sexta-feira, junho 24, 2022

“Humanity must become aware of the uncertainty of the future and of their common destiny.” (Edgar Morin)

“Humanity must become aware of the uncertainty of the future and of their common destiny.” (Edgar Morin) In these times when destructive criticism travels at the speed of light and praise often doesn't even reach its destination, the Internet, especially "so-called social networks", has amplified and normalized hate. This is a phenomenon that affects the whole of society and politics is no exception. Not only are the expression and discussion of opinions a pretext to offend and belittle, but online often contaminates offline, with serious consequences for democracy where everyone has the right to have an opinion.” Human beings are social creatures, and feeling valued by others is the very foundation of community life.” (Dalai Lama) It will not be news to anyone that in today's times books are not read, programs are not watched, images are not known, facts are not facts, but a court of followers repeats and repeats and repeats rude statements and opinions, falsehoods, misrepresentations, which, if not true, end up gaining a competitive status with the truth and, according to the old journalistic maxim, news “it is not a dog that bites a man, it is a man that bites a dog”. Even so, for there to be news, the man must have actually bitten the dog. Increasingly, we don't "listen" to the Dalai Lama's teachings: "Keep an open mind, as well as the ability to care for humanity and the awareness of being a part of it.") The reality is that most people only hear what they want to hear, always has been and always will be. They look for reinforcement, not doubt. The door is closed to discrepancy, to knowing more, to the omnipresence of the heterogeneous that makes life something with ambiguities, nuances and edges. Without questioning and willingness to listen to other reasons, our arguments become beliefs, commonplaces, prejudices or dogmas. We pay attention and give credibility to what you credit us with. We avoid anything that jeopardizes us. Our grandparents complained of lack of information. We in excess. In the face of this saturation, in defense, we return to the convictions that confirm us, or we accept false ideas.” The greatness of a human being is not in how much he knows, but in how much he is aware that he does not know.” (Augusto Cury) The excess of images and reports saturates opinion and consciences. Worse still, it makes people habituated and insensitive. The excess of information makes war and violence everyday and usual. Those who can, use all possible means to inform, defend, attack, justify and denounce. Or to manipulate, intoxicate, deceive and accuse. The image, both photographic and television, is currently a powerful means of information, perhaps the most effective. With images, words acquire value. Even without text, images have a power of their own. Without images, texts and words lose influence. About the relationships between images, truth, reason and feelings, everything and its opposite are said. And in almost everything there is truth. And falsehood. There is generic noise and it becomes difficult to discern relevant information from trivial or false information. It is up to each one to have this awareness. “The greatness of life does not consist in never falling, but in getting up every time we fall”. (Nelson Mandela - From the autobiography “The long road to freedom”, 1994)

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