Discretion went out of style
An old discussion
In my childhood I always listened to my parents, especially my dad, talking about common sense. The old man was an expert in dispatching any difference of opinion, saying: "the thing is she/he is lacking common sense".
I reached the stage of adolescence without being very clear what the famous meaning of it was and it was in adulthood when I understood what it was about. I also understood another of the favorite expressions in my house: "common sense is the least common of the senses".
It seemed to me that this small preamble contributed to give context to the reflection that I share with you today.
The youth’s look.
Recently, one of my students from the university told me about an unpleasant episode that she recently lived.
It turns out that one day she agrees with a partner to go to the pool and they stay in the friend's house. Once there, my student tells the friend that she needs to dress up and put on her bathing suit. Without taking major precautions, she decided that the quickest thing was to dress up right there in the living room. She did not notice that in one of the rooms the door was open and one of the friend's brothers was taking pictures while she was on it. Her surprise was huge when she soon found out that her half-naked photos were rolling through the net.
The inevitable intergenerational encounter
Concluded her comment we began this dialogue.
- And why did not you go to the bathroom or a room instead of the living room?
- Why for?
- You could have thought it was safer, right?
- It did not cross my mind. Also, I can dress up where I want to, the one who does not have to take the pictures is him.
- The occasion makes the thief.
- No professor, the one that happened was him, abused.
- But one is the one who has the responsibility to take care of oneself, right?
- Well, I did not think about it, I just did what I thought was faster.
- But do you realize that you could avoid all the displeasure you've had?
- Yes, teacher, it's true ...
The conversation followed more or less in that tone. It was becoming clear that I had a concept of caution that seems not to be within the common sense of this time. It is obvious that among young people the assessment of what we used to call discretion is at a level, let's say, that is quite low.
Understand or judge?
It is not my habit to reach conclusions or risky sentences, especially when they have to do with the way young people see the world. In the years that I have as a teacher I have learned that there is a youthful look of reality that I find elusive. This I try to assume and respect, I try to be clear that my view of the world belongs to a reality that is not now.
I try to get away from the temptation to accuse the youngest of loss of values, a concept that is used as a joker in the current days to refer almost to any social problem. There are those who resolve their lack of understanding by using clichés like the one I just mentioned.
Many doubts to reflect about
So, instead of conclusions I prefer to draw attention to some questions.
Are we in a time where narcissism is so strong that you forget what self-care was?
Is naivety a behavior that’s natural to the feeling of being part of a global village?
Do the information campaigns that alert the public about the dangers of exposing themselves widely on the internet make any sense?
Do we have conditions at this time to think that things do not just happen to others, but can happen to me too?
These are just some of the thick doubts that arise from my conversation with my student. I realize that what some have called an epochal change seems to be a reality, especially in the new generations.
You will say, I welcome your ideas.
Thanks for your time
