Eric Duma, XI A
With tumultuous events on the horizon and adept inventions such as AI, our society is constantly at crossroads. There are woke people banning children’s books, influencers demanding more respect for their "arduous job", and a movement that strives for less work. In a utopia in which everything is taken for granted and not questioned, the riches will soon turn into horror and anguish. Nevertheless, I believe that there is still hope for the future.
The recent decade has shown society’s astute ability to think independently and critically, or lack thereof. For instance, when countless influencers such as the Kardashians became even more illustrious, we gave them power over us. Consequently, ideas brought by them are seldom challenged. We were told that we could achieve a thin physique overnight by eating gummies and not through drugs prescribed for diabetics. Now, they are fervently demanding more respect for their labor, sometimes stating that it is harder to be an influencer than a nurse. And people nod their heads, whilst being unable to affirm why those celebrities are famous in the first place.
Furthermore, the four-day workweek was introduced, something which was vivaciously accepted by the masses. The eloquent speeches given by its proponents were widely accepted, not even considering if the policy is effective for all jobs, particularly doctors, and if it doesn’t accelerate the process of being replaced by AI. The left, the paragon of the poor and minorities, is organizing its crusades against a harrowing and malicious enemy, Shakespeare’s plays. Consequently, other initiatives remain untouched, support for communities such as the LGBT has plummeted since 2016 and people are slowly but surely turning to the right, sometimes even the far right.
It seems that we have grown complacent with everything we have, hence we have lost the spark that makes us humans. However, I believe that an event reminiscent of the Renaissance is happening right now. More and more journalists and salient figures are trying to challenge the status quo and aim for adroit discussions. These discussions are not delineated by political correctness or doing the thing that might seem moral, but by actual logic. Candace Owens has emerged over the years, rebuking both political parties in the US.
In addition, a multitude of intellectual content creators that actually have something relevant to say are urging people to stand up and argue for their beliefs. Thus, Blaire White is currently doing damage control for the polarized transgender community, trying to save whatever can be saved.
To conclude with, although some think we are destined to perish, I believe that there is still time to reverse the damage. Italy has recently banned Chat GPT. Protests in France are redefining what it means to work and what can be considered good work. Every action will have a reaction, hence the future does not look so bleak.