IT´S good that there is a growing
sense of connectivity
that is now palpable these days. One just has to look around and
realize how the steady crawl of linkages among persons and entities in
different levels of society is developing.
Technology, for sure, has a lot to do with it. The mobile
phone, the Internet, the social network systems, etc., are quickening
the pace of communication. With them, we can get in touch with
practically anyone in any part of the world.
In a way, these modern means of communication have an
equalizing effect on the people. That´s because even if there are
several grades and levels involved, the fact remains that they have a
much larger coverage than previously known. A lot more people are
drawn into the communication loop now than before.
Together with this technological angle is, of course, a
growth in the sensitivity of people, especially the young ones and
even the old, retired ones, toward the need to communicate.
I´m amused to see both my very young nephews and nieces
and my rather elderly aunties, already pushing 80, quite adept
especially in the social network. I suspect they are the ones that
keep the lines abuzz, or the cyberwaves clogged. All of sudden, the
world has become much smaller, and more people, despite distance and
age, get close to each other.
In schools, young students are continually taught the many
possibilities of the new technologies. Innovations keep on popping up,
providing people with still more ways to communicate.
Obviously, the big guys are also happy with these
developments. Those in business and politics, those trying to monitor
social and cultural changes, etc., derive great benefit from these
novel things.
And it´s truly heartwarming to note that not only the pace
but also the quality of business and politics is improving. That´s
because with these gadgets the potentials of participative government
are unleashed. Both politicians and citizens, businessmen and
consumers, are now more sensitive to the requirements of the common
good.
Let´s hope this trend goes on, without forgetting that
there is also a need to be vigilant over abuses and other bad effects,
usually unintended, that can spoil this development. We have to
remember to practice some kind of restraint and moderation in the use
of these new gadgets. They can lead us to some info overload that
would not be healthy to us.
In this regard, it might be helpful to remind ourselves
that the real and proper motor to drive and guide us in this new
waters of communication is charity. Let´s not disparage that truth,
again considering it as something irrelevant to our current state of
development.
Charity can never become obsolete nor useless. It cannot
and should not be held as something so other-worldly that it can have
nothing to do with our earthly, mundane affairs. In fact, the opposite
is true.
Charity is the very soul of our life and everything in
it—our thoughts, words and deeds, our business, politics and all kinds
of human dealings. It is what brings all these things to their proper
foundation, their proper end, and to their proper ways.
We need to disabuse ourselves from the erroneous
mentality, sadly quite common these days, of considering charity as
impractical. This is actually the main problem we have now. We tend to
view things almost exclusively from the practical point of view, as if
everything depends on practicality.
Charity demands more things from us precisely because we
are not mere animals who happen to be rational and who are just ruled
by the law of practicality. We are persons and children of God, meant
to enter to a real communion of life and love with God and with
everybody else.
Charity tells us more things about what we need to
communicate and how to do it. It equips us with a greater sensitivity
that lets us fathom deeper things in persons and events. It enables us
to understand and to take advantage of sufferings in this life, and of
the many negative things that can come to us—our mistakes and
failures, our sins, etc.
Charity links us ultimately to God, our last and final end.
Practicality is incapable of doing these things. It tends
to treat us not as persons but as objects to be used. We have to be
wary of this tendency that seems to afflict us these days like a sweet
poison that we gladly take everyday.
It´s time that we sit down and make a serious inventory of
the requirements of charity.
that is now palpable these days. One just has to look around and
realize how the steady crawl of linkages among persons and entities in
different levels of society is developing.
Technology, for sure, has a lot to do with it. The mobile
phone, the Internet, the social network systems, etc., are quickening
the pace of communication. With them, we can get in touch with
practically anyone in any part of the world.
In a way, these modern means of communication have an
equalizing effect on the people. That´s because even if there are
several grades and levels involved, the fact remains that they have a
much larger coverage than previously known. A lot more people are
drawn into the communication loop now than before.
Together with this technological angle is, of course, a
growth in the sensitivity of people, especially the young ones and
even the old, retired ones, toward the need to communicate.
I´m amused to see both my very young nephews and nieces
and my rather elderly aunties, already pushing 80, quite adept
especially in the social network. I suspect they are the ones that
keep the lines abuzz, or the cyberwaves clogged. All of sudden, the
world has become much smaller, and more people, despite distance and
age, get close to each other.
In schools, young students are continually taught the many
possibilities of the new technologies. Innovations keep on popping up,
providing people with still more ways to communicate.
Obviously, the big guys are also happy with these
developments. Those in business and politics, those trying to monitor
social and cultural changes, etc., derive great benefit from these
novel things.
And it´s truly heartwarming to note that not only the pace
but also the quality of business and politics is improving. That´s
because with these gadgets the potentials of participative government
are unleashed. Both politicians and citizens, businessmen and
consumers, are now more sensitive to the requirements of the common
good.
Let´s hope this trend goes on, without forgetting that
there is also a need to be vigilant over abuses and other bad effects,
usually unintended, that can spoil this development. We have to
remember to practice some kind of restraint and moderation in the use
of these new gadgets. They can lead us to some info overload that
would not be healthy to us.
In this regard, it might be helpful to remind ourselves
that the real and proper motor to drive and guide us in this new
waters of communication is charity. Let´s not disparage that truth,
again considering it as something irrelevant to our current state of
development.
Charity can never become obsolete nor useless. It cannot
and should not be held as something so other-worldly that it can have
nothing to do with our earthly, mundane affairs. In fact, the opposite
is true.
Charity is the very soul of our life and everything in
it—our thoughts, words and deeds, our business, politics and all kinds
of human dealings. It is what brings all these things to their proper
foundation, their proper end, and to their proper ways.
We need to disabuse ourselves from the erroneous
mentality, sadly quite common these days, of considering charity as
impractical. This is actually the main problem we have now. We tend to
view things almost exclusively from the practical point of view, as if
everything depends on practicality.
Charity demands more things from us precisely because we
are not mere animals who happen to be rational and who are just ruled
by the law of practicality. We are persons and children of God, meant
to enter to a real communion of life and love with God and with
everybody else.
Charity tells us more things about what we need to
communicate and how to do it. It equips us with a greater sensitivity
that lets us fathom deeper things in persons and events. It enables us
to understand and to take advantage of sufferings in this life, and of
the many negative things that can come to us—our mistakes and
failures, our sins, etc.
Charity links us ultimately to God, our last and final end.
Practicality is incapable of doing these things. It tends
to treat us not as persons but as objects to be used. We have to be
wary of this tendency that seems to afflict us these days like a sweet
poison that we gladly take everyday.
It´s time that we sit down and make a serious inventory of
the requirements of charity.
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