EDITORIAL: Crisis of Values

Some state that the Cuban society has lost essential notions of solidarity, decency and courtesy. Economic crises lead to crises of values, they say. It would be fair to say that some sectors within the Cuban society, groups or specific individuals, have lost those values. However, most of the Cuban society proves every day its ethical and civic vocation as well as its adherence to the most elemental rules of coexistence.

We are not living in chaos, as some suggest; although there are some pretending to create chaos “to live better.”

Unquestionably, you can see the disrespect for the rules of formal education in public spaces, linked to expressions and attitudes that give way to vulgarity, mistreatment and violence in the field of interpersonal relationships.

It is the law of the “jungle”, of people who shout the loudest, of people who rather trample other individuals in order to do their will.

The greatest threat is that such attitudes may become a common behavior and people end up accepting them as something natural, or just end up justifying each of them before the rule of circumstances.

There have always been rude individuals. But people are also aware of the serious consequences of bad manners. These notions must be preserved.

The family is responsible for instilling fundamental values. And the school, the media, the public institutions…should aim for promoting and consolidate them all. It is the urgent call that our President has made again and again: to recover the decency wherever is missing.

Public campaigns and educative actions are welcomed…But the real success is only guaranteed by the daily citizen’s conduct. It is crystal-clear: the law must be applied when needed. Certain overtolerance has resulted in more social indiscipline. 

A law-governed socialist nation must be much more than a simple ambition: we must make it true. And along with those rights, citizens have duties and responsibilities. Both are intrinsic. We must not confuse liberty with license.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff