The Gray Era

By: Catalina Chaux | July 25, 2017

Translated from Spanish here.

The last few months (almost years) have shown us that we have entered the gray age, in which there is an infinite variety of tones used at the convenience of each interpreter. Personally, I have nothing against gray, nor do I believe that things can only be white or black; on the contrary, I believe in the multicolored spectrum in which there is variety of options—because of this I think it is necessary to reflect on what it implies to accept gray as the general norm.

This gray leads us to interpret the facts according to one’s own convenience, where values seem to have become something outmoded or old fashioned, where alternative facts are rampant in arguments and the presentation of realities is less and less real.

I think parents face the greatest challenge with their responsibility to educate and train new generations who will have the future in their hands. Teach them: what is right and what is not, what is appropriate and what is not, what is moral and what is not, what is ethical and what is not—and do not lower your guard in the attempt, for these teachings must go beyond the legal. We are confusing the fact that some attitudes are not illegal with the fact that they are not moral or ethical. And this starts from the house and goes to the head of institutions and organizations, leaders of all kinds, businessmen, leaders; we must all lead by example. There are no good or bad lies— all are equally lies; no small or large thefts—they are robberies. There are no deceptions with good intentions.

We are entering an area where there seems to be no limits or parameters for what is good and what is not. Corruption goes from here to there, destroying what it touches; those who have the responsibility to inform have forgotten their obligation to show facts objectively. Currency has changed from being a medium to a value that makes anything valid to achieve control. Greed and excessive desire of power, renamed as success and competitiveness,  justify almost everything.

What should we call those heads of state that lie right and left with the backing of their followers who justify everything?

What should we can a group of teenagers who record a man drowning on their phones – laughing as if it was their best plan, and sharing it in their social networks, – not making the slightest attempt to help? Adolescents who are not sanctioned in any way by society, after having evaded legal sanctions because it is not a crime. Not helping someone in distress, cannot be justified. What should we call those who support, participate in, or facilitate human trafficking— as in the case of San Antonio, Texas, where ten trafficked individuals died in a truck because of the inhuman circumstance in which they were held?

This is an invitation to an individual or family to reflect on how permissive we have become, and to determine how we would like to see our children tomorrow—what society and future we want to have.