Jean-Claude Arnault prosecuted / Swedish Academy part 4

At the heart of the Swedish Academy crises stands an accused sex offender. An accused sex offender denying his actions is pretty much the reason to why there won’t be a literature Nobel Prize in 2018. 

http://homeisawayawayishome.blogspot.se/2018/04/the-swedish-academy-and-2nd-amendment.html

http://homeisawayawayishome.blogspot.se/2018/04/king-for-dayswedish-academy-part-2.html

http://homeisawayawayishome.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-embarrassing-result-no-literature.html

The man will now be prosecuted for rape in two cases. As he is not yet found guilty most Swedish media is not publishing his name. Though, as it is well known, I am choosing to. The name of the man is Jean-Claude Arnault.

It was at the start of the Me too-movement fall 2017 that 18 women came forward with their stories of being sexually offended by Jean-Claude Arnault. As a big player in the elite of the top art scene in Stockholm he was in position to use this power towards mostly younger women in the beginning of their career within that scene. Being close friends with members of the Swedish Academy and married to an author who later was selected for Chair nr. 18 in the Academy gave him a golden playing field for his manipulative and offensive behaviour, and access to vulnerable objects to prey on.

As for today 29 women are accusing Jean-Claude Arnault for various types of sexual offences. And he will now be prosecuted for rape in two cases. Seven witnesses will be heard at the trial. His friends within the Swedish Academy are still blind and deaf to this history which has been going on for decades on the scene where they are all players. 

The embarrassing result: no literature Nobel Prize 2018 / Swedish Academy part 3

The speculations have been going on since the crises started. And for every member leaving. This week it was a fact. There will be no Nobel Prize in literature 2018.

http://homeisawayawayishome.blogspot.se/2018/04/the-swedish-academy-and-2nd-amendment.html

http://homeisawayawayishome.blogspot.se/2018/04/king-for-dayswedish-academy-part-2.html

At five occasions before has the prize been cancelled. 1940-43 during the 2nd World War. And 1935 when the reason might have been the members of the Academy couldn’t agree.

2018. When a majority of the Swedish Academy members protected an accused sex offender linked to the Academy. In fact, the Swedish Academy imploded as a part of the Me too movement. At this time in my text I can’t decide on wether this is extremely sad or if it’s the ultimate eruption. The perfect storm.

To visualize the picture of the Swedish Academy at this hour, the 18 members are down to 10. Two left years earlier for different reasons, six these last weeks (including the Permanent Secretary Sara Danius who was forced down) as a result of this crises.

The remaining members (at least the ones speaking) are underplaying the accused sex offender’s behavior. They are choosing not to see and acknowledge the problem but is pointing at others factors as the fundamental causes for what the Academy is going through this spring. They are lacking insight of the decease.

The decision to cancel the Nobel Prize in Literature 2018 was taken by the Academy itself on Thursday. They are too few at the job and the Academy has lost trust all over the world. It is said though that the Nobel Committee put pressure on the Academy. Damage control. They don’t want this filthy drama to spill over at the Nobel Prize as a whole and the respected and dignified institution it is. 

What is striking to me is the Swedish Academy not seeing how the Nobel Prize in literature is bigger then the Academy is. It’s the Nobel Prize God damn it! The most important award within literature in the world. An award which eminent authors are hoping and dreaming of all their lives and only a few are chosen for.

No, it seems like the prioritization here is to save the Academy such it now is, not the Nobel Prize. And not only that, but saving a dark overgrown duck pond where a couple of the birds are quacking loud and with confident intensity of their own righteousness.

I feel sick. That’s how embarrassing this is.

The other day I heard an Italian journalist comment the news. I can’t believe this is happening in Sweden, he said. You are so organized and there is no corruption - as opposed to his own country. How could it happen?

Well, it happens everywhere. In every profession, field, organisation, community, society and country. That’s what Me too has pulled out of the dark and silent impassable shrubby woods where men who abuse and assault women sexually hide in their dens. Spurred, cheered and guarded by chums alike.

The Swedish Academy turned out to be one of those dens. And Me too blew it up. The core of the elite of the elite did not have immunity. The house of cards fell. And there won’t be a Nobel Prize in literature 2018.

Extremely sad or the ultimate eruption? Both, and I hope for the latter to make a real and profound change in our society. But it’s also damaging to Sweden. IKEA, ABBA, the Swedish welfare and the Nobel Prize. Our four world wide known signature trademarks. 

2018 is the year when the golden Nobel medal melts down to dirt and dust. An embarrassing landmark on the Swedish timeline for which we always will be remembered.

King for a day/Swedish Academy part 2

And he did it!

On Wednesday the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf announced he is going to change the 232 year old statues for the Swedish Academy, instituted by his predecessor Gustav III in 1786. About time!

The Swedish Academy is an independent cultural institution, founded in order to advance the Swedish language and Swedish literature. And, since 1901 the Academy has also awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. The members are selected for life. Since some weeks back though the Academy is in deep crises,

http://homeisawayawayishome.blogspot.se/2018/04/the-swedish-academy-and-2nd-amendment.html

and last week it turned out the Swedish King might be the one able to take action on this matter. And now he has.

The most significant change will be the banishing of the life time membership for the selected members of the Academy. There will be no “until death do us part” anymore:

“It is a given in Swedish and international law that anyone who no longer wishes to be a member of an association should be able to withdraw. This should apply also to the Swedish Academy." 

Words from the King’s mouth, here here. Further: “a member who has not participated in the work of the Academy for more than two years shall furthermore be deemed to have left the Academy even if the member has not formally requested his/her resignation.”

For today, that should let authors Lotta Lotass and Kerstin Ekman - the latter left her Academy chair already in 1989 - out of frustrating life long hostage situation.

So, is everything fine now? Of course not. The Temporary Permanent Secretary (that’s one interesting title!) Anders Olsson declares in an interview how he hopes the (remaining) Academy (11 out of 18 members) now will be able to go back to it’s normal work, such as it was. That’s not a quote, but something along those lines. Does that sound promising? No it doesn’t. The remaining part of the Academy has to realize nothing is such it was. 

I am thinking about King Carl XVI Gustaf. Due to his fathers tragic death he inherited the title Crown Prince of Sweden already as a 4-year old.  At 27 he took on the job as the Swedish King after his grandfather. King Carl Gustaf has spent his whole life waiving at the Swedish people. From the castle balcony and from horse carriages. The Swedish monarch is a bystander with no right to vote in general elections or speak up his/her mind on important or political matters. Sometimes Carl XVI Gustaf can’t hold his tongue though, for which he of course gets criticized.

Once I heard an American expressing how Sweden is an interesting country. “You are a republic with a King and a Royal family.” 

Theoretically that’s not correct. Sweden is a Monarchy. But I can see what she was saying. Our political decisions are all taken by the parliament and government, elected by the Swedish people. Then there is the Royal family who has a ceremonial function, in Sweden and abroad. That’s why all the waiving.

I wonder what it is like for King Carl Gustaf to suddenly have a voice. And a much needed voice. In the case of the Swedish Academy crises it turned out he was the only one with the authority to step in and take action. 

It’s got to feel pretty great! At the age of 72 after 44 years as the Regent, King Carl Gustaf gets to make a decision in a public matter! And in a matter where he is genuinely engaged. The Swedish King is actually engaged in a lot of important questions, but of course the Nobel Prize has to be the crown jewel.

The Swedish Academy and the 2nd Amendment

I’m not sure why it makes me think of the 2nd Amendment but it does. Maybe I’ll figure it out while writing.

In order to to make changes in the Swedish Constitution, the Parliament is required to agree on two decisions with the same content, and a general election between the two decisions is required. So, it’s a slow process but possible of course since a country is in constant change. Last time the constitution was reformed was in 2010.

Then there is The Swedish Academy. Founded by King Gustav III in 1786. Governed by statues from the same year. Still.

These last couple of weeks this stiff organization has been shattered by internal strife. From the outside it looks like it started with a man in close connection with the Academy, during the Me too movement being accused by 18 women for sexual assault and rape, ending with the Permanent Secretary Sara Danius having to step down the other day. Although that’s not the end of course. That’s so far.

The 18 members of the Academy are elected for life. If a member chooses to no longer be a part of the work of the Academy, his or her chair will be empty until he or she dies. It happens. For the time being 7 of the 18 members are women. Although at this point only 3 are a part of the work. 2 have left by their own will, 2 have been forced out. 3 men also left the Academy last week. So, at this time the 18 are down to 11.

This mess is compared with Paradise Hotel, House of Cards or Game of Thrones. Great entertainment! That would be fine if it wasn’t for the important work the Academy is set to do.

The Swedish Academy is an independent cultural institution, founded in 1786 by King Gustaf III in order to advance the Swedish language and Swedish literature. And, the Academy has also awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature since 1901. There you have it.

The in and outs of this appalling story is complicated and as the Academy is a closed room there are mostly speculations and guessing. The story contains everything for the perfect drama though: sex, adultery, financial irregularities, nepotism and leaking of top secret information - the Nobel Prize winners names. 

What’s very clear though is that the main part of the men in the Academy is buddying up protecting a sex offender who has been known for his behavior in the inner cultural circles of Stockholm for about twenty years. And Sara Danius, the first female Permanent Secretary in the Academy history, who tried to modernize the organization within the statues, has now been sacrificed in the name of peace and healthy work environment. 

Have you ever heard of a position elected for life being a good thing? Didn’t most of us just agree (not Donald Trump though) on the idea of the Chinese president extending his assignment for life being worrying? Holding a position for life means you are not accountable to anyone. So imagine a whole community in it for life. With statues 232 year old, not touchable. A secret society.

Now, where do the 2nd Amendment fit in to all this? Well, to many people outside the U.S. it’s incomprehensible how it is not possible to change the weapon laws when they so clearly contributes to mass shootings and fatalities all over the country. Just change them! No, says the NRA - and some more, it’s the law!

To a Swede it’s unaccustomed how the Constitution and Amendments is perceived like the Bible. But even the Bible isn’t read like it was 2000 years ago, right?

So tell that to the Swedish Academy!

Now, an unexpected player showed up on the field last week. As the Academy was founded by a king, the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf is it’s highest protector. Generally that wouldn’t mean anything at all. A Swedish monarch doesn’t have any power. He or she is not allowed to vote in elections and should not speak up his/her mind on matters of importance or at least politics.

But it turns out the Swedish Academy might be a loop hole in terms of power of the monarchy. As it’s highest protector the king might have a say here. Carl XVI Gustaf is genuinely engaged in the Academy and of course takes a big interest in the Nobel Prize. Therefore he is now opening up for and suggesting changes or amendments to the 232 year old statues.

Personally I hope he succeeds. Sweden has two important brands. The Nobel Prize and the Swedish welfare. Both are at jeopardy. Let’s take good care of the both of them.