We choose to speak up when it is convenient and trouble-free. Undoubtedly, this sentence is apt for the time we are living in. Hypocrisy is a phrase that is blatantly thrown around. But, to be honest, is it not the right term to brand us right now?
Like the biggest fraction of the world’s population, I grew up watching and enjoying international football tournaments. The enthusiasm, the spirit, the energy - everything seems to be larger than life when the next World Cup or Euro is around the corner. It is an almost mystic period in which, all of a sudden, nationalistic pride takes an upper hand and even pulls non-sports fans toward the edge of football euphoria. It almost gives me the feeling that there is no escape from being intrigued when the ball finally hits the pitch after four long years. There is no chance to not peek into at least one match while watching crowds go crazy over a win of theirs or a loss of another. There is no way that the ongoing battle between the safe bet and the underdog gets unnoticed. But, to me, it indicates that we are so strongly attached to the concept of it that opposing negativity is near to impracticable.
I think that sometimes we like to see everything through rose-tinted glasses. This World Cup is no exception but an example. We hear about everything we stand for or struggle against but the very moment it is about the choice between ethics and our own good, there is no second guess. We have our priorities set, clear and shatterproof. Nothing goes above personal comfort, is it?
I know, the truth can be uncomfortable. It is easy to be avoidant to externalities and at the end of the day, the correlation between those two aspects is stronger than we believe. The proclivity towards a loose ideology is not out of the ordinary. I can verify that for my part. Because I catch myself in that loop too frequently. I stand for some much, but at the same time, I represent so little.
But isn’t it the sad truth that many times it is not necessarily about being clamorous but abandoning? Isn’t renunciation a starting point for giving views a voice? Vocalization is wished for but I wonder how we are capable of dealing with issues such as human rights violations when we are still in the elementary dilemma of aligning another one‘s rights next to ours. More than that, can we truly turn down the tempting propositions that are encouraged by our intrinsic or compelled capitalistic nature?
I clearly have many questions but also a number of assumptions. But at the end of the day, they still did not eliminate the hypocrite in me. I know what I stand for. I know what I want to oppose. But, the hard fact is that I am sitting here, reflecting and writing. I am sitting here, reflecting, writing, and peeking at the next best screen while crowds go crazy over a win of theirs or a loss of another.
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