Sat. Feb 15th, 2025
Photo: Pixabay

Bernardo Kliksberg (*).

The year 2024 is closing with serious problems for humanity. Most of the sustainable development goals for 2015-2030 are at serious risk. However, new opportunities are also emerging.

New Directions of Thought

The Spanish newspaper El País consulted renowned experts about the 10 most influential thinkers, and they answered as follows:

  • Judith Butler. American philosopher who has questioned the foundations of traditional gender theory and has advanced unconventional ideas and new theories.
  • Thomas Piketty. French, he revolutionized inequality studies and reconstructed the evolution of the problem over the last 300 years. His ideas guide the search for policies to reduce inequality today.
  • Martha Nussbaum. American, professor at Brown University, among others. She is a reference in the analysis of ancient philosophies and emotions.
  • Noam Chomsky. American, professor emeritus at MIT. Considered by The New York Times as the world's greatest contributor to linguistics. He questioned the prevailing theories and proposed a new paradigm. He completely renewed the study of language.
  • Peter Singer. Australian, professor emeritus at Princeton University. International authority on moral philosophy, creator of innovative proposals for solidarity and economic justice.
  • Yuval Noah Harari is an Israeli historian and anthropologist who is a must-read worldwide on the future of the human race. His works “Homo sapiens”, “Homos Deus”, “Lessons for the 21st Century” and “Nexus” are currently bestsellers.
  • Jürgen Habermas. German thinker, innovator of political science studies.
  • Byung-Chul Han. South Korean philosopher, eminent thinker. Berlin University.
  • Slavoj Žižek. Slovenian, theory of ideologies, London University.
  • Michael Sandel. American. Harvard University. US Academy of Sciences. Theory of Justice.

The joint contribution of these 10 thinkers crosses and intersects decisive fields for the future of the human race, with contributions that at the same time: 1) question and revise central lines of conventional opinions, 2) open paths to continue deepening the path of innovative reflections, 3) propose paths and solutions that can address the prevailing disorientation, 4) constitute the spearhead of new schools of thought and renewed paradigms. They also point to the structural, trying to improve the future in depth.

The Grand Alliance was approved

The G20 is made up of the world's most powerful economies. Its members have currently entrusted their presidency to Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva, the leader of the largest economy in Latin America. He proposed and obtained approval for a global alliance to combat hunger, poverty and the climate crisis. He certainly has plenty of experience in these fields. The most successful program to combat hunger was the one generated in Brazil during his first presidency. It was called Zero Hunger. It combined a food subsidy for the very poor, a social protection system for them, and educational and work opportunities and direct support for small farmers. He managed to lift 20 million people out of hunger and had other notable impacts in all these fields. His second term continued to improve the figures and he ended his two administrations as the "world champion" in the fight against hunger and his Zero Hunger plan became the master plan of the FAO, the UN and many other countries to confront this scourge.

Israel, Educating in Values

Albert Einstein said that “the best way to educate is by example, there is no other way.” Israel has always been concerned with highlighting exemplary careers in order to transmit values ​​to the new generations. Thus, the country’s president has usually been appointed by consensus, seeking morally outstanding figures. The first was Chaim Weizmann, an eminent scientist. In 2007, the country appointed Shimon Peres as its president, an illustrious figure, one of the founders of the State, who in 1994 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Peres also launched the initiative to create the special president’s prize. It is awarded annually to prominent Jewish personalities who have made exceptional contributions to Israel, Judaism and humanity. These appointments have effectively become a source of ethical values ​​for young people and have shown them pioneering paths.

Let's toast to the future

The great poet Machado said in an immortal phrase: “Walker, there is no path, the path is made by walking.” In a turbulent world, full of uncertainties, extreme inequalities, a habitat in active crisis, and high levels of corruption and authoritarianism, we have an immense social capital of innovative ideas and philosophies like the ones mentioned above and of reference figures like those mentioned in the case of Israel and many others. We also have a great potential for viable solidarity alliances to fight and defend a dignified future in which everyone is included.

(*) Advisor to various international organizations. Honorary Doctor of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His new work “Where is social responsibility going in the world” has appeared (2024, Council of the Judiciary of the City of Buenos Aires).
kliksberg@aol.com

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.