Between Glitter and Decline
- mpgoede
- Feb 10
- 2 min read
Between Glitter and Decline
February 10, 2026
As Monday draws to a close, the wires in my brain begin making all sorts of connections. They are triggered by seemingly unrelated events. To start with, Stephen’s remark that he is more or less in shock that I am not writing about, in his eyes, Bad Bunny’s out-of-this-world performance during the Super Bowl halftime, where, among all the flags, our flag was also waving. Two weeks ago, the majority of humanity had not yet heard of him.
“He has become a symbol of the common person, the guy or girl around the corner in any country with a story to tell. Also, a messenger against Western imperialism. Ruben Blades in 2026, with the wind of social media at his back,” Stephen said.
On a large screen in the stadium, it read: The only thing more powerful than hate is love.
A charged message, intended for Trump, Stephen notes.
Later in the day, two news items came along. The first: that the University of Curaçao (UoC) no longer conducts research because the conditions for doing so are not present. In other words, the university is now, perhaps, no more than a college (Curacao.nu, 2026a).
And, entirely fitting, a second item followed, stating that the university will now intensify its collaboration with universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands (Curacao.nu, 2026b).
I do not hear people like Stephen speaking about these reports. This shows that we are ceasing to conduct scientific research on the island. Of course, other initiatives and forms continue, but this is difficult to erase.
In this climate, it is understandable that intellectuals like Stephen—in our context, we may certainly classify him as such—are ecstatic over a glitter protest against Trump’s fascism and the imperialism presented to us by the mainstream media, which undoubtedly has an agenda. But we are blind to the fact that we have said farewell to research and development here.
Miguel Goede
No country has advanced at the forefront of civilization without science.
References (APA)
Curacao.nu. (2026a). Universiteit Curaçao erkent organisatie te zwak voor structureel onderzoek.https://www.curacao.nu/nieuws/onderwijs/85732/universiteit-curacao-erkent-organisatie-te-zwak-voor-structureel-onderzoek
Curacao.nu. (2026b). Universiteit Curaçao kiest voor sanering boven groei in nieuw plan.https://www.curacao.nu/nieuws/onderwijs/85669/universiteit-curacao-kiest-voor-sanering-boven-groei-in-nieuw-plan
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