In an age where deception and sleight-of-hand grow ever more prevalent across media, politics, and culture, the language of “post-truth” appears to have become the lingua franca of our time. FACT DENOUNCED AS A FOUR-LETTER WORD, a slim book of aphorisms by Piotr Bardzik, seeks to stick a pin into the pomposity of modern politicos—among other social and cultural targets.
Comprising dozens of short, pithy observations, the book is arranged into unifying themes such as “Politics,” “Stock Exchange,” and “Sports,” providing these scattered musings with a coherent structure.
Eight years ago, Bardzik began journaling what he called “all sorts of random thoughts that would assault me from time to time.” Eventually, he categorized these bonnes pensées and collected them into this book.
Some of Bardzik’s thoughts—such as “His electoral demise was sealed as soon as it became public knowledge that he read books,” or “We are all obsessed with looking for answers, to the point of losing the ability to pose sensible questions,” and indeed the book’s title itself—are clear in meaning. Others, such as “Objectivity arrogance is the difference between the objectivity assumed and the objectivity practiced,” may take a moment to unpack.
One of the primary strengths of a good aphoristic collection is its economy of language. Each phrase is honed, pared down to its essential insight. There’s little room for fluff, and that compression often forces the reader to slow down. Bardzik’s language is precise and controlled, and each aphorism warrants contemplation and consideration.
This is not a book that one reads cover to cover, but rather something to turn to when seeking inspiration or distraction—a mental exercise somewhere between a cryptic crossword and a joke book. Some of Bardzik’s aphorisms are certainly self-deprecating and wryly amusing. For instance, “I’m in love with wisdom. Love that, alas, is not reciprocated” cleverly defuses the common criticism that books like this are overly clever or self-serious.
Even at his most strident, the author never seems didactic. After all, an aphorism isn’t meant to tell you what to think; it’s meant to disrupt how you think. This is a slim book—but one that will bear repeated reflection.
FACT DENOUNCED AS A FOUR-LETTER WORD is an enjoyable, thought-provoking collection of aphorisms by Piotr Bardzik. The author shows a sharp mind and no small amount of humor in these short, sharp thoughts on our troubled times.
~Kent Lane for IndieReader