De la iunie 1990 la România fără cărți, de Eugen Matzota ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.108, 08/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.108, 8/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Editorial — by Eugene Matzota Abstract From June 1990 to a Bookless Romania: A society that trades libraries for screen-fed anger and packaged ignorance willingly condemns itself to short memory and voluntary servitude. Drawing a parallel to the social pathology of June 1990—shifting from physical violence in the streets to mass hysterical applause for the manipulation of primal instincts—this essay critiques the modern collective cowardice and rejection of reason. Abandoning books turns humanity into its own executioner, leaving those who embrace darkness with no right to complain when they are ruled by shadows.
1. Simpozion imaginar „Despre dragoste” ▲ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.108, 08/2026▲
1. Simpozion imaginar „Despre dragoste” ▲ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.108, 08/2026▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! ABSTRACT Title: Imaginary Symposium – On Love Author: Ion Bogdan Martin Source: ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE 108, 08/2026 Synopsis and Themes The text adopts the format of a written "imaginary symposium," set against the musical backdrop of Leonard Cohen’s *Dance Me to the End of Love*. The author explores the many facets of love—ranging from family and civic affections to electoral absurdity, quirky Romanian naming traditions, and domestic relationships—stripping away romantic clichés through self-deprecation, sharp humor, and keen social observation. Key Ideas The Anatomy of the Sentiment: The piece clearly distinguishes between true love (vision, emotion, a state of grace that makes one a better person) and mere instinct or sex, playfully mocking modern exaggerations and myths of legendary conquests. Everyday Absurdity and Onomastics: Through various humorous tangents, the author examines the quirks of given names, the farce of political campaigns, and the small comedies and dramas of marriage. Authenticity and Self-Irony: Using personal anecdotes—from a tense relationship with a future mother-in-law that took a bizarrely beneficial turn, to mock-serious breakdowns of bedroom positions—the text highlights the fragility of the human condition when faced with love. The Symposium's Conclusion: Beyond the definitions offered by great classics (Shakespeare, Tagore), love remains a pure "madness," a complex sentiment that ultimately boils down to what one receives only after giving of oneself unconditionally.
Geometria luminii dincolo de ecran, de Eugen Matzota ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 07/2026 ▲
Geometria luminii dincolo de ecran, de Eugen Matzota ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 07/2026 ▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! The Geometry of Light Beyond the Screen Editorial — by Eugene Matzota Abstract: In the editorial of this issue, the author points out that the order of the world has never depended on the whims of the powerful or the scale of characterless technology, but rather on the right angle preserved by a man in silence. From the ticking of brass in 1900 to the cold silicon of our century, the "Great Sifting" continues unabated, while Altculture positions itself as a form of spiritual hygiene and a workshop of the ancient Architecture. Using the square and the compass as living instruments of measure, this editorial is a call to lucidity in an era dominated by noise and screens: an open construction site where the rough ashlar still awaits us all.
The Vanishing Aromanian Today, Eugene Matzota ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 07/2026 ▲
The Vanishing Aromanian Today, Eugene Matzota ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 7/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! The Vanishing Aromanian Today — recently launched on Amazon! Abstract: Written for those brothers of mine who are close to me, but far from their identity, this book offers a comprehensive journey through the history, resilience, and modern challenges of a remarkable people without a state, yet never without an identity. Tracing the thread of Aromanian history from Antiquity to the present, the work explores the diverse etymology and background of their names through Theodor Capidan’s lens, contrasts simplistic stereotypes with nineteenth-century accounts of flourishing urban and commercial communities by travelers like William Martin Leake, Gustav Weigand, and Ami Boué, and confronts the silent, contemporary threat of globalized assimilation. It stands as a vital call to action for each new generation to preserve its language, traditions, and collective memory.
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.
MOROIUL, de Nicolaie Dincă ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 07/2026 ▲
MOROIUL by Nicolae Dincă ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 7/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract: In "Moroiul", published in ALTCULTURE Magazine (no. 107, 2026), author Nicolae Dincă crafts a rich, atmospheric narrative steeped in the folklore, rustic mythology, and superstitions of the Olteț valley. Set against the bleak backdrop of a freezing November night, the story follows two local fiddlers, Vasile al lui Biță and Nelu, as they navigate a disorienting fog after performing at a raucous, decadent party hosted by a local politician. Blending dark rural realism with elements of the uncanny, the text captures the psychological descent of the two musicians into profound terror when they mistake a decaying, wind-beaten tree stump for a terrifying phantom or "moroi" demanding music. Through vivid dialogue, ancestral echoes of outlaws like Biță Duduveică, and a masterful shift from supernatural dread to sobering daylight realization, the narrative explores the fragility of human perception, the haunting weight of solitude, and the timeless power of folklore in the Romanian countryside.
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.