the usual way is to use one of his most famous quotes. It's easy with Mujica, as he was a source of wisdom, and they have proliferated in abundance. So many that some have probably been mistakenly attributed to him.

An example: "Power doesn't change people, it only reveals what they really are," or a similar quote with some tiny variation is circulating, marked with his signature. But there's no way to hear it spoken or written in his own handwriting. Or to find any clue as to its origin. Rather, it seems like a paraphrase or adaptation of his thought. Perhaps even an idealization. It would be appreciated if someone could find its source, but the most one can hope for on the web is to see it picked up by some columnists, citing a televised interview on a Chilean channel. In the 43 minutes of the journalist's questions and Mujica's answers, there's not a trace of it.

In any case, the former president of Uruguay is still far from being included in the club of Churchills, Einsteins, and Gandhis, those whom, despite their foresight, we have sought to idealize by imbuing them with even more knowledge with quotes that are not theirs.

On X, Bluesky, and Instagram, the preference is to place Mujica alongside Pope Francis, who died a few days earlier. Another good person. The proximity of their deaths makes them appear to be in heaven , almost with the intention of transforming him from Pepe into Pope.

But Mujica was an atheist. Jorge Bergoglio will be succeeded by Robert Francis Prevost. As the new Pope, it's assumed he's also a good person. While we wait to see if that's true, the opportunity for a good-natured joke opens up. It would be good for him to play with his name, for example: @chuzodepunta points out that the best thing about Prevost is that "we already know the next one will be Vost." And in response to those in the know who point out that we'll have to call him "León fourteen" and not "León decimocuato," some people point out that it's because "when they become popes, they cease to be cardinals." Prize for malapropism .

But there's a bit of everything in the Lord's vineyard, and on social media, alongside some good men, there are many bad men. They're the usual suspects, in fact. Pedro Sánchez, for example, whom thousands of protesters have called on to end his "Sanchista dictatorship," with the presence of Francoist flags .

WhatsApp messages with Ábalos have been leaked to the president, but they are far from being a (José) Luis, be strong , and the disqualifications of some of his colleagues are of third-rate importance: bird, unpresentable, a pain in the ass, petard. A mere pessimistic error compared to the delights revealed by the evil Florentino Pérez's audio recordings. When referring to some of his players and coaches, he adopted a somewhat more risqué tone: lapdog, puppet, sick, he's crazy, face, tolili either Dunce. Inconsiderate words mixed with other, much harsher words, insults that in the digital world often accompany surnames like Trump or Netanyahu.

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"It seems very polite to my mother, that in a private conversation the most she is capable of saying to someone who has done her a big dirty trick is “firecracker ,” @tyrexito comments about Sánchez.

In short, everything goes together on social media: the good with the bad, Seagram's gin with cucumber. Idealization with demonization. We'll never be Mujicas or Bergoglios, and there will always be room for people to speak ill of us when we're not here (or even when we are). But when it comes to choosing, it's always better to stay on the bright side of life and heed what Mujica said—from his own mouth, mind you—“ Don't tire of being good .” Even if it doesn't do much good, it helps you avoid self-pity.