The committee was able to raise the money necessary to organize the festival they planned on. Its members went door to door to collect money, writing down each neighbor’s contribution, just as previous committee members had done. For months, they thought about the best way to make everyone happy. «We must get something for the children,» «And a brass band to liven the streets,» «And bagpipers to play at daybreak,» and the most important thing, «We must bring one of those musical groups.» One of those groups that only provide an entertainment, that drive trucks so large that it is sometimes necessary to demolish some centennial wall to be able to gain access to the festival grounds; one of those that costs more than ten concerts by local artists put together and who move thousands of people to dance to others’ as well as to their own songs while encouraging a monumental degree of permissiveness with alcohol consumption and the perpetuation of sexism through reggaeton lyrics.
The neighbors joined together. They united and contributed so that the village could come back to life. They welcomed thousands of people and celebrated the exciment of a full, ebullient village that knows how to enjoy life and time.
Sometimes, I imagine what might happen if the communal effort of such festival committees were devoted to non-recreational causes, like forming a commission of old age, or a commission to rejuvenate rural spaces or to eradicate poverty in the village.
We cannot forget that, historically, philanthropy and the formation of associations were at the root of our progress. We form associations for things that capture our interest. We unite and contribute to causes when we consider it necessary and assume certain responsibilities when our institutions shrug them off. We, society, are the hope of our country
What are we doing to reorganize the priorities of a forgotten community?
The committee was able to raise the money necessary to organize the festival they planned on. Its members went door to door to collect money, writing down each neighbor’s contribution, just as previous committee members had done. For months, they thought about the best way to make everyone happy. «We must get something for the children,» «And a brass band to liven the streets,» «And bagpipers to play at daybreak,» and the most important thing, «We must bring one of those musical groups.» One of those groups that only provide an entertainment, that drive trucks so large that it is sometimes necessary to demolish some centennial wall to be able to gain access to the festival grounds; one of those that costs more than ten concerts by local artists put together and who move thousands of people to dance to others’ as well as to their own songs while encouraging a monumental degree of permissiveness with alcohol consumption and the perpetuation of sexism through reggaeton lyrics.
