The void of what truly matters

We are living in turbulent times. We are advancing technologically at a dizzying speed, communicating more than ever, producing, consuming, giving opinions… but amid this accelerated momentum, it seems we are leaving behind something essential: the values that sustain a healthy, just, and humane society.

Empathy, respect, responsibility, commitment, humility, solidarity… these are words that, although still present in speeches, are fading away in daily practice. We are facing a context where individualism, short-term thinking, immediate results, and appearances often prevail. And most worrying: children and young people are growing up in this environment, searching for role models they often cannot find.

In schools, in families, on the streets, in public and private spaces… we need to refocus on what truly matters. We need to talk about respect, but also live it. Teach empathy, but also practice it. Promote responsibility, but also take it on. Values are not transmitted through words; they are passed on through example.

We live in a rush, running around like headless chickens, reacting rather than reflecting, moving from one thing to another without stopping to look at others or even at ourselves. We see it every day in small gestures. You go shopping, and the person serving you seems lost in another world, barely noticing your presence. You go to a restaurant and sometimes hesitate to ask for something extra for fear of bothering. You make a small mistake, and the reactions of others are completely out of proportion, as if you had committed a crime. Patience is lacking. Understanding is lacking. Humanity is lacking. Even the simplest gesture, like saying "good morning," has become rare. We have become used to passing by, avoiding contact, living on autopilot.

And this disconnection not only affects our personal relationships; it also weakens the social fabric. A society that does not cultivate trust, mutual respect, and shared responsibility becomes more vulnerable to uncertainty and conflict. We lose our ability to cooperate, to build together, to resolve differences without violence. We become more fragile, more reactive, less capable of truly supporting and accompanying each other.

The effect of this loss of values goes beyond what we can easily see. It slowly weakens coexistence and increases the distance between people. When respect disappears, prejudice grows. When empathy is lacking, indifference emerges. And when the sense of community fades, everyone ends up trapped in their own self-interest, unable to see beyond their immediate needs. Without shared values, societies fragment, confront each other, and lose their humanity.

Recovering what is essential doesn’t require grand heroic gestures. It means pausing for a moment to look at the person in front of us. Truly listening. Apologizing when we hurt someone. Appreciating the small things. Giving without expecting anything in return. Being consistent between what we say and what we do. Choosing a more conscious, slower, more authentic way of life.

Building a better society does not depend only on great leaders or ambitious public policies. It depends, above all, on each small daily act. On every act of kindness. On every honest conversation. On every effort to reach out instead of pointing fingers. The change we need starts in the simplest spaces: at home, at work, on the street. And, as always, it starts with each one of us.

Because a society that loses the value of its values is a society that fragments from within, even if outwardly it continues to advance. If there is one thing our society urgently needs, it is to return to what is essential: to human connection, to genuine kindness, to the simple yet powerful acts that rebuild trust, understanding, and hope for the future.