What do a politician who steals and a person who cuts in line have in common? They are agents of the same evil: selfishness. An evil that, I am increasingly convinced, is the fundamental problem of our society.
Read more columns by Pedro Mejía here.
Selfishness is nothing more than putting our own benefit above that of others, ignoring the negative impact that our actions may have on others. It can manifest itself in something seemingly “insignificant,” like cutting in line, or in something as devastating as stealing millions from a public fund intended for disaster risk management.
In reality, the consequence is the same, only the scale varies. Every action we carry out out of selfishness feeds the perverse and destructive collective of the “living lives of the stupid.” This social construct, unfortunately, is still very much in force in our society, perpetuating the notion that individualism triumphs over collectivism and that, in the end, the “savvy” is rewarded over the educated.
Read also: The value of enough
Now, how do we break this cycle? How do we cultivate a society that values the collective good above individual interest?
Although it is much easier said than done, in essence it is about changing our mentality and moving from “what’s in it for me?” to “what impact do I generate?” To do this, having empathy developed and honed—putting ourselves in the other’s shoes—is what allows us to recognize the limits (or possibilities) of each decision and action we take. Empathy is, in essence, the awareness that invites us to stop when the ego threatens to prevail over love.
And how to achieve a more empathetic society? Simple: with our own example.
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If we are the reflection of the five people with whom we share the most, as we are told so many times, let us become an example for those who reflect on us. This does not mean being “perfect”, but rather committing to a continuous process of improvement, coherence, help and cooperation, which, over time, should make us all better.
Thanks for reading. I wish us a 2025 with more empathy.
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