A Fine Line / Fernando Dámaso

  1. When in a society fear find itself enthroned, there is a tenuous line that separates it from valor, doubt gets hold of citizens who start questioning how far they can go without being punished.
  2. Under such circumstances one opts for not taking too many risks and for self censorship as a means not really civic but so convenient to survive while waiting for better times
  3. This moral ambiguity hurts the individual consciousness and contaminates the social one, creating an ideal breeding ground for people without their own opinions, more concerned with repeating what has been approved and established, rather than with raising questions.
  4. Examples can be seen daily in our media, when someone is interviewed or asked to answer an intelligent question. The answers oscillate between utter vagueness and the exact repetition of slogans and clichés. Generally, what is said or written is not what is thought or felt, easy to detect when establishing a personal dialogue without interference from the media.
  5. This abnormal, unnatural and unhealthy situation does not help clear the way for solving our many problems, but complicates it. One needs to decide to cross the thin line between fear and courage.

Translated by: d

November 28 2010