Hunglish.org

Written by Scott Savoie

Normally, Budapest is a nice conservative Central European capital. There are fringe elements, of course, but I’m guessing from the Sziget Music Festival that they are not as radical as many of their Western European counterparts.

For a young Hungarian, shocking or horrifying parents is relatively easy and straightforward. Simply get a piercing or two, maybe wear some black makeup, get a little tattoo, etc. If a Hungarian kid does this, boom! The parents are shocked.

From what I can tell, the youth of a city like Berlin don't have things so easy. They have to, like, bury their face in a tacklebox and roll it around a bit to frighten their parents and/or make them concerned. The Berlin youth’s entire face needs to be impaled on tiny gigs, lures, hooks and wires so that their individuality can be expressed and folks properly mortified. They need dreadlocks. Studded Satanic tattoos. Pierced eyelids.

I am sure that Hungarian youth are as surly and disobedient as elsewhere, but I think they are much more conservative/old-fashioned in dress and mannerisms than their Western European peers. It is almost as though they are a generation behind. 'Their' kids will have to go the extra mile to shock them...

I like that I live in a place cool enough to hold such a festival. I like the influx of all the new and interesting people, but then again I also like to see them leave.