Monthly new & relevant May 2026
This is moving Austria and the world.
The Social-Libertarian Observer
News for independent thinkers.
Issue: May 2026
Headlines
€600,000 Urine Spectacle in Venice: Austrian Culture Minister Babler Opens “Giant Toilet”
Culture Minister Andreas Babler (SPÖ) personally opened the Austrian contribution to the Venice Art Biennale on May 9, which was funded with around €600,000 in taxpayer money. The performance has sparked intense debate because of its provocative displays: visitors can contribute urine to a pool while artists stage partly spectacular scenes.
In his opening speech, Babler emphasized that art must remain free and should also be allowed to irritate people. He described the controversial installation as an important statement about the significance of art and culture in Austria.
Pakistan-Brokered Ceasefire in Iran Remains Fragile
There were repeated threats, airstrikes, and tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most important oil trade routes. The uncertainty led to rising energy prices and fears of a global economic crisis. U.S. President Donald Trump recently spoke of possible progress in negotiations but again threatened Iran with massive bombings.
Palantir CEO Publishes “Techno-Fascist” Manifesto
Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir Technologies, is causing controversy with a political manifesto. In it, he calls for stronger military rearmament using AI weapons and speaks of a “hierarchy of cultures,” in which advanced cultures stand above backward ones. The manifesto has been viewed millions of times and is based on Karp’s book The Technological Republic.
Karp sees Silicon Valley as obligated to support the U.S. militarily. Palantir directly benefits from this: the company develops AI systems for the military, intelligence agencies, and surveillance, including the Pentagon project “Maven.” European authorities also use the technology.
University of Vienna Cancels Honor for Mathematician Taschner
University of Vienna has canceled the planned award of a Golden Doctoral Diploma to the well-known mathematician Rudolf Taschner at short notice. The honor was supposed to be presented on May 13 together with two other mathematicians; the date had already been set and the ceremonial speech prepared.
According to reports, the university senate prevented the award because of Taschner’s critical remarks on topics such as gender studies and climate change.
Taschner, born in 1953 in Ternitz, is regarded as a renowned mathematician and served for six years as a member of parliament for the conservative People’s Party.
Letters to the Editor
The Taschner Affair
Where is the outcry from climate researchers and gender studies scholars?
Scientific disciplines that rely on sanctions to protect their theories spread doctrines rather than scientific findings.
A rector who turns the university into a place for spreading authoritarian thinking sabotages the university’s function as a place of science and thereby commits a breach of duty as a public official.
The fact that the responsible federal minister, Holzleitner, is doing nothing is reason enough to express no confidence in her or even end the coalition.
Science is one of the key drivers of social and economic progress. Anyone who watches for years as this engine of progress is abused for power politics and social control is consciously accepting a continuous deterioration of social and economic conditions.
Discredited sciences, damaged institutions, economic decline.
But the senior citizens’ representative Mrs. Korasec wonders about low pension increases. Someone here is clearly not thinking things through!
Letters to the Editor
Palantir CEO Karp Claims He Is Anti-Woke and Libertarian — A Farce!
If that were true, his company would probably refrain from using other people’s data for free.
On the basis of vague consents and authorizations, the use of user data cannot possibly be justified in accordance with legal ownership standards.
The state should pass a copyright-compensation advance law, pay affected citizens according to data volume, and later recover the money from the data pirates.
And yet they philosophize about a better world:
The polarization between left and right is a reality. Certain tech entrepreneurs helped fuel it themselves. And now, in the name of this polarization, they demand freedom for fools against fools. Weak.
Just like the pathos of saving the world. Control technology can secure values, but it cannot create values. Palantir is just as sterile as the redistribution agenda of the woke movement. A right-wing woke company. With considerable targeting problems in Gaza, from what one hears. Was an “inferior” culture being dealt with there?
Freedom for everyone. Foolish and destructive freedom for no one. That is the West!
Classifieds
