Polul de Putere (IV) de Claudiu Iordache ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.108, 8/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! ABSTRACT Title: The Pole of Power (Part IV) Author: Claudiu Iordache ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE, No. 108, 8/2026 (excerpt from the volume Polul de Putere, IRINI Publishing House, 2002) Synopsis and Themes The essay analyzes the deep mechanisms of political and social power, viewing it not merely as a structure of domination, but as an autocratic "monster" and a fundamental source of existential nonsense. The author highlights the shift from old class conflicts to a revolt of dispossessed nations and masses against predatory globalization. Key Ideas - The Revolution of the Future: Massive migration from impoverished populations is interpreted as a form of retaliation against global inequalities and the unyielding privileges of the developed world. - Critique of Globalization and the American Model: Drawing on thinkers such as Riccardo Petrella, Octavian Paler, and René Guénon, the text warns against the danger of cultural uniformity, arid consumerism, and the loss of humanity's profound restlessness for being. = Original Violence and the Structure of Power: The author explores the connection between violence, libido, power dynamics, and birth (invoking Françoise Dolto), emphasizing that power is always an excess exercised over a deficit of autonomy. - The Decay of Despotism: The essay concludes with a powerful literary metaphor inspired by Gabriel García Márquez’s The Autumn of the Patriarch, illustrating the absolute loneliness, degradation, and moral void into which the pole of power ultimately collapses.
CONVOIUL (XIV) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 07/2026 ▲
CONVOIUL (XIV) by Gheorghe Schwartz Translated by Eugene Matzota ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 7/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract: In "CONVOIUL (XIV)", published in ALTCULTURE Magazine (no. 107, 2026), author Gheorghe Schwartz and translator Eugene Matzota present an excerpt centered on the protagonist's profound disorientation, paranoia, and psychological exhaustion following his departure from the mysterious Convoiul. Plagued by unsettling dreams of marching alongside shadowy guards and shifting figures, the protagonist wakes in his hotel room to find his locked door mysteriously ajar. Amid blinking signals from a neighboring building and a pervasive fear of losing his sanity or failing an unseen psychological test, he navigates the hotel spaces and encounters fellow survivors. Blending surreal psychological tension with kafkaesque uncertainty, the narrative explores isolation, memory loss, and the fragile boundaries between reality and hallucination.
Drumuri la mănăstiri (II) – Fragment din ”Omul de cenușă” ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 07/2026 ▲
Drumuri la mănăstiri (II) by Nicholas Jordan ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 7/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract: In "Drumuri la mănăstiri (II)", published in ALTCULTURE Magazine (no. 107, 2026) as an excerpt from "Omul de cenușă", author Nicholas Jordan chronicles a tour group's journey through the winding roads of the Prahova Valley, Brașov, Bran, and Sighișoara. Set against the stark backdrop of late-communist Romania, the narrative follows an eclectic mix of Western tourists obsessed with vampire myths and Count Dracula, led by an observant guide named Nic and a silent, enigmatic driver. Blending sharp sociological observation with atmospheric travelogue, the text explores the clash between romanticized literary expectations and the grim, melancholic realities of local daily life. From chaotic medieval banquets and damp lodgings to encounters with historical landmarks like the birthplace of Vlad Țepeș and the wooden staircase of Sighișoara, the narrative reflects on isolation, systemic oppression, and the peculiar ways foreign travelers seek out fantasy within a deeply constrained world.
Dar viața ta?, de Doria Șișu ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 7/2026 ▲
Dar viața ta? de Doria Șișu ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 7/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract: In the excerpt from "7 ani", titled "Dar viața ta?" and authored by Doria Șișu, the text delivers an intense, deeply introspective monologue on existential solitude, maternal love, and the heavy burdens of memory. Framed through a poignant dialogue with an unseen interlocutor, the narrative explores a life viewed as accidental and uncelebrated, haunted by the realization of lost time and the painful weight of self-reckoning. The excerpt captures a raw emotional reckoning with regret, focusing on an unconditional, all-consuming love for a daughter and a partner—the two beings for whom the narrator would sacrifice everything. Through lyrical vulnerability and poignant imagery of longing, the text reflects on the inevitability of mortality, the desire to transcend physical absence to remain a comforting presence like rain or wind, and the quiet exhaustion of a soul coming to terms with its own deeply felt destiny.
Polul de Putere (III) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 07/2026 ▲
Polul de Putere (III) de Claudiu Iordache ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 7/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract: In "Polul de Putere II", published in ALTCULTURE Magazine (no. 107, 2026), author Claudiu Iordache delivers a profound philosophical critique of contemporary power structures, state mechanics, and the psychological subjugation of the modern individual. Challenging Francis Fukuyama’s premise on the "End of History," the essay argues that history continues to be driven by the unyielding expansion of power and the commodification of human existence. Drawing upon a rich tapestry of philosophical and sociological thought—including thinkers like Umberto Eco, Zygmunt Bauman, Friedrich Nietzsche, Erich Fromm, and John Gray—Iordache examines how the American-led model of hyper-competition and global capitalism fosters a culture of mass conformity, alienation, and moral exhaustion. The text explores the tragedy of the "insignificant man," the docile citizen who willingly trades liberty for security, consumption, and systemic servitude. Ultimately, the essay contrasts the destructive allure of centralized power with the redemptive, quiet resistance of authentic creation and spiritual autonomy, warning that a civilization defined solely by profit and market logic risks perishing from the very weight of its own mechanical success.
CONVOIUL (XIII) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.106, 06/2026 ▲
CONVOIUL (XIII) de Gheorghe Schwartz Tradus de / Translated by Eugene MATZOTA ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.106, 06/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract Title: “THE CONVOY (XIII)” — Part I: The Body of the Snake (23) Author: Gheorghe Schwartz Translated by: Eugene Matzota Publication: ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE no. 106, 06/2026 “We still believe in culture!” Overview Sitting isolated in a quiet hotel lobby, the protagonist observes former members returning from the massive, collective entity known as "The Convoy" to rejoin civilian life—reunions that appear noticeably devoid of warmth or joy. With only three days of accommodation vouchers remaining, he faces growing uncertainty about his future while grappling with the reality of his covert recruitment by a secretive system. Through a communication device concealed as a business card, the protagonist learns why Convoy attire is heavily targeted by criminals: impostors use the uniforms to pose as law enforcement, carrying out robberies and murders under the guise of official authority. As he continues his assigned mission to investigate why individuals abandon the security of the Convoy for a life of hardship, the protagonist discovers that his own thoughts—and those of all marchers—are constantly harvested, processed, and analyzed by advanced computer algorithms, revealing a pervasive system of total surveillance.
Drumuri la mănăstiri (I) – Fragment din ”Omul de cenușă” ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.106, 06/2026 ▲
Drumuri la mănăstiri (I) - Fragment din ”Omul de cenușă” ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.106, 06/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract Title: “Monastery Tours (I)” — Excerpt from “The Ashman” Author: Nicholas Jordan Publication: ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE no. 106, 06/2026 “We still believe in culture!” Overview This excerpt follows a seasoned tour guide for "Globe" as he prepares to lead a Christmas circuit through the famous painted monasteries of Moldavia—renowned for their brilliant four-century-old blue frescoes. He delves into the unique, often difficult dynamics of holiday travel, where buses are filled not with typical vacationers, but with lonely solo travelers and dysfunctional couples seeking an escape. Before setting off, the protagonist meets in Malta with Red Ericson, an influential company figure, to lobby for a promotion to tour controller. Red bluntly denies the request, citing the protagonist's Eastern European background, his non-Western name (Ursache), and subtle physical mannerisms as invisible barriers to advancement within the company. Despite the rejection, the protagonist asks for a final favor, leaving the meeting with a challenging passenger list of 43 tourists—mostly single occupancy rooms—setting the stage for a demanding journey to Romania.