A new century, a new generation of me-mism

Since we are still in January, I can still say happy new year. A new year that truly does not know very well how to proceed, not only here, but all over the planet. Unfortunately, we are not only plagued by a mean health situation, but we just overcame what could have been one of the, if not the, darkest periods in our history. But fortunately, and to a great extent due to our sturdiness, we have overcome it and now we may be able to witness quieter and more normal times. That said, the reality is completely different and the future may not be normal nor quieter.

It is very nice to hear the constant talk of unity and “we.” It is reassuring when people quote or use the Constitution to talk of democracy and rights, but if you pay attention, the dialogue is always centered around “I” and “me.” All the amendments that people agonize over are the preservation of “my” right to … that is why I call this new period in the history of the world (trying to avoid using mankind) the me-mism period.

Now, in addition to the customs that defined the world: the egocentrism of the West, exactly the opposite of the accent on community of the East, there are new mechanisms, technologies, approaches that aid and abet this emphasis on the I and me. And here, I must mention a caveat, I have never and will never use social media and or other forms of artificial intelligence (like the new, expensive smart phones). Social media has enabled, supported, exploited, exposed and abetted (among other evils) anybody and everybody. From the most ignorant, hateful individual to the most sophisticated scientist. I am not going to mention a list a mile long of names, but we all know the domestic and imported kinds. We have all seen little kids hooked to their phones and incredibly violent games. We have all seen in legitimate news, people taking selfies in the middle of protests in very poor, undemocratic countries. The way I rationalize it, social media has enabled the uneducated, the unsophisticated, the one who has a sense of entitlement bigger than their capacity to study and become better human beings and has totally shrank their capacity for selfimprovement. Today, social media is about shouting, aggression, in-yourface attitude. Today social media is the accepted and imitated bullying of this new, poor century.

But as they say, what goes around, comes around … now they want to control social media. However, once the genie is out of the bottle, who can put it back in? Who is going to tell the disenfranchised that after all, they can’t have it all? When are they going to stop making fun of “tiger mommies” who push their children to study?

The despicable behavior of Jan. 6 against the nation’s Capitol was fueled and encouraged with the aid of social media, by a new I/me generation. It is for all of us, each I and me to correct the way. We are driving along deep precipices, if the drivers do not pay attention, very easily, we will be off the cliff. Then there will be no “so help me G-d” to help anybody.