The 1970s, remembered by many as a time of “peace and love,” during which hippies and the tropicalist movement contributed to a scenario of great cultural effervescence, was also a period marked by violent actions against human rights demonstrations. Actions that, as we know, were a result of the dictatorial and military regimes that then took over Latin American countries and were characterized by the constant violation of the most basic codes of human rights and civilized conduct, such as censorship, torture, and exile.
Today, violence is everywhere. There is no longer a safe place. It is increasingly common to know people who have suffered some type of violence or for us to become victims ourselves. A constant theme in news reports across the country, violence has shaped an entire generation that grew up under the reign of fear and insecurity, a result of the indiscriminate violence to which we are exposed. Terror inside and outside the home, on the street, at work, in leisure… It doesn’t matter if you walk, take the bus, the subway, or drive a private car. At any moment, you could become the next victim…
And the more violent society becomes, the more we talk about ways to protect ourselves against it. Books, newspapers, magazines, and TV programs showcase security experts teaching how to survive this true “urban war.” However, these widely publicized “means” of prevention are largely personal in nature. Necessary, yes, but never substitutes for public measures to combat the violence that plagues us.
The concern with violence affects the quality of life for all of us, as it interferes with our social, family, and professional interactions. Diseases such as stress, depression, anxiety, and panic syndrome are increasingly associated with the rise of violence in large urban centers. Social movements, non-governmental organizations, and public campaigns encourage the practice of kindness, understanding, solidarity, respect, and equality. Simple gestures that do not solve the problem of violence, but that help cultivate in people a sense of goodwill towards others, a sentiment that violence has been working to eliminate.
There are many forms of violence, and many sectors of society passively coexist with it, turning a blind eye to violent acts that occur daily or participating in them. That is why actions proposing a new ethics of citizenship, aligned with the well-being of people, the nation, and the planet, are very important.
Increasing security by placing more police on the streets, for example, is essential. But this must be accompanied by a revival of essential values, such as social, cultural, economic, political, and moral values, as disrespect for citizenship is one of the main causes of the growth of violence in the country.
The best forms of prevention are combating unemployment and improving education; therefore, it is urgent to address the issue of urban violence not just as a police matter, but primarily as a social factor. There is only one problem: if the competent sectors of the state machinery for decisions of this nature take too long to decide, the values of the culture of violence will become so entrenched that it will be impossible to reverse them.
DR. LAIR RIBEIRO
Cardiologist, Speaker
www.lairribeiro.com.br
lrsintonia@terra.com.br