In fact, this is how individuals are built with daily actions, conscientious responsibility and a lot of personal work. Of course, also in schools, work environments, society and government. That is why we cannot think that violence is eradicated far from our environment, violence is eliminated in each one of us. Not exercising it and signaling when it is exercised.
I haven’t seen the Oscars in a long time because I find comedians grossly violent, the same thing happens to me with comedy stand-up. Mainly because I have never understood what is the funny part of humiliating people, nor why it should be funny to talk about the defects and illnesses of people. No one is responsible for their physique, and even less so for an illness. It seems to me that those who make fun lack basic empathy and have normalized violence through bullying or bullying.
I know that this is not a very popular opinion and it has cost me several criticisms when I have expressed it. But it is not the same to make fun of a public figure for an action that they conscientiously committed, than for an act for which you are not responsible.
Comedian Cris Rock exercised violence by making fun of actress Jada Pinkett, who has a disease that has most certainly caused pain, sadness and an impact on her entire family and probably her entire close circle. But what is behind this humiliating spectacle? Let’s understand that, just at that moment, many people suffering from the same condition were watching the awards. So the grievance is not just for the one who was mocked, but probably thousands.
And although making fun of a sick person is bad enough, the attitude of those present who supported the behavior by bursting into laughter is also just as serious. Let’s think about how much we have lost the empathy that caused a lot of grace the fact of making another human being feel bad. The Academy, the organizers, the comedian and the audience must rethink where their values are.
Without a doubt, the answer would never be to escalate in violence, there are always options. I understand that the actor Will Smith felt offended and that knowing what his wife felt, he wanted to support her and make her feel accompanied, also that he wanted to make it clear that what Cris Rock had done was wrong, and that we would have understood all of us.
But hitting someone and exercising almost the same violence caused his cause to lose all support. She could have used the opportunity to talk about the violence that is exerted through comedy to sensitize millions of people around the world who were watching. She had the means and the microphone to be able to make a difference, mark a before and after.
Anyway, Will let the opportunity pass, he asked for a half-assed apology and tried to justify his actions with the argument that “love makes you go crazy”. He used such a common excuse to normalize and justify violent acts. And surprisingly many and many accepted it as a valid answer.
What we all witnessed is just a reflection of reality. It became clear that insulting, humiliating and denigrating is seen as an act of comedy. And exercising physical violence to “defend” is validated and applauded. But let’s stop here. I must insist on this point to point out that violence will never be the answer and whoever violates one can attack anyone he “loves”. Even that night Will Smith risked his career, a night that would have been the end of many successes and all for not being responsible.
Although all the consequences of this act are not yet on the table, it is possible that the actor goes through several project cancellations and it seems that we do not realize that this is also exercising violence, replicating the same message. Let us understand that no type of aggression is justified. Canceling a person is a long way from achieving peace and of course restitution for the victim.
Smith made a mistake, but no one should pay with their future because no one is exempt from making mistakes. What matters here are the actions we take after those mistakes.
But what else happened at the Oscars ceremony? Few are the media that spoke of the great gesture that the singer Lady Gaga had with the actress Liza Minnelli by accompanying her and not leaving her alone in that moment of exposure in front of the public. That is when we observe what are the behaviors that are most endorsed or recognized. Why give so much publicity to two acts of enormous selfishness, instead of the exemplary gesture?