PARFALANG
PARFALANG is an archived personal and political blog that I published between 2006 and 2011. Its a collection of political essays, social commentary, satirical observations, and personal reflections. Written primarily in German, with some entries in English and Spanish, the blog explored themes ranging from democracy, media power, political populism, and environmentalism to cultural identity, migration, and the contradictions of modern consumer society.
Many entries responded to contemporary political and social developments, including the 2009 Iranian election protests, the rise of xenophobic rhetoric in Austria, and debates surrounding secularism, freedom of expression, and the role of the media. Moving between political critique, irony, autobiographical observation, and literary experimentation, the writing reflects an ongoing engagement with the relationship between individuals, institutions, and society.
The name of the blog Parfalang combintes the Farsi word par (wing or feather) and palang (leopard), suggesting an imaginary flying leopard. The creature loosely echoes the winged felines of ancient Persian mythology. For me it combining the independence of a leopard with the freedom of flight. The original website is no longer online. The surviving entries are presented here as an archive, preserving the writing and perspectives of that period.
