I am not a movie buff, but due to this demonic confinement I have been forced to see the odd movie. And I must confess to you that, regardless of the theme, teaching or conclusions that each film can show us, there are only two that have moved me enormously and that have touched the heart of my heart: that of the 'Life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta' and that of 'Pope John XXIII', the so-called 'Good Pope'. All the others, that I have had occasion to see, each one with its nuances, are focused on obtaining power and money, money and power.
This binomial-money-power- is the common denominator of their arguments and of the insatiable human selfishness that, from an unlimited blindness leads us to self-destruct. Nothing new under the sun. Partisan and personal interests prevail over people's well-being. There are no scruples of any kind when it comes to slaughtering the like.
Wars, pandemics ... enslave and kill, but we do not teach, we continue to erre que erre, trying to bleed to exhaustion to others. We are very forgetful and we do not reflect, not even a few minutes, on the great lessons that human history has given us.
It is not necessary that I make a string of events that are on everyone's mind, but I will refer to some of the teachings that our great classical sages, thinkers and philosophers who preceded us warned us about. And it seemed appropriate to start with Cicero: "Cuiusvis hominis est errare, nullius nisi insipientis in errore perseverare" (To err is proper to any man, but only to the ignorant to persevere in error).
I have decided to continue with Blais Pascal: "No matter how much wealth man possesses and no matter how great the health and comforts he enjoys, he is not satisfied if he does not have the esteem of others". Keep going: "Misfortune reveals to the soul lights that prosperity cannot perceive". And the final tip: "I only know two types of reasonable people, those who love God with all their hearts because they know him, and those who seek him because they do not know him". What a great lesson Pascal teaches us.
Notice Plato: "The objective of education is the virtue and the goal of becoming a good citizen". AND… "Ignorance is the seed of all evil". And it continues: “If we look for the good in our fellow men we will find ours ”. And adds: "Being wise requires time and effort, but above all honesty."
I also wanted to choose Heraclitus who points out: "Donkeys prefer straw to gold". The perception of what is valuable is not in the hands of anyone. The last one I have chosen is from Plutarco: "Hunters catch hares with dogs, many men catch ignoramuses with flattery". Undoubtedly, manipulation can generate followers. Please read and learn a little more about the wisdom of our ancestors and we will build a fairer, happier and more peaceful world.
Juan Legaz Palomares.
