AN
INCONVENIENT REALITY
by
Antonio C. Antonio
April
15, 2014
Last
March 3, 2014, I posted this image in the status of a Facebook group composed
of colleagues in environment and natural resources management. This question accompanied the photo:
"How do you feel when you see an image like this?" That was 43 days
ago and up to now no one has dared post a comment even when almost all of them
have seen the post. I found it quite
disturbing that a group of intelligent and often opinionated people simply kept
their thoughts to themselves.
Wanting
to understand the reason why everyone chose not to comment, I emailed a friend a
few days ago who teaches at the University of
Toronto to share me her views. I hasten
to add that she has doctorate degrees in psychology and sociology. In the email, I attached the photo and
briefly described the situation. She
finally responded today.
She listed several possible reasons why no one wanted to comment
on this matter… and, I should say, she really has a knack for details as she
also gave corresponding explanations.
But at the end of her email, she summarized all her reasons and
explanations in one line. She wrote: “It's
an inconvenient reality."
informative & interesting articles...keep 'em coming!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joy... Sure, I'll keep them coming but you have to read them too! Stay well...
DeleteThis was posted on the Landscape Ecology UPOU community page by Ms. Ana Bibal: "I guess it's hard to admit that everyone is a culprit (unintentionally and intentionally...) to the inconvenience (oppressive and dehumanizing situation) of others ... unknowingly or not ..values, perspectives, lifestyle, apathy, patterns of our consumption and production --- feeds a system that has repercussions to life ... that has become so pervasive and even blinding .... indeed... thought provoking. worthy post especially in this time of retreat. thank you."
ReplyDeleteThis was posted on Facebook by Mr. Fred Lumba: " Thanks for re-posting. This picture is about compassion nothing else. If I may, it searches for Christian compassion in a society such as ours where we have more talk than action. The Yolanda victims are clear and concrete example of the kind of society we live in."
ReplyDeleteThis was posted on Facebook by Mr. Tony Narciso: " Many times we are confronted with the dark reality of poverty, inhumane living situations. We often react with what we are comfortable to do: give money/food. Lets reflect on what more we can do, the magis within us. Thanks Anton for posting this."
ReplyDeleteThis was posted on Facebook by Mr. Nanding Carlos Villanueva: "It is very hard to search for the wisdom and relate it with situations we try to understand. Reality is more than skin deep because we bleed. Does the "inconvenient reality" speak of the photo, or does it define the unresponsive group of people to whom the photo was marked for comments? Me thinks it was intended for both."
ReplyDelete