Reflection at the End of the Year. In the Face of Other People’s Pain, Let Us Stop Everything!

Indifference to the suffering of others has become an attitude considered normal in today’s complacent societies. Just look away, and anesthetize yourself with compulsive consumption of experiences, objects, and Netflix series. Just pass by without seeing or stopping. This attitude is simply the reverse side of a system that keeps accelerating our lives, making them ever more precarious. There is no time or space for disruptions, for pausing and bending down to accompany and alleviate the suffering of others. Nor are we allowed to stand up straight and raise our voices against the causes of the suffering.